HARBIN, China (AP) — Even as the mercury dropped well below freezing, enthusiasm soared among about a dozen hardy swimmers during a daily ritual in northeast China's "ice city" of Harbin.
The swimmers trained daily throughout the year for this.
They first carved out a pool in the Songhua River, breaking the 10-centimeter (4-inch) thick layer of ice that had formed again overnight and scooping out the pieces. Then they stripped down and, one by one, plunged into the bone-chilling waters of a pool about 10 meters (30 feet) long.
Some said their limbs were already numb in the -13 C (8 F) weather....
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