Daredevils plunge into Lake Maggiore in Brissago TI
Published: Saturday, Jan 6th 2024, 16:10
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The traditional Epiphany Day swim, the "Nodada della Befana", took place in Brissago TI on Saturday. In keeping with tradition, the swimmers covered a distance of around 80 meters.
The water temperature of Lake Maggiore was around 8 degrees on Saturday. In a report on the event, the online news portal "Ticino Online" spoke of dozens of participants, without giving an exact number.
In keeping with tradition, the daredevils were cheered on by numerous onlookers, as the radio and television station of Italian-speaking Switzerland RSI wrote on its website.
As in previous years, wetsuits were not permitted. However, participants were able to treat themselves to a warm shower - and everyone was offered a glass of mulled wine, according to "Ticino Online".
Legend of a good-natured witch
The name of the Epiphany Swim refers to the legend of a witch, the Befana. According to an old popular belief, she was on her way to the birthplace of Jesus Christ. However, as she set off too late and missed the star of Bethlehem, she got lost.
In some villages in Ticino, good-natured witches roam around on Epiphany. They "fly" from house to house on their brooms and hand out nuts, mandarins and sweets to the "good" children. "Bad" children, on the other hand, only receive pieces of coal.
The custom also left its mark in a rather unexpected place on Saturday. "The Befana brings Lara her fifth podium finish of the winter," was the headline of RSI's report on ski racer Lara Gut-Behrami's second place in the giant slalom in Kranjska Gora.
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