On a cold day in Auckland, the last thing you'd want to do is take a dip.
But it could actually be the perfect preparations for the Black Fins world title defence set for the chilly beaches of the Netherlands.
"I've heard it's pretty freezing, between 14 and 17 degrees," said New Zealand surf lifesaving representative Danielle McKenzie. "That's definitely going to be a challenge. I guess it's not if we're here training over winter."
The world champs are held over forty one events, mixing traditional beach and pool events with the everyday skills of a lifesaver.
"There's things like the board rescue where you go out and pick someone up, tow them back to shore, drag them back up the beach, all things you'd have to do if you were saving a life at the beach."
The Black Fins have taken out the last two Rescue events in France in twenty fourteen and Adelaide four years ago and could become the first New Zealand team to win three titles in a row.
"It would be massive, massive for our sport and massive for our organisation," said team member Max Beattie. "We've won the last two and winning a third would do a lot for us internationally, make people sit up and know kiwi lifesavers are the real deal."
Beattie has been part of the two championship teams.
His main event will be the ironman, something he's keen to turn to full time.
"I'm actually aiming to become a professional ironman so there is that whole sporting side and I do have goal outside of wearing the red and yellow. So it's cool for people to understand what we do on the sporting side of things."
And it's that sporting side of things the Kiwis are clearly excelling at.
Newshub.
