EXCELSIOR, Minn -- More than a thousand people jumped into Lake Minnetonka for the 20th annual Ice Dive, which is a Minnesota tradition.
"It's the initial plunge that's the awesome part," a participant said.
What better way to jump start the new year with doing something jaw dropping, considering it was a zero degree morning.
A new record was set with more than 1,000 jumpers, roughly 100 more than last year.
"It's cold, I'm not a cold guy, that water is cold and it's -12 degrees out here or something," another participant said.
"This is only my second time, but I like that rush jumping in, I know that sounds crazy," a jumper said, as he waited for his turn.
Participants ranged from first-timers hailing from Toga, Ethiophia, to foreign exchange students.
It was so cold, water started freezing on skin. While some were running to safety, others found the nearby sauna with a wood burning stove inside.
Regardless, people couldn't care less how cold it was, if they did, traditions like the Ice Dive wouldn't even exist.
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