Polar Bear Swim 2004 (84th Annual)

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
January 1, 2004

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The Vancouver Polar Bear Swim Club is one of the largest and oldest Polar Bear Clubs in the world. Its first 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 2:30 pm 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.

2004 Event Photo Gallery

Click on thumbnail to view full-size image

1. Peter Pantages 100 yard Swim Trophy - 1st. Male Trevor Olson 1st. Female Alysha Loney	2. Swim race winners! Park Board Commissioner Suzanne Anton, Glen C., Marcel L. Trevor O., Alysha L. Park Board Chair Anita Romaniuk, and Dave B. Announcer, 99.3 the Fox	3. Ivy Granstrom officially announced at this year's swim that she will be retiring	4. Ivy Granstrom with Lisa Pantages, President of the Polar Bear Club acknowledging Ivy's long time participation and retirement
5. Daryl Palmer, Event Marketing for the Province newspaper, accepting plaque for 25 years of corporate sponsorship for the Polar Bear Swim	6. The sombrero contingent!	7. Clowns are us!	8. Wanna - be firemen!
9. Mermaids in support of the swim!	10. Alternate event to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games?	11. Debbie's no chicken!	12. Impromptu swim by Kwang from Seoul Korea accepting the Polar Bear badge of honor
13. The last spontaneous dip!	14. Some of the behind the scene helpers

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2004 Event Statistics

2004 Event Prize Winners

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

Winners of the HMY Airways flights for two were:

Prize Donors

Many thanks to the following companies who donated prizes to the 2004 swim:

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

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