Polar Bear Swim 2010 (90th Annual)

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
January 1, 2010

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. Donation of non-perishable food bank items will be accepted.

Your free membership includes a commemorative button after you take the plunge. Prizes will be drawn from the entry forms filled out or turned in from the Province newspaper at the Swim registration table.

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

2010 Event Photo Gallery

Photos courtesy Cliff Lemire  -  Click on thumbnail to view full-size image

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It's a great Canadian tradition, eh!
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The Peter Pantages Memorial 100 yard Swim
is a go ...
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Swimming in a bubble zone.
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I earned my Polar Bear Swim souvenir button.
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2010 is going to be a better year!
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"Elvis" sighted
at the Polar Bear Swim.
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Traffic control
at the Swim.
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Penguins getting their lunch.
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Sarah and Sean, the on site 99.3 The FOX staff team.
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Some of the staff Lifeguard team.
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The Vikings have returned for their annual dip.
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Raring to go
at the start line ...
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... and they are off!
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You don't have to stay in for a long time!
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You're only a rookie once!
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Just rolling along.
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Lisa & John Pantages enjoying the family tradition.
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Santa recruiting elves for next Christmas.
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Oh baby!
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It's a family endeavour.
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Once again, clowning around at the swim.
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Ian Young accepting the Pantages Trophy from Lisa Pantages & Park Chair, Commissioner, Aaron Jasper.
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Trophy winners Kristy McIntyre & Ian Young.
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Sean, Natasha, & Janka, reviving the old style swim outfits.

2010 Event Statistics

 
2009
2010
Air Temperature 4°C / 40°F 9°C / 48°F
Water Temperature 6°C / 43°F 7°C / 45°F
Weather Drizzle/Sun Rain
No. of Registered Swimmers (record 2,128 in 2000, previous record 2,095 in 1983) 1588 1876
Winner of the Peter Pantages Memorial Trophy 1st: Trevor Olson
2nd: Michael Wendt
3rd: Herman Wagner

1st female: Agatha Soful
1st Ian Young
2nd Loughlan Rycroft
3rd Alamy Liu

1st female Kristy McIntyre
President Polar Bear Swim Club Lisa Pantages Lisa Pantages
Past President Basil Pantages Basil Pantages
Announcer Peter Henderson Sarah Goodman
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 99.3 the FOX
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

2010 Polar Bear Swim Prize Winners

Many thanks to the following companies who donated prizes to the 2010 swim :

99.3 THE FOX
AQUABUS
COCA-COLA
DULCINEA CHOCOLATE CAFÉ ON DENMAN
MAC'S CONVENIENCE STORE #1070 ON DAVIE
PROVINCE NEWSPAPER
STEPHO'S SOUVLAKI GREEK TAVERNA
VAN DUSEN GARDENS
VANCOUVER PARK BOARD

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

Nickolas Baric
Vancouver

Rudy Bartel
Vancouver

Bridie Bradley
Vancouver

Jenafor Bevans
Vancouver

Angel Dayupay
Vancouver

Julius Goes
Vancouver

Jason Humeniuk
Surrey

Hollis Johnson
Fort Langley

Ralph Jahn
Langley

Jeff Jones
Richmond

Shane Karset
Port Moody

Terry Kelly
Surrey

Brian Latimer
Vancouver

Edwin Lee
North Vancouver

Robert Lee
Chilliwack

Robin Furby
Port Moody

Trish Rescorla
North Vancouver

Garth Rohlenberg
Vancouver

Kristen Sivertz
Vancouver

George Smeltzer
Vancouver

Kai Sockville-Hii
North Vancouver

Sean Tynan
Vancouver

Ken Vimalesan
Vancouver