Winners, BIG Little River Paddle Race 2017-04-29

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Adel, Georgia, June 4, 2017 — Dwight Griner of Berrien County, Georgia won for the fifth time. A dozen other boats received prizes, as a record number of people paddled in the Fifth Annual BIG Little River Paddle Race, April 29, 2017. Tifton and Tift County had the most paddlers, but the awards show more boats from Moultrie and Colquitt County. Lowndes had the second most paddlers, and there were two people each from Cook and from far-away Houston and Harris Counties, and one from Thomas County.

[Dwight Griner winner closeup]
Dwight Griner winner closeup

This year’s BLRPR included three popular new attractions:

  • Lunch grilled on the spot
  • A silent auction
  • A kayak raffle

Perhaps the food was the most popular, since everyone was hungry after racing (or leisurely paddling) down the beautiful blackwater Little River beneath cypress and pines in the springtime.

These pictures show the start at Red Roberts Landing in Cook County on the Little River and the finish at the Colquitt County landing on the lake in Reed Bingham State Park, Georgia (there are many more pictures on the WWALS website. WWALS thanks everyone for helping educate the public about our fabulous rivers and conserve them for everyone to use.

[Under the cypress]
Under the cypress

This was an all-hands-on-deck event for WWALS: every board member and many others too numerous to mention helped in some way, and of course Friends of Reed Bingham (FORB) and the park rangers at Reed Bingham State Park.

Suwannee Riverkeeper John S. Quarterman said,

“In addition to thanking the most important people, those who paddled, I would especially like to call out the BLRPR mastermind, Bret Wagenhorst; the president of FORB, Diane Walters; and Phil Hubbard, who was involved in more ways than almost anyone else. And of course the Sponsors, several of whom contributed items for the silent auction:”
  • Cook Family Wellness Center & Convenient Care Clinic
  • Phil Hubbard
  • Dr. Bret Wagenhorst, eye M.D.
  • Wilson Eye Center
  • Wild Adventures Theme Park
  • Academy Sports
  • South Georgia Pecan
  • The Potters

Many people bought tickets for the kayak raffle. You can still get your raffle tickets online. The drawing will be at the WWALS Annual Meeting, 7PM Wednesday July 12, 2017, in Valdosta, GA. You do not have to be present to win, but you will be responsible for picking up the kayak if you win.

Table of Paddlers and Winners

Place Time Name Category Award City County State
2017 BIG Little Paddle Race Results
1. 40:38 Dwight Grinersolo M kayakoverallWest BerrienBerrienGA
2. 45:47 Jay Yorksolo M kayak1st SMKAdelCookGA
3. 48:17 Phil Hubbardsolo M kayakValdostaLowndesGA
4. 48:32 Tom Pottersolo M kayakValdostaLowndesGA
5. 49:53 Tim Robinsonsolo M kayakMoultrieColquittGA
6. 58:30 Ray Cummingssolo M canoe1st SMCMoultrieColquittGA
7. 58:55 Beatriz Pottersolo F kayak1st SFKValdostaLowndesGA
8. 58:56 Nikki Yorksolo F kayakAdelCookGA
9. 59:09 Jessica Brumfield & Kirby SmithMF tandem kayak1st MFTKMoultrieColquittGA
10. 1:01:50 Dan Phillipssolo M kayakHahiraLowndesGA
11. 1:02:50 Wes Hubbardsolo M kayakValdostaLowndesGA
12. 1:06:50 Woody Weeks & Anthony WeeksMM tandem kayak1st MTKMoultrieColquittGA
?. 1:08:40 F olive kayak pink shirtsolo F kayak???
13. 1:09:45 Marco Hur & Michael MagatMM tandem kayakMoultrieColquittGA
14. 1:11:37 Ray and Patty BarberMF tandem canoe1st MFTCTiftonTiftGA
15. 1:13:38 Kelly Dekle & Paul HorstMF tandem kayakTiftonTiftGA
16. 1:14:23 Winfred Dowdysolo M kayakValdostaLowndesGA
17. 1:14:33 Michasia Dowdysolo F kayakValdostaLowndesGA
18. 1:15:21 Glen & Mary HarrisMF tandem canoeTiftonTiftGA
?. 1:16:28 M olive kayak blue shirtsolo M kayak???
?. 1:16:45 F blue kayak black shirtsolo F kayak???
?. 1:17:07 M yellow orange kayak black shirtsolo M kayak???
19. 1:18:42 Judy Shiflett & Lily RobinsonFF tandem kayak1st FTKTiftonTiftGA
20. 1:18:52 Megan Robinsonsolo F kayakTiftonTiftGA
21. 1:19:52 Carrie Vickerssolo F kayakTiftonTiftGA
22. 1:19:59 Brentley Yamnitzsolo F kayakTiftonTiftGA
23. 1:21:20 Karen & Tom JohnsonMF tandem canoefarthestPine MtnHarrisGA
24. 1:21:40 John S. Quartermansolo M kayakHahiraLowndesGA
25. 1:22:55 Alton Burnssolo M canoeCoolidgeThomasGA
26. 1:23:10 Scott James & girlsMFF 3P canoe1st 3CValdostaLowndesGA
27. 1:23:26 Kailey Jamessolo F kayakValdostaLowndesGA
28. 1:27:02 Jaree Bushsolo F kayakyoungestLake ParkLowndesGA
29. 1:27:11 Dallas Bushsolo M kayakLake ParkLowndesGA
30. 1:31:26 Sam & Sherri WrightMF tandem canoeTiftonTiftGA
31. 1:32:28 Presley & Ashley VickersMF tandem kayakTiftonTiftGA
32. 1:32:15 Laura Kate Wrightsolo F kayakTiftonTiftGA
33. 1:32:45 Larry, Alex, Amber OgdenMMF 3P canoeValdostaLowndesGA
34. 1:32:35 Luke and Colt KeyMM tandem canoe1st MMTCMoultrieColquittGA
35. 1:34:17 Gonzalo Olguinsolo M kayakOmegaTiftGA
36. 1:56:39 Randy Wallsolo M kayakWarner RobinsHoustonGA
37. 1:56:58 Tracey Wallsolo F kayakWarner RobinsHoustonGA
38. 2:??:?? James & Jerry WalkerMF tandem canoeslowest & oldestTiftonTiftGA
Totals 31 M 
23 F 
12 SMK 
10 SFK 
  5 MFTC 
  3 MFTK 
  2 3C 
  2 SMC 
  2 MMTK 
  1 MMTC 
  1 FFTK 
  4 Moultrie 
  3 Tifton 
  2 Valdosta 
  1 West Berrien 
  1 Pine Mtn 
  1 Adel 
  1 Lake Park 
  4 Colquitt Co. 
  3 Tift Co. 
  3 Lowndes Co. 
  1 Cook Co. 
  1 Berrien Co. 
  1 Harris Co. 
18 Tifton 
13 Valdosta 
10 Moultrie 
  2 Hahira 
  2 Adel 
  2 Pine Mtn 
  2 Warner Robins 
  2 Lake Park 
  1 Omega 
  1 West Berrien 
  1 Coolidge 
19 Tift 
17 Lowndes 
10 Colquitt 
  2 Harris 
  2 Cook 
  2 Houston 
  1 Thomas 
  1 Berrien 
54 GA 

#? marks a paddler who was not registered in the race. Register next time and you’ll have a chance to win while helping even more!

Curiously there were no entrants from Berrien or Brooks or Lanier Counties, Georgia, and none from Florida. Looks like WWALS also needs to hold a paddle race on the Suwannee River in Florida. Maybe we’ll do that this fall.

About WWALS

WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. (WWALS) advocates for conservation and stewardship of the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, and Suwannee River watersheds in south Georgia and north Florida through education, awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen activities. John S. Quarterman is the Suwannee Riverkeeper®, which is a staff position and a project of WWALS Watershed Coalition (WWALS) as the Member of the Waterkeeper® Alliance for the Suwannee River basin. WWALS is a 501(c)(3) educational charity.

Contact:

Bret Wagenhorst
229-392-5513

WWALS Watershed Coalition
P.O. Box 88
Hahira, GA 31632
wwalswatershed@gmail.com
850-290-2350
www.wwals.net

John S. Quarterman, Suwannee Riverkeeper
contact@suwanneeriverkeeper.org
229-242-0102
suwanneeeriverkeeper.org

===

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can join this fun and work by becoming a WWALS member today!

One thought on “Winners, BIG Little River Paddle Race 2017-04-29

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