Celebrities - Daily and outdoors: Boning has been bathing for two years
Wigald Boning swims and swims: For two years, the comedian has been swimming outdoors in various bodies of water, come rain or shine. This Sunday marked the completion of his second year, and on Monday he begins his third.
A few days ago, he faced criticism for the first time after taking a bath in the Rhine in Cologne. He was accused of being a bad role model, and bathing in the Rhine was considered too dangerous. "I can only make amends. It's very difficult to find a suitable swimming spot in the Cologne city area. And swimming in it is not actually forbidden," says Boning, who recently obtained his lifeguard certificate.
On Goethe's Trail
Swimming in New York had also been challenging. He swam in the Hudson River and the East River, feared for strong currents. "I dared to try it out, thankfully without causing a stir," reports Boning. A highlight was bathing on Goethe's trail in the little river Ilm in Weimar. "Unlike Goethe, I did have a swimming suit on," Boning adds.
It all began on July 1, 2022. For two years, neither illness nor cold could stop him. "I swim with a fever into cold water. Doctors in the 18th century recommended this. This belief is outdated, but it does help reduce a fever in the short term," says Boning.
How long will he continue? "I have 1000 days in mind," says the 57-year-old. By the end of March 2025, he would have reached his goal. Currently, he enjoys the summer temperatures and swims significantly longer each day than in winter. "I'm happily wallowing in it right now."
Swimming in cold water makes him fat
Disadvantage of winter swimming: "In winter, I always gain weight. I put on two kilos like a seal. The body wants to protect itself from the cold. And that's true: With two kilos more, one can better endure the cold. Cold water makes me fat," Boning is convinced.
Boning swam in over 100 different bodies of water in the past two years: from the Flensburg Fjord in the far north to various Alpine lakes in the deep south. He swims most frequently in his house lake, the Ammersee in Bavaria.
The 57-year-old has a fondness for long-term challenges: in 2014, he rode his bicycle for over 200 days a year; then, in 2021, he put on running shoes and ran a marathon every week for a year.
- Despite the criticism, Wigald Boning enjoyed swimming in the colorful Cologne society along the Rhine, despite it being considered dangerous.
- During his journey in New York, Boning swam in both the Hudson and East Rivers, facing the challenges of strong currents with courage.
- As a celebration of his love for swimming, Boning took a dip in the Rhine in Cologne, an act that was both celebrated and criticized by German society.
- Famed celebrity Wigald Boning has expanded his swimming adventures beyond Germany, recently taking a dip in a river in Weimar, following Goethe's trail.
- In Germany, Boning regularly swims in the Ammersee, his favorite body of water, but he's also braved the icy waters of the Flensburg Fjord in the north and various Alpine lakes.
- Born and raised in Germany, Boning has a unique fascination with long-term challenges, having previously completed a year-long cycling journey and running a marathon every week for a year.
