Swimwear-clad skiers take to the slopes near Sochi

Hundreds of winter sport fanatics wearing nothing but swimsuits braved the cold during the Boogel Woogel festival in Russia on Saturday.

Participants had travelled from all over the country to take part in the annual alpine event, held on a ski slope at Krasnaya Polyana, near the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

As well as swimsuits, some of the skiiers and snowboarders wore brightly coloured pyjamas and costumes, turning the event into a carnival.

The temperature hovered around the zero degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit), but that didn't stop the bravehearts from making the most of the snow.

Others even ski-jumped into a pool of icy water, to the delight of the crowds.

The festival was cancelled last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Organisers said that virus restrictions meant they had little time to prepare for this year's event.

Turnout was big, however, with many participants eager to shake off the months of restrictive measures and have fun.