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SnowFest! Polar Bear Swim at Gar Woods |
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Written by By Paul Raymore
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Tuesday, 26 February 2008 |
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 Gar Woods Polar Bear Swim
March 1, 2 p.m. (race starts at 2:30 p.m.)
Gar Woods Grill and Pier (5000 North Lake Blvd., in Carnelian Bay)
(530) 546-3366
A local’s and tourists favorite. Get wet and wild at the home of the Wet Woody with the 18th Annual Polar Bear Swim hosted by Gar Woods, Bacardi Rum and SnowFest! Hundreds gather to watch brave souls swim in this race in Lake Tahoe in March. You can join them or be a spectator from the sidelines while enjoying a Wet Woody.
The Tahoe World’s Paul Raymore spoke with Gar Woods owner Tom Turner about the 18th annual Gar Woods Polar Bear Swim:
What Turner is hoping for this year: No deaths
The course: Approximately 225 yard out-and-back swim on the west side of the Gar Woods pier.
Polar Bear Swim precursor: At the 1989 SnowFest, Gar Woods hosted a rock skipping contest. “We were all standing there skipping rocks and eating chicken wings and I realized no one had an in-the-water contest during SnowFest,” Turner said. “And there are other crazy people in the world who do this, so we took a page out of their playbook and decided we’d have a polar bear swim.” The rest is freezing cold history.
The water temperature: Turner expects the temperature to be in the 39.5 to 41 degree range, depending on snowmelt and other factors.
The competitors: Typically about 10-15 women take part in the women’s race, which takes place before the men hit the water. And there are usually 15-20 men who have been talked into competing (often over cocktails at the bar the night before).
The conditions: According to Turner, most of the time they’ve had pretty decent conditions for the races (i.e. calm winds and water, sunny weather). But it’s those past polar bear swims when it is snowing or especially windy that really test competitors’ spirits.
The spectators: There are upwards of 500 spectators lining the Gar Woods pier at most races, cheering on the brave souls who venture into the water.
Tom Turner’s personal experience: Turner has participated in the swim three times over the last 17 years, though he doubts if he’s got another race in him: “I may be beyond my foolish ways at my age. But I fully encourage everyone to try it once.”
On drinking before swimming: Highly discouraged. “We’ve had a few people who’ve had too much to drink and think they’re full of antifreeze. They tend to make it almost all the way out to the Coast Guard boat before getting plucked out.”
The awards: Winners in both men’s and women’s races receive $150 cash, with $100 for the second place finishers and $50 for third. Last place finishers receive a free coffee drink at the bar.
The after party: Gar Woods pulls out all the stops with free appetizers, lots of swag, and a huge raffle at the end.
The best nickname for the Polar Bear Swim: The world’s greatest shrinkage event.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 26 February 2008 )
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