Contrast hydrotherapy comprises immersion in alternating cold and warm water baths during a period of recovery from exercise and is postulated to facilitate lactate clearance following high-intensity exercise by inducing fluctuations in muscle blood flow¹. However, research has yet to identify the most effective duration, absolute temperature and time ratio of cold to warm water immersion. The present study compared a 30 min passive non-immersed recovery (PASS) with two separate cold (8°C) to warm (40°C) water contrast ratios (CON1=1:1 and CON2=1:4)to examine BLa clearance and subsequent performance following high-intensity exercise. Eight active, male volunteers (25±3 yr; 82±6 kg; 180±9 cm) completed three trials separated by at least 7 days. For each trial, subjects completed three 30 s Wingate tests with 4 min rest interspersed, followed by a 30 min randomised recovery intervention. Post recovery, the Wingate tests (WAnT1, WAnT2, WAnT3) were repeated. Ethical approval for the study was granted by the Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee, Trinity College Dublin. Data was analysed using a two-way repeated measures ANOVA and the Holm-Sidak method of post-hoc analysis (data presented as mean±SD). BLa concentration was significantly lower at 1 and 2.5 min of recovery in CON1 and CON2 compared with PASS (9.6±2.4, 9.7±2.3, 13.1±2.3 mmol.l^-1 and 9.8±2.3, 11.1±3.2, 13.1±1.8 mmol.l^-1 for CON1, CON2 and PASS at 1 and 2.5 min respectively; P<0.05). There were no differences in BLa between interventions at any other time during recovery. Post recovery, mean power (MP) was significantly higher (P<0.05) for WAnT1 in both CON1 and CON2 (669±71, 681±70W) compared with PASS (651±76W). For WAnT2, MP was significantly higher (P<0.05) in CON2 (657±52W) compared with CON1 and PASS (647±43, 628±57W). A similar finding was observed for WAnT3 (632±53W for CON2; 616±50 for CON1 and 602±45W for PASS). In conclusion, lower BLa recorded at 1 and 2.5 min during recovery suggests that independent of the immersion protocol, contrast hydrotherapy affects immediate BLa kinetics following repeated Wingate tests. However, this effect was not sustained over the duration of the 30 min recovery period. Contrast immersion improved mean power output during subsequent high-intensity exercise with the 1:4 ratio of cold to warm water appearing more effective.