SF Stripped-Down Skaters Compete In Polar Bear Skate Saturday

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Skaters in bright blue swim trunks, fuchsia tutus and cargo pants - and little else - cavorted on the ice despite 51-degree temperatures at the annual Polar Bear Skate in San Francisco's Union Square on New Year's Day.

The competitors donned their scant apparel and pirouetted, twirled and whirled at the Safeway Holiday Ice Rink, vying for prizes based on theme, originality and overall appearance. The uniquely Bay Area competition, sponsored by Safeway, is a takeoff on Polar Bear plunges and encourages skaters to compete in beachwear. This was its ninth year.

One might think that this year's unusually cold weather would deter even the most determined eccentric (or exhibitionist) from competing. But Bay Area residents displayed their courage, not to mention their bodies, without a trace of hesitation Saturday afternoon.

Joe Houston of San Francisco, the wearer of the aforementioned blue swim trunks, bested eight other contestants for first prize: Two tickets to the ice rink valid until Jan. 17, 2022; $100 Visa and Macy's gift cards; and handmade vegan truffles from Petaluma-based Sjaak's Organic Chocolates.
It wouldn't be accurate to say Houston skated easily to victory, either literally or figuratively, given the low temperature. While some of the other competitors were more covered up, the San Francisco resident was wearing nothing more than the blue trunks and a sizable backpack.

Five randomly selected audience members judged the costumes on level of detail, audience appeal, presentation, originality and creativity. Second and third prizes included gift cards, Sjaak's chocolates and dinner at the storied John's Grill in San Francisco.

The Polar Bear Skate has been going on for nine years, according to Robert Keith, general manager for the ice rink.

"There's a magic in San Francisco," Keith said. "When people here have an opportunity to do something fun and outrageous, you can count them in." The Safeway Holiday Ice Rink has been a holiday fixture at Union Square for 14 years, and the Polar Bear Skate event began nine years ago, he said.

Apparently, Bay Area residents threw themselves full-throttle into the event, upholding the revered San Francisco tradition of, "If you've got it, flaunt it."

Keith said, "It started out, 'Wear your favorite swimsuit attire and ring in the New Year.' Then people started wearing homemade costumes.

"We've seen costumes that had to have cost hundreds and hundreds of dollars. You never know what is going to happen - sometimes the bathing suits are very tiny," Keith said.

Saturday's contestants included a woman in a Batgirl cape and skaters clad in sarongs, a pink bathrobe and a silver feather boa.

Despite COVID-19, record rainfall and the cold, folks have been turning out in droves at the ice rink ever since it opened for the season on November 3 of this year, Keith said. Attendance has been comparable with pre-COVID-19 years, according to Keith. He noted that all COVID-19 protocols are followed at the rink, which only admits people who are vaccinated or have tested negative in the last 24 hours.

"We recommend you sign up to skate in advance at www.unionsquareicerink.com," Keith said, though a limited number of same-day tickets are also available at the box office.

The rink is open seven days a week, with nine 60-minute sessions a day starting at 10 a.m. ending 11 p.m.

"We're open until Jan. 17, which is MLK Day," Keith said.

In addition to Safeway, the event has a multitude of local sponsors including Kaiser Permanente, Macy's and T-Mobile.

Copyright 2021 by Bay City News, Inc. — Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.