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If you have not heard, the 2025 Point to La Pointe sold out on Monday August 26th, in a record breaking 8 hours. We are incredibly humbled by the response to our event and the way that it has grown over the years. Thank you for your support!
Please read the full update here
Please read the full update here
Swim Requirements
- All swimmers should have some open water swimming experience or be able to swim a mile in under 45:00 in a pool.
- Cut off time for the race is 10:05 am. Swimmers will be pulled from the water at this time. Swimmers pulled from the water at the cut off time will be dropped off at the Coast Guard Station in Bayfield. Swimmers will be transported to the Pavilion where they will be provided with dried clothes and flip flops while they await for their belongings to arrive back.
- Open Water Swim Buoys are MANDATORY in all divisions.
- Swimmers must pick up their race packet in person - be prepared to show ID.
- All swimmers must sign a waiver at the time of registration. Swimmers under 18 years of age need to have a parent sign their waiver.
- You must be at least 14 years old on race day to swim.
All swimmers are required to wear a wetsuit. If you would like to swim without a wetsuit, you must apply in advance for permission from the race director (specific non-wetsuit experience is required). Water temperatures will be announced during the mandatory safety briefing.
The Competitive Division is a competitive race.
- Wetsuits are required except by special permission from the Race Director. Swimmers wishing to swim without a wetsuit need to complete a Wetsuit Application and email it to [email protected] for approval. Shorties and bibs will likely be adequate but a full suit is best in case of cold temperatures. Water temperatures on Lake Superior can vary greatly with wind direction and prior day's weather (typically 63-71 degrees).
- Open Water Swim Buoys are strongly recommended.
- No artificial swimming aids (fins, snorkels, etc.) are permitted, except wetsuits and open water swim buoys.
The Non-Competitive Division is not a race, but will be timed for the swimmer's interest.
- Swimmers should feel confident in their ability to swim 3 miles in open water.
- Wetsuits are required for all swimmers in the Non-Competitive Division. Shorties and bibs will likely be adequate but a full suit is recommended due to cold water temperatures (typically 63-71 degrees)
- Fins, snorkels, and hand paddles are permitted.
- Open Water Swim Buoys are strongly recommended.
- If you're looking for the Community Swim, please register for the Non-Competitive Division.
- Non-Competitive Division swimmers are covered by the Safety Team and no longer need to provide their own Safety Paddler.
Important Locations
Packet Pickup
Lakeside Pavilion 2 Front Street Bayfield, WI 54814 
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Start Line
Wash. Ave. Beach Washington Avenue Bayfield, WI 54814 
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Madeline Isl. Ferry
Ferry Terminal 20 Washington Ave. Bayfield, WI 54814 
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Finish Line
Coming Soon! La Pointe, WI 54850 
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Awards Ceremony
at Start Line Washington Avenue Bayfield, WI 54814 
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Swimmer Information & Schedule
Viewing this on a phone? Be sure to scroll between tabs to see EVERYTHING
2:00 PM – 8:00 PM Lakeside Pavilion, Bayfield, WI
- Check-in
- Packet Pickup
- Merch Pickup
- Pre-purchased merchandise pickup
- Swimmers drop off bag with personal items that they want at the finish line on Madeline Island
- change of clothes, towel, shoes, race provided return ferry ticket
Saturday, August 2, 2025
5:00-5:59am (hard stop at 6am) - Race Day Last Minute Packet Pickup (Bayfield Pavilion)
6:00-6:30am - Race chip pick up
6:00-6:30am - Swimmers drop off bag with personal items (Washington Ave Beach)
- bags must be dropped of by 6:30am or else they will not be at the finish line
7:00 am - Mandatory Safety Briefing and Race Instructions
7:20am - Race Start - see swimmer information document for breakdowns
10:05am - Pull Out - all swimmers still in the water will be pulled
11:00am - Awards Ceremony and Raffle Winner Announcement (La Pointe Elementary School)
5:00-5:59am (hard stop at 6am) - Race Day Last Minute Packet Pickup (Bayfield Pavilion)
6:00-6:30am - Race chip pick up
6:00-6:30am - Swimmers drop off bag with personal items (Washington Ave Beach)
- bags must be dropped of by 6:30am or else they will not be at the finish line
7:00 am - Mandatory Safety Briefing and Race Instructions
7:20am - Race Start - see swimmer information document for breakdowns
10:05am - Pull Out - all swimmers still in the water will be pulled
11:00am - Awards Ceremony and Raffle Winner Announcement (La Pointe Elementary School)
Information will be updated in July 2025.
You can keep an eye on weather and water temperatures leading up to the race and a P2LP specific weather link p2lp water temp
About the Area
Nearest AirportsDuluth International Airport (DLH) is just under 2 hrs from Bayfield & the Apostle Islands. Duluth offers daily flights from Minneapolis & Chicago.
Gogebic Airport Ironwood, MI (IWD) via Chicago O'Hare. IWD is 1.5 hours away from Bayfield (67 miles by car). This is a smaller airport with 2 flights per day to and from Chicago or Minneapolis. Please consider the limited schedule before booking. It is a good alternative for those flying from Chicago. |
Where to EatWhile in the area, you should explore our local restaurants. Being located right next to the water provides for extraordinary fresh local fish.
Bayfield Madeline Island Washburn |
Where to StayOur race is located on the beautiful south shore of Lake Superior. To help you plan your stay, we are linking all our local Chambers. They have already compiled a vast list of options for you to consider including camping and non-traditional accomodations.
Bayfield Lodging Madeline Island Lodging Washburn Lodging |
Merch
Friends, Family, Spectator - Information
Spectators staying on the island who want to see the swim start may have to take a later ferry if there is no room in the 6 am ferry. Spectators must pay the standard fee (it is recommended that you have a pre-purchased ticket or exact change ready.) For more information about the Madeline Island Ferry Line schedule visit their website at www.madferry.com
Information coming soon
Those staying in Bayfield and who wish to go to Madeline Island to cheer their swimmer or simply to be a spectator should take the ferry to Madeline Island. Upon landing at the ferry terminal, the finish line is a ½ mile walk north. The address is Sunny Slope Road, La Pointe, WI 54850. We will be running two shuttle buses to provide transportation from the ferry terminal to the finish line. The shuttle buses will pick up near the ferry terminal and drop spectators off at the finish line.
FERRY TICKETS
The Madeline Island Ferry will have a table set up at the Pavilion on Friday afternoon during packet pick-up where you can buy ferry tickets to make it to Madeline Island. Please note that the morning of the race, the first ferry to the island will be filled with all the gear, equipment and volunteers we need to put on this race. That means, ambulances, a 20 foot U-Haul truck, two shuttle buses and a ton of volunteers. Even if you're holding a ticket, spectators may not necessarily make it into the 7 amt ferry. In 2024, there were no vehicles (other than the one's we mentioned before) allowed on the 7 am ferry and some of our volunteers had to wait for the second ferry to arrive due to weight restrictions. Please consider this when deciding whether or not to bring a vehicle.
CARS & PARKING
As we have mentioned, bringing a car in the early morning of the race might prove challenging. Please be aware that parking on Madeline Island is also extremely limited. We ask spectators with cars to park in town and take the shuttle bus to the finish line. If there is no available parking in town, you may drive about 50 yards past the finish line location to a small parking area. Spectators are strongly encouraged to park in town and take a shuttle to the finish line.
The Madeline Island Ferry will have a table set up at the Pavilion on Friday afternoon during packet pick-up where you can buy ferry tickets to make it to Madeline Island. Please note that the morning of the race, the first ferry to the island will be filled with all the gear, equipment and volunteers we need to put on this race. That means, ambulances, a 20 foot U-Haul truck, two shuttle buses and a ton of volunteers. Even if you're holding a ticket, spectators may not necessarily make it into the 7 amt ferry. In 2024, there were no vehicles (other than the one's we mentioned before) allowed on the 7 am ferry and some of our volunteers had to wait for the second ferry to arrive due to weight restrictions. Please consider this when deciding whether or not to bring a vehicle.
CARS & PARKING
As we have mentioned, bringing a car in the early morning of the race might prove challenging. Please be aware that parking on Madeline Island is also extremely limited. We ask spectators with cars to park in town and take the shuttle bus to the finish line. If there is no available parking in town, you may drive about 50 yards past the finish line location to a small parking area. Spectators are strongly encouraged to park in town and take a shuttle to the finish line.
Sometimes swimmers get pulled out of the water. Swimmers can be pulled for a variety of reasons: exhaustion, hypothermia, leg cramps, etc. Swimmers that are pulled from the water will be transported to the Coast Guard Station in Bayfield.
Once pulled, swimmers will be evaluated and either released or transported to a nearby emergency center if warranted. If released, swimmers will be transported back to the Bayfield Pavilion (this is where your swimmer picked up their packet on Friday).
How will you know if your swimmer has been pulled out of the water? At the finish line, there are three tents that have the chips swimmers received before the start of the race, as they finish and the tracking chips are removed, these are placed on these tents so that we know who's made it to the island (this is one of 3 redundant processes we have to ensure everyone is accounted for.) YOU NEED TO KNOW YOUR SWIMMER'S RACE BIB NUMBER. When a swimmer is pulled out, a withdrawal tag will be placed where their tracking chip would be, this is how you will know that your swimmer did not make it to the island.
This is where having a plan to reunite with your swimmer will come into play. The plan should include who will be traveling to whom. Will you be going back to Bayfield with their gear or will you be waiting for them to make their way back to the Island. The last thing you want is to end up on opposite sides (You in Bayfield with all your swimmer's gear and your swimmer on the island with nothing.)
Once pulled, swimmers will be evaluated and either released or transported to a nearby emergency center if warranted. If released, swimmers will be transported back to the Bayfield Pavilion (this is where your swimmer picked up their packet on Friday).
How will you know if your swimmer has been pulled out of the water? At the finish line, there are three tents that have the chips swimmers received before the start of the race, as they finish and the tracking chips are removed, these are placed on these tents so that we know who's made it to the island (this is one of 3 redundant processes we have to ensure everyone is accounted for.) YOU NEED TO KNOW YOUR SWIMMER'S RACE BIB NUMBER. When a swimmer is pulled out, a withdrawal tag will be placed where their tracking chip would be, this is how you will know that your swimmer did not make it to the island.
This is where having a plan to reunite with your swimmer will come into play. The plan should include who will be traveling to whom. Will you be going back to Bayfield with their gear or will you be waiting for them to make their way back to the Island. The last thing you want is to end up on opposite sides (You in Bayfield with all your swimmer's gear and your swimmer on the island with nothing.)
We encourage our participants to support these businesses as they support their community in return.
2025 Gold Sponsors
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2025 Silver Sponsors
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2025 Bronze Sponsors
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Support Us
The Point to La Point Swim provides a great opportunity to put your business in the spotlight, build your brand and deliver your marketing message to an engaged and targeted audience of over 2,000 area residents, visitors, swimmers, their supporters, and volunteers – your customers.
Volunteers are an integral part of the Point to La Pointe Open Water Swim. We have a number of shifts and roles available from helping with set up, to sales, registration and more. We need help on land for several days leading up to the race as well as help on race day.
Most shifts on land are 3 hours long. Kayak and boater shifts are typically 6am-11am the day of the race.
The link below will add you to a "notify me" list. We will send out the full list of volunteer opportunities in spring of 2025.
Most shifts on land are 3 hours long. Kayak and boater shifts are typically 6am-11am the day of the race.
The link below will add you to a "notify me" list. We will send out the full list of volunteer opportunities in spring of 2025.
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About the Point to La Pointe Open Water Swim |
Registration Policies & Deadlines |
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The race is a 2.1 mile, point to point swim that starts in Bayfield, Wisconsin, and proceeds across the waters of Lake Superior to land on beautiful Madeline Island. Swimming to Madeline Island has been a storied feat around the Bayfield area for decades.
The event began in 2006 with 24 swimmers and has developed into the thriving event it is now with 600 swimmers. The race serves as the largest fundraiser for the Bayfield Rec Center - supporting year round recreation, youth swimming and sailing classes, senior exercise and socializing, and a community hub. Swimmers have encountered all of Lake Superior's moods over the years, from calm, flat water to strong crosswinds with 2 foot waves. This event is registered with and approved by the US Coast Guard. US Coast Guard and US Coast Guard Auxiliary boats will monitor and patrol the event as a component of the Safety Team. |
In case of individual cancellation or event cancellation due to weather, there are NO REFUNDS, transfers, or credits. Participants who give their registration to someone else will forfeit their registration and will be permanently banned from participation in the race. We strongly recommend cancellation insurance. Cancellation insurance covers unexpected items (qualifying events) that would cause you to cancel your participation. For example if you get injured or sick prior to the race or have another unexpected qualifying event. Please read the terms and conditions before purchasing. Please give serious consideration to cancellation insurance which is only available at registration time. Please note that cancellation insurance is purchased through a third-party vendor and not the Point to La Pointe organizers. You will need to save the email confirmation sent by the insurance company at the time of purchase in the event you have a claim. Transferring from one division to another (e.g. Competitive to Non-Competitive) or changing your Hoodie size can be done by emailing the race director before May 1, 2025 This deadline allows us to place our orders for hoodies, caps, materials, and supplies for the swim. Once everything has been ordered, changes can no longer be accommodated. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the race director via email or phone. Email Director: [email protected] Phone: 715-779-5408. Fundraising is a great way to engage your community in your open water swim journey and increase the impact you have supporting the Bayfield Rec Center.
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See why the Point to La Pointe is one of the best open water swims in the USA.
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Videos courtesy of David Doering & Airfox Photography. All rights reserved.
