2013 Hermosa Beach Polar Bear swimmers (left to right) Nicole Malandrinos, Gilda Macias, Rachel Malandrinos, Scott DeBeaubien, unidentified, Cassi Bruni, Lara Abajian, unidentified, Evan Cooper, Les and Sharon Thompson, Mary Ellen and Rich Farr, Melissa Nothern, Joe Gietzen, Bradley Nothern, Katherine Shiroma, Ros Peltekov, Garrett Horton, Lex Lugo, Pastor Tim Smith, unidentified, Julianne Paine, Claire Gietzen and Kim Bevington.
Hermosa Beach Polar Bear Swim Veterans,
The water was 58, but the air was colder.
Rich Farr makes a hasty retreat.
SHS Varsity Girls Pioneer League champions Cassi Bruni, Nicole and Rachel Malandrinos and Gilda Macias.
South High swim coach Sharron Thompson and Hermosa Beach Polar Bear Swim founder Ed Kushins, with injured hand that kept him out of the water this year.
South High swim team supporters coach Sharon Thompson, Pastor Tim Smith, Les Thompson, Rich and Mary Ellen Farr, Scott DeBeaubien.
Rich and Mary Ellen Farr, Scott DeBeaubien get proof of their swim.Swim.
SHS wimmers Evan Cooper, Katherine Shiroma and Garrett Horton.
South High Swim coach Sharron Thompson promised her swimmers a practice pass if they participated in the 23rd Annual Hermosa Beach 16th Street Polar Beach Swim. Last year, South’s girls varsity won the Pioneer League Championship for the first time in the school’s history. A dozen swimmers rose to the New Year’s Day challenge, along with another dozen 16th Street Polar Bear Swim veterans. The water was a headache-inducing 58 degree and the air an even colder at 44 degrees. Longtime 16th Street resident Ed Kushins started the tradition in 1990 with the promise of hot chocolate and muffins for participants. Recent hand surgery kept Kushins out of the water this year, but he vowed make a comeback in 2014.
