X-WATERS Malta 2023

Gozo Island - Malta (6 km). It was harder than I expected. Thanks to X-WATERS for such a swim, Malta is a great place for such outings in October, the water temperature is 24 degrees.

The event that triggered a wonderful vacation in Malta was a 6 km swim from X-WATERS. My first experience of swimming at sea, a lot of mistakes, a lot of lessons learnt, a lot of beauty around, a lot of impressions and positive emotions! It was easy to navigate, to swim around the island looking at rocks and fish - interesting and beautiful! I was surprised to see divers at the bottom - the air bubbles were very unexpected, I think they also did not expect to see such happiness as dozens of swimmers. The jellyfish were peaceful, the sun was bright, the waves added diversity. The swim is amazing!

My first swimming camp with the aquaholic_club team and my first long-distance swimming competitions at sea were 6500m #xwaters_Malta Many impressions, vivid emotions and a swimmer's tan! Thanks to the coach for productive training and the team for the bright meeting at the finish line with champagne. Let's set goals for the new season!

Today I closed the open water season with a 6 km Malta swim in the open sea. And just a year ago I did not know how to swim the crawl. This wonderful, full of events and travels year has seen so much! Except for the first two months, when I was just learning at school and did not really swim: ⠀ ⠀ - I swam 330 kilometers. - This is 107 swims / workouts, out of which 9 swims were open water. - I received a precious sub20 badge, because I swim a kilometer faster than 20 minutes. - I swam 1,500 meters in the pool faster than 30 minutes. - I received two awards for the third place in my age group (wow) - I worked on my technique, made kilometers in the pool, and here everything is still ahead. Salt, fresh water, storm, jellyfish, waves, fair current, cross current, cold water, warm sea - everything happened this year. I never gave up. Today was the longest swim - 2:39:52 Salt water, waves. The longest distance - 6 km. The probability of a jellyfish invasion is very high! But - stunningly beautiful water area in the Mediterranean Sea. We swam from the island of Gozo, where Ulysses spent seven years in the company of the nymph Calypso, passed the island of Comino, where they filmed Troy, to Malta. I swam close to the shore of the island of Comino, looked at the fish, the underwater world, I even saw divers. All this time, I was whipped up by waves (well, what did I do wrong to them?) But it was the most pleasant water, warm, the sun and ... waves stopping at my face. Waves waves waves. In my nose, in my mouth, everywhere. Waves. High. Rolling. How tired I was of fighting them... The result of the swim is the third place in my age group. I really wanted to get it, but I went to the finish line along the wrong trajectory, I couldn't see anyone in front or behind, so I thought (as usual) that I was swimming the very last. I ran ashore. That's it, I did it again. And here is the important thing - without one person this achievement would never happen. While he writes poetry to me, makes musical sets, I give him what I can - I climb for the third place in my age category

My first swimming medal! Eeee! I swam 1 km in 36 minutes and 43 seconds. My time could have been better if I hadn’t been so slowpoke. Imagine, all participants of the swim are lined up at the start knee-deep in the water, and Ksenia suddenly finds out that she has forgotten her glasses! I run out of the sea, run to the backpack lockers, take out my glasses and run back when everyone has already swum away. The gap is a minute and a half, but I am in panic, I can’t catch anyone, I am suffocating, change for breaststroke to catch my breath. Then they shout to me from the boat that I’m swimming in the wrong direction, I have to go to that buoy. And there is no one around, it’s not clear who to follow. Then I kind of noticed one swimmer in front and started following him. The whole swim through I was thinking “what a shame”, “how can I be such an idiot” and “aah, I don't want to be the last.” Since my fear of disgrace is my strongest motivator! I overtook that guy. And, it turns out, I overtook two more girls at the very beginning (I did not even understand then where they had gone). So I'm not the last, but the fourth from the end!

Swimming was soooo high! I caught such endorphin zen! The water is clear, warm, and soft. The sun is shining. Everything is so beautiful around! The body moves so easily in water. Arms make a stroke after a stroke, and you seem to glide. These are such long-forgotten sensations! And you feel so cool Just because you are here and now. And you are so grateful for everything that is happening around! In general, a complete endorphin trip! The second kilometer was not as fast as the first one. Mainly because the landmark on the red fortress no longer worked. It was much to the right of the desired direction. Now it was necessary to get between the hotel buildings. But in my ever-fogging and leaking glasses, these buildings were not very visible. I had to take them off to navigate. Water was leaking in and my eyes were tingling. But I was still enjoying the swim. In the end, I already wanted to pull the finish gate towards myself. And when I finally got there, for some reason I took off the chip in the water and offered it to the guy who met everyone there and asked “Are you OK?” Although I still had to go a couple of meters before crossing the finish line. And how awesome it is when your family meets you at the finish line! This is a rare happiness at my swims and it is very valuable! It increases all emotions by 3 times! It was a glorious hunt! Such events, people around charge me with positive energy for a long time. Just the hugs with X-WATERS team are so cool! Everybody swim!