Frozen Genitals: Swedish Skier Calle Halfvarsson Endures Frigid Temperatures
Swedish skier Calle Halfvarsson faced a chilling aftermath during a cross-country race in Finland, as he shockingly admitted to freezing his own penis due to the icy temperatures
Swedish cross-country skier Calle Halfvarsson faced an uncommon, but not unprecedented, result of competing in freezing temperatures in Finland over the weekend. Following his participation in the 20-kilometer World Cup race in Ruka, Halfvarsson revealed that he had to seek refuge in warmth after suffering from frostbite on his genitals.
The start of the race saw temperatures plunge to a frigid five degrees Fahrenheit (-15 degrees Celsius), as reported by Reuters.
"I've actually frozen my penis. Seriously," Halfvarsson told the Swedish outlet Expressen. "Damn, I had to lay in there [the athletes tent] for 10 minutes to thaw it out. It hurts so much. It's awful."
Expressen reported that Halfvarsson had previously suffered the same injury, but at 34 years old, he was able to find humor in the situation this time around, stating, "It's a good thing I'm about to have my second child because it's going to be tough in the future if I keep going like this."
During Sunday's race, Norwegian Jan Thomas Jenssen claimed the top spot on the podium, with Czech Republic's Michel Novák in second place and teammate Harald Østberg Amundsen in third. Halfvarsson finished 18th as the first Swede across the finish line.
Cross-country skiers, often clad in tight racing suits and thin layers, are especially prone to feeling the cold in their extremities.
During the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, Finnish skier Remi Leindholm faced the challenge of a frozen penis after the 50km mass start race. He had to use a heat pack to alleviate the issue. This was not the first time Leindholm had experienced this problem, having also dealt with it while competing in Ruka, like Halfvarsson.
Halfvarsson declined to describe the sensation, stating, "Those who know, they know." He warned against experiencing it, calling it "the worst thing you can experience."
In his autobiography, Prince Harry disclosed that he endured a frostbitten penis after an expedition to the North Pole in 2011, which occurred during his brother William's wedding to Kate Middleton.
