Have you committed to new swim goals for 2026? At Dippy we think 2026 feels like a year for bold, story-worthy swim challenges to match our bold and story-worthy kit! We have put together some cold water challenges for those motivated to get in the water and push themselves out of their comfort zone.
Instead of chasing one intimidating number, climb gradually each week and turn every season into a goal. Here are some challenges that you can adapt based on your current performance and experience in the open water.
The challenge:
- January to March: Build up to swim 1 km nonstop
- April to June: Build up to swim 2.5 km nonstop
- July to September: Build up to swim 5 km nonstop
- October to December: Set your personal best record in sub 10 temperatures.
Every season adds a chapter, each week you are seeing progress and by December your confidence will be unavoidable to notice.
If you don’t want to make strict goals with times, distances, temperatures etc then make 2026 the year of consistency. Many of us live busy lives, have relatives they care for, work commitments and other aspects of life that leave us with little free time to get in the water every day. What we can do though is have a consistent swim each week to keep our tow floats inflated, our towels in the dryer and our changing robes in the car!
Aim to wild swim once a week in 2026, so 52 open water swims in the year. By week 52, you’ll have something rare - a habit that refuses to disappear.
This year change your environments and swim locations. Life is an adventure so in 2026 lets hit the road. Enjoy planning some trips and mark a road map to show your routes. Make it better with friends.
The challenge:
- Each month, choose one new place to swim.
- Each quarter, choose a new body of water. Try a river, a canal, a cove, a lido, a waterfall or even an ice bath!
- When the brighter nights arrive, have your map ready with the places you will go to get your reset and release. No thought needed when you get home, simply grab your bag and head out the door! If you can’t take time off to go on an actual longer road trip, you can still get outdoors and spend time in the water whilst enjoying the open road as well as the open water.
Regardless of the weather, commit to heading out and enjoying the open water in new places.
We all have our own personal stories for cold water swimming. Why we started, why we swim in the wild and what takes us back to the water each time. Some of us enter challenges, races, events that are organised throughout the year and are very motivational. They give us a target to work towards. Others like to raise funds for charity by having swim events for their chosen cause.
Examples
- A solo marathon swim on your birthday
- A charity-distance challenge
- A 24 hour relay with friends
- A symbolic distance tied to a personal goal
Create an event that only exists because you decided it should and make cold water swimming a reason people not only get in the water, but they raise money for great charities.
There are 13 full moons in 2026. This year why not challenge yourself to open water swim every evening when there is a full moon. If you have missed the January Wolf Supermoon, do not be discouraged, there are 12 to go!! Here are all the full moons in 2026:-
3rd January 2026 - Wolf Supermoon
1st February 2026 - Snow Moon
3rd March 2026 - Worm Moon
1st April 2026 - Pink Moon
1st May 2026 - Flower Moon
31st May 2026 - Blue Moon
29th June 2026 - Strawberry Moon
29th July 2026 - Buck Moon
28th August 2026 - Sturgeon Moon
26th September 2026 - Harvest Moon
26th October 2026 - Hunter’s Moon
24th November 2026 - Beaver Supermoon
24th December 2026 - Cold Supermoon
When light is soft, water behaves differently. We would urge everyone to get up for a sunrise swim in 2026 as the calmness, the silence and stillness of the water is indescribable. Challenge yourself this year to do new things and what better way than have a sunrise and a sunset swim in your diary. Why not make it one sunrise swim and one sunset swim in each season.
So choose your challenge, circle it on the calendar and start where you are. This is your year, your swim story and the water is waiting.