A rivalry between two men heated up the Polar Bear Swim held last weekend at Denare Beach.
“It was cold. It was very cold,” said Gord Neitzke after 48 seconds spent in Beaver Lake.
Not to be outdone, Trevor Thurston stayed in the water for a minute and four seconds.
“I only need to stay in longer than him,” he said before going in the icy water.
The Polar Bear Swim is the brainchild of Trout Festival Committee member Annette Last, and the first time this kind of event has been held to raise funds for festival.
Last said many groups came together to make the swim happen, especially the Flin Flon Kinsmen and Kinette clubs.
Funds have been earmarked to add a new free field concert to be held during Trout Festival week.
“I was so impressed with the success, so happy,” Last said.
She is already working on other fundraisers to support new events at Trout Festival, including a Muddy Moose Run, an obstacle course relay race in mud. She said she will be challenging community groups and businesses to put up teams for the run.
At the end of the day, the Polar Bear Swim raised just over $4,900. Thurstan raised the most money, bringing in more than $2,000. The Kinsmen clubs of Flin Flon and The Pas as well as Ginnell Bauman Watt and Umbrella Energy sponsored him.
Invigorated
Last said the jumpers felt invigorated afterwards and all reported that the cold water didn’t affect them the way they expected.
“None of us felt cold after,” she said, adding that most of the jumpers are planning to return next year.
In addition to Last, Neitzke and Thurstan, Christine Lussier, Ivy Blackmon, Michelle Salamondra and Scott McCullum all took to the water.
McCullum, the final jumper of the day, went in after a swell of popular support demanded it. He was not a registered participant, but succumbed to the crowd’s chant of “Scotty! Scotty!”
He adjusted his Denare Beach Yacht and Cattleman's Association International cap and jumped into the icy water. Emerging seconds later, he took to the warm-up room with a wave and a grin.
McCullum had the last words. “And that’s how we do it here at Beaver Lake!”
