Paddle Battle organized to attract people to lake area after regular season

Greers Ferry Lake in north-central Arkansas has proven an attraction to area residents and far-away travelers for many summers. Here, Madison Bueltemann, foreground, and her sister Riley, then 2 and 3 years old, respectively, learn water safety while swimming in the shallows at Sandy Beach in Heber Springs during the summer of 2013. Now, business owners in the area are looking toward a water race in late September to get traffic coming to the area after the unofficial end of summer, Labor Day.
Greers Ferry Lake in north-central Arkansas has proven an attraction to area residents and far-away travelers for many summers. Here, Madison Bueltemann, foreground, and her sister Riley, then 2 and 3 years old, respectively, learn water safety while swimming in the shallows at Sandy Beach in Heber Springs during the summer of 2013. Now, business owners in the area are looking toward a water race in late September to get traffic coming to the area after the unofficial end of summer, Labor Day.

— During the summer, owners of businesses around Greers Ferry Lake look forward to the time when vacationers flock to the water for weekends and long getaways. Now that school has started, however, and Labor Day — often seen as the end of summer and summer vacations — approaches, Fairfield Bay residents have come up with a creative way to bring people back to the lake in the offseason.

The idea for Paddle Battle at the Bay came about when lakeside business owners started looking to the future at a time when the number of visitors is down, even though the weather is perfect for getting on the water. The event, which will take place Sept. 26, includes races for kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddle boards. There will be three race lengths — 1.5 miles, 3 miles and 5 miles — and four age categories — ages 13-17, ages 18-49, ages 50-64 and ages 65 and over.

In addition to the races, there will be a kayak sprint and a paddle boat tug-of-war for children under 12, as well as a family fun run.

“We have a wonderful marina and lake, but after Labor Day, there’s very little activity,” said Roxie Bradley, event planner with the Fairfield Bay Marina. “We were looking for something unusual that would attract people from different areas.”

Bradley said event organizers got the idea from a marina in New York state, and so far, the reception has been great.

“We’ve had some local responses,” she said. “I even had one local canoe club call and say the fee was too low. They’re going to bring a bunch of people.”

Aside from the races, there will be local exhibitors, kayak demos, stand-up-paddle-boarding demonstrations, live music and food.

“We’re going to make a day of it,” Bradley said. “Just from the initial reactions we’ve gotten, I think it’s going to be good.”

Bradley said organizers hope to make Paddle Battle at the Bay an annual event.

“Paddling is the hottest thing on the water, and we’re excited to bring it up a notch with the first Paddle Battle. If you have a paddle, you can battle. [There is] something for everyone who loves to paddle — whether you’re racing or just out having fun,” Sheryl Paxton, Fairfield Bay Marina manager, said in a press release. “This family event has activities to engage and delight all ages.”

The race fee is $25 through Sept. 19 and $35 after that date. Registration the day of the race will begin at 8 a.m., and the races will start at 9 a.m. Kayaks will be available to rent, and medals will be given to all first-place winners in each category for each age class and distance.

The event will take place at the Fairfield Bay Marina, 4350 Arkansas 330 S. in Fairfield Bay.

For more information on Paddle Battle at the Bay, visit www.somedaystartstoday.tv/cms/paddlebattle or call Bradley at (501) 884-6030.

Staff writer Angela Spencer can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or aspencer@arkansasonline.com.

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