New winter sports for the 2006 Olympics

The Chinese are getting practise in for the addition of frozen-lake-swimming to the Turin Games next year. Rather them than me.

This icy pool is Hou Hai, which is swum in all year round it seems. I don't know which season i'd rather not swim in it in. When the water isn't icy enough to preserve you for future generations to find, it's covered in scum and bits of rubbish. Usually a pleasant deep green soupy colour and consistency, it is at the moment even more difficult to swim through - hence the chap pushing ice out of the swimming area in this pic. I worry for his health.