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Polar Bear Swim 2007 (87th Annual)

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
January 1, 2007

2007 Event ButtonThe 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.

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

2007 Event Photo Gallery

Photos courtesy Cliff Lemire, M Pepin (#8,9)  -  Click on thumbnail to view full-size image

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1. Sombreros are us!
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2. Penguins for the swim
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3. Tigger, Tigger
why do I see two of you?
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4. Laughing Hats
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5. New Viking recruits
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6. Blueman Group
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7. 1st registrant
R Fromow from the UK
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8. Get Ready ...
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9. Go!
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10. It's a close race
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11. The winners are ...
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12. 1st Male & 1st Female
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13. Repeat Champion
Trevor Olson
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14. Pantages Clan
tradition continues
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15. Province Staff and Volunteers
handing out buttons
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16. All for the sake of a button???
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17. Councillor Suzanne Anton, Lisa Pantages
and Commissioner Korina Houghton after the event
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18. President of the
Lifeguard Association
with all the buttons ...
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19. Have you found my
missing red nose?
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20. The last swimmers
of the day.

2007 Event Statistics

 
2006
2007
Air Temperature 10°C / 50°F 8°C / 46 °F
Water Temperature 8.5°C / 47°F 8°C / 46°F
Weather Cloudy Rain
No. of Registered Swimmers (record 2,128 in 2000, previous record 2,095 in 1983) 1,560 1,601
Winner of the Peter Pantages Memorial Trophy 1st: Trevor Olson
2nd: Richard Buckley
3rd: Erik Reid

1st Female: Alysha Loney
1st: Trevor Olson
2nd: Erik Reid
3rd: Harley Binder

1st Female: Mabel Elmore
President Polar Bear Swim Club Lisa Pantages Lisa Pantages
Past President Basil Pantages Basil Pantages
Announcer Dave Bobenic Mike Cohen
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
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

2007 Event Prize Winners

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

Chantal Seguin
Vancouver, BC

Marix Massyn
Vancouver, BC

Joe Mongatal
Vancouver, BC

Rita Robinson
New Westminster, BC

Melissa Mendoza
Vancouver, BC

Barry Weinbaum
Vancouver, BC

Ryan Mickey
Langley, BC
Ted Williams
Burnaby, BC

Ran Guin
Vancouver, BC

Martin Skala
Vancouver, BC

Ed Wou
Vancouver, BC

Flo Dyck
Vancouver, BC

Jackson Washington
Vancouver, BC

Maria Fredricksson
Vancouver, BC
Don Jackson
Surrey, BC

Madeline Smith
Vancouver, BC

Tyla Rosmini
Vancouver, BC

Jessye Jacob-Ferman
Vancouver, BC

Shannon Mortimer
Burnaby, BC

Lisa Robinson
New Westminster, BC
Many thanks to the following companies who donated prizes to the 2007 swim
AQUABUS
COCA-COLA
COMMERCIAL AQUATIC SUPPLIES   
99.3 THE FOX
PROVINCE NEWSPAPER
SPECTRA FOODS
THE BOATHOUSE
ROMANO'S GRILL
MILESTONE'S
STEPHO'S SOUVLAKI GREEK TAVERNA
SYLVIA HOTEL
VANCOUVER PARK BOARD
WATERMARK RESTAURANT AT KITS BEACH
2007 Polar Bear Swim T-Shirts

There is still a limited supply of T-shirts available at the Vancouver Aquatic Centre, 1050 Beach Ave. Cost reduced to $15 each.