Ryan Stramrood, a born and bred Captonian, is the quintessential 'Average Joe'. He owns a media sales operation and has a loving family.

Yet, when not in the office, Ryan and his small like-minded extremist friends, quietly travel the world in search of its most inhospitable, often treacherous, icy ocean waters.

Following painful, pioneering training techniques and using what limited resources the team can find to put basic safety procedures in place, Ryan challenges himself by pushing personal limits for swimming in ice water, often setting new benchmarks for human endurance while they are at it.

No wetsuits or protection from the cold water are even considered – Speedo's only. His adventures, world first achievements and the often death-defying circumstances Ryan finds himself in, make a brilliant, unassuming story of human spirit and victory.

Founding member of the now widely recognised and globally adopted International Ice Swimming Association (IISA) and as a Trustee of the SEAL Open Water Swimming Trust (with Ram Barkai & Ryk Neethling), Ryan uses his 'reluctant' platform to raise funds for the trust and to help put a curb to the unacceptably high rate of drownings in SA's disadvantaged communities.