小蓝视频

Harlan Theaker, originally from Yorkton, didn鈥檛 do much preparation before taking the plunge at the 2019 Polar Bear Swim in Delta, B.C. He didn鈥檛 even decide to take part until the night before, when his step-daughter suggested it might be a fun thing to do on New Year鈥檚 Day.

鈥淚 didn鈥檛 even really know it was a race until we were driving there and I was talking to my wife about it and she said 鈥榶ou know, I think it鈥檚 a race.鈥欌��

That lack of preparation paid off, as Theaker won the event. The swim involves reaching a bell faster than everyone else, and Theaker came away in first place of the estimated crowd of 400 swimmers.

鈥淚 think out of those 400 only about a third of them were actually there for the race portion of it. A lot of people just do it for the experience. Nonetheless there is a huge group of people all gathered together, so it鈥檚 definitely interesting going out with the big group.鈥�

Even though he only knew it was a race that morning, Theaker admits that he鈥檚 got a competitive streak, and it was fired up while waiting in line. He met up with a boy who he had coached in basketball a couple years ago, who told him he had a real chance of winning.

鈥淚t was only kind of then that I thought, hey, you know what it鈥檚 a race, and I鈥檓 a very competitive person by nature. So, if I鈥檓 going to do it, I might as well try to win... With anything I do, I鈥檓 one of those 鈥榞ive it my all鈥� type of people.鈥�

In another way, Theaker believes he might have been prepared all his life. Growing up in Yorkton made him much better adapted to cold than most people in B.C.

鈥淏eing from Saskatchewan, I grew up in -30C winters, that was sort of the normal winter for me. Out here, their cold days are 2C, that鈥檚 a cold day... Don鈥檛 get me wrong, it was chilly for sure, but I almost think it gave me a bit of an advantage, 小蓝视频 used to that cold... Until it was over and I was on my way out, I didn鈥檛 feel cold at all.鈥�

He considers the win to be a case of mind over matter, and he set his mind on doing well and dove in without thinking too much.

As the winner of the event, Theaker plans on doing it again next year.

鈥淚 feel like I have to do it next year, I want to defend the title!鈥�

But he鈥檚 not afraid of having more competition. He recommends everyone try it once, even if they just do it to see what it鈥檚 like, because it鈥檚 a fun experience.