Thousands participate in Polar Bear Swim Vancouver 2014 (PHOTOS & VIDEOS)
A record 2,549 people took part in the 94th annual Vancouver Polar Bear Swim at English Bay earlier this afternoon on New Year’s Day.
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The water temperature in downtown Vancouver was 2 degrees Celsius higher than the average for this time of year and just slightly below the air temperature of 7 degrees Celsius.
At 2:30 p.m., thousands of people of all ages stormed into the water wearing nothing but bikinis, speedos, spandex suits, various headwear, and even creative outfits and costumes including Gumby, Jaws and a giant polar bear head.
Thousands more also lined the beaches to watch the spectacle and to support friends and family.
Participants were encouraged by the crowd’s chants and perhaps even a little bit of liquid courage. They lined up behind a yellow ribbon with the majority taking a dip into the icy waters for only a few seconds. A few brave ‘polar bears’ swam all the way to the marker buoy by the main lifeguard boat.
Vancouver’s annual Polar Bear Swim is not only the largest in Canada but also among the world’s largest.
Do you have photos and/or video of the 94th Polar Bear Swim at Vancouver’s English Bay? Tweet it to @VancityBuzz with #PolarBearSwim or send it to us by email at tips[at]vancitybuzz.com. We’ll share it with our readers!
Image: Instagram @christianjauand
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Image: Frederick-eric Mari Mangao
Image: B. Weir / League of Shadows
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Image: Eric M. Mangao Photography
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And the winner is…Polar Bear Swim 2014, English Bay, Vancouver, Canada #polarbear #vancouverbc pic.twitter.com/DZySPRCHAU
— Jean-Claude Pitre (@PitreJeanClaude) January 2, 2014
Polar bear dip with my best friends #englishbay pic.twitter.com/GTRrGwJ5ZK
— Anastasia Chapman (@iamstais) January 1, 2014
@nikkibayley bravo!! — Kira Selina (@kiraselina) January 1, 2014
Doing it! With Coach @Cbcfoxman #PolarBearDip2014 and #EnglishBay is PACKED! pic.twitter.com/T6BBJ5ZqaS — Johanna Wagstaffe (@JWagstaffe) January 1, 2014
去 #英灣 #EnglishBay 下水了嗎？2014的第一天跳進冰冷海水中絕對純爺們，下水者都能得 #PolarBearSwimClub 的紀念章，或穿著道具服追加場海灘派對！更多玩樂資訊http://t.co/Zhxdp79Z5j pic.twitter.com/dXH9O2PsZJ
— laVAN8 (@laVAN8) January 1, 2014
@supervancouver photo of English Bay #polarbear swim. pic.twitter.com/M1ziAlIchL
— DJW (@djwyvr) January 1, 2014
Polar Bear swim 2014 in #EnglishBay how about fuck no. #mimosatime pic.twitter.com/gCjFIj1nMR — The Horror Honeys (@HorrorHoneys) January 1, 2014
At the Vancouver #polarbearswim today. Great cool and fresh start to 2014! pic.twitter.com/8iiJcfbUk6
— Snaplocal Rewards (@SnaplocalRwrds) January 1, 2014
Crazy people… #PolarBearSwim pic.twitter.com/7lxG7UAbH9
— San (@SandraSuzette) January 1, 2014
#polarbearswim #englishbay #yvr pic.twitter.com/4vzZveRjE0 — Tanya Fletcher (@TanyaNews1130) January 1, 2014
#PolarBearSwim #Vancouver #BbcAN @DanielleAlex WE DID IT HNY 2014 pic.twitter.com/mNAQmsu7C6 — Suzette Amaya BBCAN1 (@SuzetteAmaya) January 1, 2014
Now 2014 can start #PolarBearSwim #vancouver pic.twitter.com/Xdx3ZhlX4x — Albane de Germon (@albanedegermon) January 1, 2014
Swim number 31 for this 49 year old. Lives in Edmonton, but comes back every year #polarbearswim #englishbay pic.twitter.com/yO6o9UJA49
— emily jackson (@theemilyjackson) January 1, 2014
Awesome #PolarBear plunge #vancouver @ English Bay pic.twitter.com/jGNpg20zVr
— nimak (@nimak) January 1, 2014
.@Salem_Alahmad and I enjoying walking down the street in our bathrobes! #Vancouver #PolarBearSwim pic.twitter.com/uiGnI8G9Te
— Kirstin (@kirstinr) January 1, 2014
Polar Bear Swim 2014, English Bay, Vancouver, Canada #polarbear #vancouverbc pic.twitter.com/Z4xmu7qacr
— Jean-Claude Pitre (@PitreJeanClaude) January 2, 2014
Polar Bear Swim 2014, English Bay, Vancouver, Canada #polarbear #vancouverbc pic.twitter.com/t8BSmeIqdC
— Jean-Claude Pitre (@PitreJeanClaude) January 2, 2014
Polar Bear Swim 2014, English Bay, Vancouver, Canada #polarbear #vancouverbc pic.twitter.com/pBKi8q3kTT
— Jean-Claude Pitre (@PitreJeanClaude) January 2, 2014
At the #PolarBearSwim on English Bay today. http://t.co/U2o8cseXo7 pic.twitter.com/kKTJlHHiSm
— David Beneteau (@dogsbody) January 2, 2014
Polar Bear Swim 2014, English Bay, Vancouver, Canada #polarbear #vancouverbc pic.twitter.com/2wwWSEzLKm
— Jean-Claude Pitre (@PitreJeanClaude) January 2, 2014
Polar Bear Swim 2014, English Bay, Vancouver, Canada, Water is 6C, Air 6C #polarbear #vancouverbc pic.twitter.com/Rc5PxDL3Q6
— Jean-Claude Pitre (@PitreJeanClaude) January 2, 2014
Been there…a real tradition ! Polar Bear Swim 2014, English Bay, Vancouver, Canada #polarbear #vancouverbc pic.twitter.com/Oms9OKioH2
— Jean-Claude Pitre (@PitreJeanClaude) January 2, 2014
Make room for the bear, Polar Bear Swim 2014, English Bay, Vancouver, Canada #polarbear #vancouverbc pic.twitter.com/c2En8U2YB6
— Jean-Claude Pitre (@PitreJeanClaude) January 2, 2014
What a way to start the year! #PolarBearSwim w @ChefsTableBC @chefjonathanc @nedbell @nikkibayley @sgreen62 pic.twitter.com/y1SUSFYTLw — Dennis Green (@chefdgreen) January 1, 2014
@nikkibayley making new friends at the #polarbearswim pic.twitter.com/C5InJJU083 — Dennis Green (@chefdgreen) January 1, 2014
My 1st #PolarBearSwim complete. Feel amazing. pic.twitter.com/a6eIkMKGnW
— Shawn Car (@ShawnaVanCity) January 2, 2014
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Polar Bear Swim 2014, English Bay, Vancouver, Canada #polarbear #vancouverbc pic.twitter.com/2wwWSEzLKm
— Jean-Claude Pitre (@PitreJeanClaude) January 2, 2014
Some of the 2400+ swimmers at #polarbearswim Vancouver! http://t.co/gZSDdASS2z pic.twitter.com/iO7pJWfc4n
— David Beneteau (@dogsbody) January 2, 2014
Celebrating the first day in 2014 with a nice cold swim… #PolarBearSwim #vancouver pic.twitter.com/jAsLjWowbL
— Jordan Winnett (@whine_it) January 2, 2014