Incredible Knaresborough woman takes on world's best at ice swimming in French Alps

Jacqui Hargrave, a former worker in learning support at King James School in Knaresborough, said she was still coming to terms with fact she had been competing with elite ice swimmers in the French Alps.

"As a complete newcomer to the elite scene, the competition was fast and fierce,” said Jacqui.

"The water temperature was only 3.7°c on average.

"I still can’t quite believe I fit into the same category of ‘elite ice swimmer’ alongside real swimming legends."

Jacqui, whose blog ‘openwaterwoman’ recording her exploits as an open water swimmer has attracted a following of more than a quarter of a million, said she was particularly thrilled to have taken part in the VIP relay race with three other swimmers from Yorkshire representing Great Britain, against many of the world’s most renowned ice swimmers, including Guinness world record holders and a four-time time Olympian, Peter Stoychev.

"We didn’t win, but we definitely gave it all we had.

"Our team still came home with some fantastic results, being joint top of the table for setting new icce swimming world records at the competition.”

Competitors who took part in The IISA World Championship at the Samoëns in the Vallée du Giffre have little but their own vim and vigour to combat the cold.

They swim in a standard swimming costume, protected only by a silicon cap and a pair of goggles.

Among Jacqui's GB team mates was Lara Fawcett, sister of Bear Grylls, and old friend Jonty Warneken who hails from Kirk Deighton and swims despite having had his left leg amputated below the knee.

Team GB established 32 new age group world records in the competition earlier this month, as did team Poland.

They both finished ahead of France with 27, the US with 23, Germany with 19 and Denmark with nine.

The British team’s preparations were boosted at Christmas time when Bear Grylls OBE turned up to support them at at their Yorkshire training camp.