[media-credit name=’BEN CLASSON/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Nearly 1,500 Madisonians braved freezing temperatures Saturday and plunged into Lake Monona for the annual Polar Plunge.

Hundreds of teams from the community, including several from the University of Wisconsin, took the icy dip to raise more than $250,000 for the Special Olympics.

Kelly Kloepping, vice president of communications for the Special Olympics, said 7,000 people jumped in freezing lakes in nine plunges across Wisconsin last year to support the cause.

"Special Olympics athletes have the best sportsmanship you're ever going to see," Kloepping said. "The Polar Plunge raises money to subsidize traveling costs, equipment costs and all the things we need to run 75 competitions a year for our athletes."

Kloepping said the Polar Plunge raised more than $930,000 statewide last year. Participants must raise $75 in pledges to participate, and incentives — such as towels and gift cards — are rewarded to participants who go above that amount.

UW sophomore Zach Nankee, who plunged with the chemistry fraternity Alpha Chi Sigma, said he raised more than the required $75 to enter and managed to survive his first plunging experience.

"It was my first time; the fact that I didn't bring an extra pair of shoes was a little off-putting," Nankee said. "I did a pencil dive, touched the bottom and came up and just started kicking to the end and helped a good cause at the same time."

Plungers were judged for creativity, costumes and jumping styles by Olympic gold medalist Casey FitzRandolph, Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz and Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney.

Cieslewicz said he has never taken the plunge, but admires those who jumped into freezing water to give more people the opportunity to participate in competitive athletics.

"[The plungers] are — well, they're crazy, basically," Cieslewicz said. "But they're doing it for a good cause — they've all raised money for the Special Olympics."

FitzRandolph said he is motivated to support the Special Olympics not only because it is a good cause, but also because he can draw parallels between the Special Olympics athletes and himself as an Olympian.

"You're dealing with a group of people that face unique challenges," FitzRandolph said. "Any avenue that you can give them that allows them to get out and enjoy themselves and challenge themselves in a fun way is great."

UW sophomore Stephanie Goldschmidt, who organized a group for the plunge within her sorority Alpha Chi Omega, said the plunge is a way to bring people together and have a good time.

"If you can do something to raise money like this and it's so easy and so fun," Goldschmidt said. "Why not?"