Who is Joe Zemaitis?

by Carol Ann Miller

International Swimming Association USA to Host
The 2024 U.S. National Ice Swimming Championships in Chantilly, Virginia
January 12-14, 2024.
U.S. National Ice Swimming Championships will be held at the Brookfield Swim Club, an outdoor 6 lane 25m pool and will have 12 age-groups and 14 events, including the 1000-meter freestyle, mixed relays, and will be limited to the first 250 registered swimmers. According to Joe Zemaitis, Chairman of the IISA USA Board of Directors, “the Chantilly, Virginia pool was selected for its DC metro location, proximity to major airports, the tremendous support from the local swim community, and the timing of the event given the extended holiday weekend. We expect to host a strong multi-national field of swimmers and look forward to hosting our first U.S. Ice Swimming Nationals. Team USA had a strong contingent of swimmers who won medals and set world records at the IISA World Championships in Samoens, France this past winter, and we hope to continue to build on that momentum as we continue to grow the sport of ice swimming in the U.S. and abroad.”

The U.S. Ice Swimming Association has partnered with Brookfield Swim Club in

Chantilly, Virginia, home of the Brookfield Breakers Swim Team, who with their local sponsors, have offered to help host this inaugural event. For additional information and registration for the U.S. National Ice Swimming Championships 2024 please visit the International Ice Swimming Association USA (IISAUSA) website IISAUSA.cool. Registration is now open.
The International Ice Swimming Association (IISA) was formed in 2009, with a vision to make ice swimming an Olympic Sport. It holds swims in 46 countries, represents 73 countries around the world, and currently has 4,736 international swimmer members. IISA USA launched in 2021 has 281 swimmer members.
Who is Joe Zemaitis? Joe is a former Chantilly resident who prizes his childhood swimming experience at Chantilly’s Brookfield Swim Club. Joe and his brother, John, were “Breakers” growing up in Chantilly and are both current record holders: Joe in the 8 and Under relay, John in the 8 and Under 25 meter. Though Joe’s family moved to Arizona in the 90’s,
through the years Joe has supported the Breakers financially as a sponsor and commemorated the 2023 Breakers’ Relay and Divisional Championship wins with team t-shirts.
Joe’s interest in swimming lead him to careers in high school, college, as a professional triathlete, and currently as manager of Neptune Swimming Foundation’s 650 swimmers in Arizona. In recent years, Joe has expanded his swimming experiences to include ice swimming. He brings the International Ice Swimming Association to the Brookfield Swim Club to host to the first ever U.S. National Ice Swimming Championships. All are welcome to join or watch. Come be a part of history! Food trucks and hot drinks will be available on site. Following the 3-day event, on Monday January 15th, Brookfield Swim Club at 13615 Pennsboro Dr, Chantilly, will hold a Splash and Dash Polar Plunge. For more information or to register contact Brookfieldswimclubva@ gmail.com. CL