On Saturday, June 1, canines from around the Adirondacks will have the opportunity to qualify for the July 11-14 ESPN Great Outdoor Games presented by Dodge. The big air competition features dogs vying for the longest jump after a running start from a 48-foot-long dock.

Mirror Lake at Lake Placid, N.Y., home to the ESPN Great Outdoor Games, welcomes the first 50 dogs to register for the competition, with the event beginning at 10 a.m. on June 1. The $10 entrance fee benefits the North Elba Parks District.

The winning dog secures an invitation to the 2002 ESPN Great Outdoor Games.

"The local dog qualifier is a great way for us to thank the people of the Adirondacks for the support they've shown us over the last three years -- by rewarding a hometown hero with a chance to compete with the pros in July," said Great Outdoor Games assistant director Cadence Harkins.

Last year, Sosa, a Chocolate Lab from Saranac Lake, won the ESPN Great Outdoor Games local dog qualifier with a jump of 19 feet, 6 inches. Sosa went on to take the silver medal at the 2001 Great Outdoor Games.

The ESPN Great Outdoor Games, free to the public, feature competitions in fishing, sporting dogs, target sports and timber events. The event airs on ESPN, ESPN2 and ABC Sports beginning July 20. More information, including schedules and invited athletes, can be found at www.greatoutdoorgames.com.