The Suann name is synonymous with the surf club movement in Bate Bay and now it is a permanent fixture with the naming of the Cronulla Polar Bears clubhouse,the John Suann Room.
The Cronulla Polar Bears Winter Swimming Club was founded in 1953 to promote ocean swimming for Surf Lifesaving members during the winter months and they have swum and competed in the ocean rock pool at Cronulla on Sundays between May & September ever since.
One of the famous surfing Suann’s, John Suann joined the Bears in 1964 and was instrumental in the leasing of the rooms above Cronulla Pavilon after the Cronulla Surf club said they didn't have use for them.
A Cronulla surf club member for 43 years John knew exactly what they could be used for.
After a lot of years and hard work it is only fitting that John the current club Patron is honored in the naming of their clubhouse, a space that every surf board riding and swimming club in Cronulla could only dream about.
“ I feel very humbled that they deem me worthy to name the club rooms after me” Suann said “ and it is instrumental in keeping the club one of the most competitive in Australia”
"We are still one of the few winter swimming clubs to boast a clubhouse,before that, I remember the blokes just changed on the beachfront."
The age demographic of the membership spans from eight to more than eighty years of age and has previously included swimmers as old as 97.
The club have included many Olympians such as water polo's Andrew Kerr, Australian surf champions such as Brad Turner and Kevin Nielson, ex-Wallabys such as the late Eddie Stapleton and NRL players right through to federal MPs such as Bruce Baird.
Winter swimming is also about camaraderie not just competition but they do take their competition very seriously.
The Bears have won 13 Australian titles and been placed in 36 of 39 titles since 1976, making the club the most successful in Australia.
Australia is “downunder” so in an annual show of solidarity with their northern Winter Swimming cousins their next swim is the Annual New Year’s Day Plunge on January 1.
