The 2013 Minocqua Island Swim Challenge will be held Saturday, June 22, with more than 100 swimmers competing in the one-mile, open water swim at Torpy Park in downtown Minocqua.

The event is presented by Ministry Health Care and organized by the Minocqua Area Chamber of Commerce and the Oneida County Public Safety Dive Team. The Swim Challenge returns for a second year after a successful inaugural event in 2012 that brought 75 swimmers from all over the state to have fun and raise funds for the dive team.

Swimmers start in the waist-deep, 70 degree water of Lake Minocqua at the beach in Torpy Park. The Island Swim Challenge is an out-and-back course, one-half mile to a buoy near Devine Island and back to the beach. There will be large buoys marking the course every 200 yards with smaller buoys in between.

The cost to enter is $35 if registered by June 15 and includes a commemorative T-shirt, swim cap, goody bag and finish line food. The cost of registration after June 15 is $45.

The Swim Challenge offers a safe course for beginners and recreational lap swimmers as well as competitive age group swimmers and triathletes. Awards will be presented to overall male and female winners and age groups with first, second and third place finishers.

The Island Swim Challenge is sponsored largely by volunteers in numerous organizations including the Oneida County Public Safety Dive Team in handling course design and race safety as well as concession sales. The Lake Minocqua/Kawaguesaga Lake Protection Association members will be helping with course safety and traffic control and dozens of volunteer paddlers provide additional support in the water.

The Oneida County Public Safety Dive Team is currently made up of 13 divers who are committed to assisting local communities in water-related emergencies. They provide immediate response to water-related emergencies throughout Oneida County in more than 1,000 lakes and 74,000 acres of water. The dive team helps keep residents and thousands of visitors safe every year.

For additional information about the race or to register, visit minocquaswimchallenge.com or call the Minocqua Area Chamber office at (715) 356-5266.