Polar Bear Swim 2006 (86th Annual)

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
January 1, 2006

• History
• Safety Tips
• Statistics

The Vancouver Polar Bear Swim Club is one of the largest and oldest Polar Bear Clubs in the world. Its initial swim was in 1920 when a small number of hardy swimmers took the plunge into English Bay on New Year's Day. Led by their founder, Peter Pantages, the swim has grown from around 10 swimmers in that year to the record number of 2,128 official entries in 2000.

Today, the swim takes place at 2:30pm on the first day of each new year. Costumes and the Peter Pantages Memorial 100 yard swim race are the highlights of this event. To be a club member you must register before the swim. Registration takes place in front of the English Bay Bathhouse from 12:30pm - 2:30pm each New Year's Day. You may also register by clipping out the coupon in the Province Newspaper and presenting it at the registration desk the day of the swim. Your free membership includes a commemorative button after you take the plunge.

2006 Event Photo Gallery

Click on thumbnail to view full-size image

1. Registration time	2. The penguins are in their element	3. It´s a family event?	4. The Katimavik team.
5. Next generation being tutored by a 24-year Swim veteran!	6. The Mexican plunge team	7. Even soccer heads get in the action	8. The VIP stage crew; Park Commissioners Heather Holden, Ian Robertson, and Spencer Herbert with CFOX/MOJO staff
9. Just clowning around	10. They blew (blue?) into 2006	11. The sasquatch team captured	12. Moments before the plunge
13. And they are off... Trevor Olson	14. Ooohhhh it's so cold	15. Is it a great day for a swim?	16. The Iceman cometh
17. Even Santa and his reindeer showed up for the plunge	18. Top male and female swimmers, Trevor Olson and Alysha Loney receiving their trophy from Lisa and John Pantages along with Park Board Commissioners; Heather Holden, Spencer Herbert and Ian Robertson	19. The three fastest swimmers, Trevor Olson, Richard Buckley, and Erik Reid in the Peter Pantages' swim race	20. And it's over for another year...

• Top

2006 Event Statistics

	2005	2006
Air Temperature	3°C / 38°F	10°C / 50°F
Water Temperature	9°C / 48°F	8.5°C / 47°F
Weather	Sunny	Cloudy
No. of Registered Swimmers (record 2,128 in 2000, previous record 2,095 in 1983)	1,600	1,560
Winner of the Peter Pantages Memorial Trophy	1st: Tyler Wall 2nd: Trevor Olson 3rd: Dan Strutt 1st Female: Kristi Zychowka	1st: Trevor Olson 2nd: Richard Buckley 3rd: Erik Reid 1st Female: Alysha Loney
President Polar Bear Swim Club	Lisa Pantages	Lisa Pantages
Past President	Basil Pantages	Basil Pantages
Announcer	Dave Bobenic	Dave Bobenic
Promotion and Commemorative Buttons	Province Newspaper, Vancouver Park Board, Pantages family, 99.3 the FOX	Province Newspaper, Vancouver Park Board, Pantages family, 99.3 the FOX
P.A. and Music	99.3 the FOX / MOJO	99.3 the FOX / MOJO
Safety and First Aid	Vancouver Park Board	Vancouver Park Board
Event Information	Glenn Schultz Vancouver Aquatic Centre 1050 Beach Avenue Vancouver, BC  V6E 1T7 Phone: 604-665-3418 Email: glenn.schultz@vancouver.ca

2006 Event Prize Winners

The following names were drawn for prizes from the signed entry forms received at English Bay Beach

Laya Awan Surrey Charles Bingham North Vancouver Sherisse Bryson Richmond Lynann Burton Vancouver Chung Cheung Vancouver John Crane Vancouver Chloe Edbrooke Vancouver

Veronica Garza North Vancouver Donna Henningson Langley Kyle McEachern Vancouver Tricia Meneghello Vancouver Geordie Milne Vancouver Peyvand Omidi Vancouver Harriet Prince Vancouver

Roberta Rogers Burnaby Carlie Smith Vancouver Hillary Taylor Vancouver Elaine Tham Vancouver Valerie Thibodeau Burnaby Wolf von Oelffeu White Rock

Prize Donors

Many thanks to the following companies who donated prizes to this year's swim

COCA-COLA 99.3 THE FOX / MOJO RADIO OLD NAVY DEPARTMENT STORE PROVINCE NEWSPAPER BOATHOUSE RESTAURANT

STEPHO'S SOUVLAKI GREEK TAVERNA SYLVIA HOTEL VANCOUVER PARK BOARD VANDUSEN BOTANICAL GARDEN

Buttons

Polar Bear Swim 2006 buttons can be picked up at the Vancouver Aquatic Centre if you participated in the swim and didn't receive one.

For further information about the Vancouver Polar Bear Swim Club, contact: Glenn Schultz of the Vancouver Aquatic Centre.

• Top