The 2026 winter solstice ocean swim at Manly Beach is done — 1,305 swimmers, icy water, and $36,000 raised for One Meal.
Held at Manly Beach on the shortest day of the year, the Ice Cold Classic is a 1 km ocean swim that celebrates courage, community and compassion.
Swimmers take on the icy winter water before warming up with hot soup on the beach — all while raising funds for One Meal, a grassroots charity delivering meals to people experiencing homelessness, domestic violence and hardship.
The inaugural 2025 event raised over $64,000 for One Meal. The 2026 event went even bigger — 1,305 swimmers took the plunge on the shortest day of the year, raising $36,000 more.
The second Ice Cold Classic, on the shortest day of the year.
Top finishers from the 2026 Ice Cold Classic — 1,305 swimmers in the water.
Top finishers from the inaugural Ice Cold Classic.
A glimpse of what it's like to take the plunge — 2026 video coming soon.
Behind every bowl of hot soup at the Ice Cold Classic is Nagi — food blogger, cookbook author, and the driving force behind RecipeTin Meals, a community kitchen that turns her recipes into free meals for people in need.
One Meal's biggest donor and the person who fed every swimmer at the 2026 event, Nagi brought her trademark generosity to Manly Beach — along with her new puppy, Jaffle.
The Ice Cold Classic is more than just a swim — it's a chance for the ocean swimming community to come together, push their limits, and make a real difference.
In two years, over 1,800 swimmers have taken the plunge at Manly Beach, raising more than $100,000 for people in need across Sydney.
