GUIDE, China, Jan. 11 -- The fifth International limit Challenging Race of winter swimming across Yellow River started in northeast China' s Qinghai Province on Sunday.

Being hosted in Guide county at an altitude of 2,200 meters in Tibetan plateau, the world' s highest altitude swimming race has attracted 58 swimmers from Iceland, France, Italy, Germany, Australia, Russia, Belarus and host China.

Low water temperature, high altitude, thin oxygen all blended well, making Guide an ideal place to host international winter swimming race. 

“Temperature of the water surface is only 4 degree, and race distance is as long as 500 meters,”Mr. Cai, deputy director of Sports Bureau of Qinghai Province, said that is a big challenge for all competitors in terms of resistance to low temperature and endurance.

According to a source, winter swimming has been on the list of national fitness plan.