by Nina Vaclavikova
Interview: Mario Cigar, 84, long-distance winter swimmer and longtime New Year’s Day diver at Trieste’s Barcola Beach. Ilaria Cigar, daughter of Mario Cigar; participated in the New Year’s Day dive alongside her father.
On a cold New Year’s Day at Barcola Beach, Mario Cigar, 84, completed his 63rd consecutive annual dive into the Adriatic, a ritual that has made him a familiar figure along Trieste’s waterfront.
This year, he was joined by his daughter, Ilaria. The two walked to the water together and dove in side by side, drawing applause from a small crowd gathered despite the winter chill.
For more than six decades, Mr. Cigar has swum in the sea every day of the year, turning a private discipline into a quiet local tradition. In a city known for its sharp winds and restless waters, his ritual has come to symbolize endurance and constancy.
After emerging from the cold, he offered a brief smile. “It’s how I begin the year,” he said. “Clear mind, steady body.”
