In the Tyumen region, a world record was set for baking pancakes in icy water during the Maslenitsa festival.

Last week, residents of Tyumen set a world record for making pancakes in an ice hole. They baked over 224 Maslenitsa treats while simultaneously swimming in Lake Champions at a frosty temperature of minus 10 degrees Celsius. The event was part of the large-scale festival “Shrovetide”.

Photo: Cold Water Swimming and Frost Resistance Center “AquaSport-Tyumen”.

For the first time, the winter swimmers baked 224 pancakes in icy water. Four teams, each consisting of four members, completed the task in 40 minutes. The water temperature in the lake was 0.5 degrees, but the Tyumenians warmed up with cheerful smiles and tasty treats.

– We wanted to surprise people during Maslenitsa with such an interesting event. Traditionally, pancakes are made during Maslenitsa. We didn’t want to show off; we just wanted to entertain people: there were children at the event who couldn’t really swim yet, and beautiful women with pancakes – it turned into an unusual symbiosis. As for the record, some people posed for photos with pancakes in the ice hole, but nobody has ever organized competitions like this. If we had a contest with stopwatches and proper documentation to send to the Record Book, we thought we could make it, but for us, that feels a bit small. We conduct more serious events, – commented the event on request from the editorial office of KP, the director of the Cold Water Swimming and Frost Resistance Center “AquaSport-Tyumen”, Andrey Agarov.

In ancient times, all economic activities ceased during Maslenitsa, and mass festivities began. People of all ages gathered in the streets, rode sleds, watched fistfights and battles for snow fortresses, or participated in them. Maslenitsa celebrations were considered the most joyful folk holiday.

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Photo: Cold Water Swimming and Frost Resistance Center “AquaSport-Tyumen”.

– The winter swimmers of Lake Champions had a great opportunity to practice making pancakes. Guests had the chance to taste and evaluate the quality of the pancakes. The winning team was judged based on three criteria: the number of pancakes, their quality, and the maximum time spent in the ice hole. But the costumes of the teams also played a significant role, – shared the event organizers from the Cold Water Swimming and Frost Resistance Center “AquaSport-Tyumen”.

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Photo: Cold Water Swimming and Frost Resistance Center “AquaSport-Tyumen”.

Last year, Tyumen’s winter swimmers set even more extreme records. One of the relays involved swimming with a kettlebell in the ice hole. Athletes swam a certain distance while attached to 50-kilogram kettlebells. Surprisingly, strong men struggled with the task, while the women managed it successfully.

Another remarkable record by Tyumen’s winter swimmers was registered by the Chess Federation – a tournament in the ice hole. Famous chess player Anatoly Karpov celebrated his 60th birthday in the ice hole. He skillfully maneuvered the chess pieces, defeating opponents while standing half in the icy water.

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Photo: Cold Water Swimming and Frost Resistance Center “AquaSport-Tyumen”.

The unique event is not the last occurrence in the Tyumen region during Maslenitsa. This year, residents of Yalutorovsk will attempt to bake pancakes with a diameter of three meters. Giant pancakes have long become a symbol of the Tyumen region. Every year, thousands of tourists come to the region to witness this culinary marvel and taste freshly baked pancakes. In 2022, local artisans set a Russian record by cooking the largest pancake with a diameter of 2 meters and 95 centimeters. That year, 300 giant pancakes were made, and over 2,000 people participated in the “Battle of Pancake Bakers” project.