There's nostalgia in skipping rocks -- searching for the perfectly flat stone, trying to hop a bounce or two past a buddy on a beautiful morning at the lake. The Great Southern Stone Skipping Championships in Shirley on Saturday goes a step past fond memory, providing an opportunity to monetize that chucking arm and cash in on your countless hours of intense training.
After the Pledge of Allegiance at 9 a.m., the event begins with a quick skills clinic and warmup throws into Greers Ferry Lake at Fairfield Bay Marina, 4350 S. Arkansas 330.
Fair warning: Pennsylvanian Kurt "Mountain Man" Steiner will be there. According to guinnessworldrecords.com, Steiner holds the world record for most consecutive skips, dinging in at a whopping 88.
Registration is $10 per person, and there will be two categories: adults 13 and older, and children 12 and younger.
Some rocks will be lying around, but hopeful skipping champs are advised to supply their own. There's only one rule: no man-made stones.
The open competitive skipping will begin at 9:30 a.m. with five judges watching and counting as each competitor makes three consecutive attempts. The top five adults and top five children will go on to compete in skip-offs at 10:15 a.m.
Winners will be selected by number of skips, not distance.
Prize money will be awarded to the top three from the skip-offs in each category, with the top prize for adults being $200 and the top prize for children $100.
Proceeds will benefit Arkansas Foodbank member food pantries in Choctaw, Clinton and Greers Ferry.
For more information, search "Great Southern Stone Skipping Championships" on facebook.com.
Please send tips for active recreation to
cbyrd@arkansasonline.com
ActiveStyle on 08/29/2016