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Vancouver Polar Bear Swim |
| 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.
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.
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