OPEN-WATER swimming coach Fenwick Ridley has returned to Hexham after competing for Team GB at The Ice Swimming World Championships in Samoens.

Team GB came 7th in the championships, winning a total of 102 awards - 46 gold, 33 silver, and 23 bronze.

Fenwick, owner of H2otrails, won one silver and one bronze medal.

Reflecting on the week-long competition, he said: "It was a real big honour and privilege to swim alongside the world's best ice swimmers in the Alps.

"The setting is absolutely stunning with the venue surrounded by lush snow-topped mountains and of course, it was lovely and cold up there.

"I swam seven times, including the two relay teams that I picked from our TeamGB swimmers which included teammates John Myatt, Sam Farrow, Debbie Crombie and Kirstie Denton."

Not only did he pick up a lot of medals but several new nicknames.

Fenwick added: "At the races, the commentator was great and named me all sorts of things.

"In the 1000m freestyle, I was named as GBiceViking and in the relay team races we were called Team Hairy Dolphin.

"Overall, I was really happy with the results and the other swims even though I didn’t get top spots but it was hard to keep up and perform four days of racing in the cold 3.7 degrees celsius water temperature, with much energy burned.

"I am equally proud to have another swimmer from my business H2oTrails. Kirstie Denton, who is one of my clients that I have coached and supported on her training at our private venue Sweethope.

"She won 2nd in the same age group for 50m and 100m breaststroke."

"We will always have the memories of competing as well as the awards which have gone eco-friendly - so we will have a digital online medal, that’s attached to our profiles and shareable on social media.

"Although some of us will make a real one from wood as well."