Swimterprize
RYDE
Larnia Ryder is the founder and innovator of Ryde, a sustainable and inclusive outdoor clothing brand. Finding a robe that could have multiple uses gave her the inspiration to start the business
A hybrid robe-coat with fold-over cuffs that turn into gloves
Tell us a bit about your swim background?
I’ve loved swimming from a young age, spending hours in the pool and ocean, snorkelling and fascinated by the world beneath me. Water has always been my happy place. As I grew up, life and work took over and I found it harder to make time for it. In the winter of 2019, while struggling with my mental health, I wrote a simple list of things I ‘used’ to enjoy. Swimming was number one. Pushing myself back out of my comfort zone, I joined a local swim group called USwim and discovered that cold water had a HUGE impact on my wellbeing. What started as occasional dips became a ritual – helping me reset, clear my mind, and reconnect with myself. Now I always make sure there is ‘time to swim.’ I think the coldest I’ve swam is Oslo, Norway at -3°C! I also live on a narrowboat, so I’m constantly surrounded by water!