Legends take to the water in Rotorua's Lake Tikitapu next week

Swimmers charge into Rotorua's Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake) during last year's Legend of the Lake. Photo / Supplied

Keen swimmers from around the country will flock to Lake Tikitapu (Blue Lake) next weekend.

The Generation Homes Legend of the Lake, on Saturday and Sunday March 16 and 17, comprises a range of open water swims and a new Amphibian event, of which people of all ages and abilities will experience the swim of their life at a stunning location.

Legend of the Lake is the sixth event in the annual Banana Boat New Zealand Ocean Swim Series, the country's original ocean series which has attracted more than 35,000 swimmers during the last 12 years.

Extended to be a two-day event for the first time, the Rotorua event will include more swim distances than ever before for swimmers aged 7-83. From the leisurely 500m swim to the 1km and 2.5km challenges, and the inaugural 5km ultra distance, on Sunday.

Launching this year, the Amphibian offers a new challenge with a 1.5km swim, 3km forest run and a 500m swim around the shoreline of Blue Lake.

Three distances in the Banana Boat OceanKids Series means young swimmers can have a go as well. The 100m swim is perfect for 7-8-year-olds, the 200m distance is ideal for 9-10-year-olds and 11-12-year-olds looking for more of a challenge can try the 300m distance.

Founder and event director Scott Rice said the extension of the event and introduction of new experiences had been well received.

"We've been overwhelmed with the positive feedback from swimmers, spectators and the local community around this year's new two-day event. The range of opportunities to get involved, especially in the 5km and Amphibian event, is set to attract a very strong crowd to the Rotorua region and we can't wait to take to the lake," Rice said.

The New Zealand Ocean Swim Series runs from December 2018 to April 2019 and includes the Bay of Islands Classic (Russell) on December 1, The Gem (Omaha) on December 15, Capital Classic (Wellington) on January 27, Sand to Surf (Mt Maunganui) on February 9, Big Tahuna (Nelson) on March 2, Legend of the Lake (Rotorua) on March 16-17 and the inaugural Swim the Bridge King of the Bays (Auckland Harbour) on April 6.

- Supplied content

Legend of the Lake

Saturday
Time: Staggered starts from 8.50am-1.55pm
Distances: 500m, 1km, 2.5km, Amphibian, Banana Boat OceanKids 100m, 200m, 300m

Sunday
Time: Start 10am
Distances: 5km