HAHIRA — The 2021 first-prize winner set a new record for the WWALS Boomerang Paddle Race, from Georgia into Florida and back.

Lloyd Reeves of Crescent City, Putnam County, Fla., in the St Johns River watershed won the event, organizers said in a statement. He was also generous, handing back the prize money, they added.

“All 17 paddlers had a good time on a cool, sunny, fall morning,” organizers said. “The Withlacoochee River water levels were just right, so everybody floated right over the one shoal.” 

Two college paddlers from Valdosta State University CORE were sponsored by Dry Pocket Apparel and Packaging Corporation of America. 

WWALS thanked “those and other sponsors, the other paddlers, and the silent auction bidders, for a successful fundraiser,” organizers said.

Of the nine female and eight male paddlers, 12 were from Georgia and five from Florida. Tallahassee’s Leon County, Florida, had almost as many paddlers (four) as local Lowndes County (six) and Tallahassee had as many as Valdosta (four each). The farthest paddler came from DeKalb County, on the other side of Atlanta.

Reeves drove 167 miles to win the six-mile course (three down and three back) in 58 minutes and 43 seconds with his accurately labeled fastkayak.com.

That beats the previous record of 1:16:42, made last year by Jackson Buttery of Tallahassee.

New record holder Reeves took the $100 bill first prize and handed it back as a donation. He also did that when he won the WWALS BIG Little Paddle Race in April 2018, when he also set a record, organizers said.

Second place in at 1:09:36, was Grant Herring of Valdosta in the Withlacoochee River watershed. That also beats the previous record.

Elizabeth Brunner, also of Valdosta and Withlacoochee River, finished four miles down and back in 1:20:46.

Russell McBride placed third at 1:24:43. from Quitman/Brooks County, in the Withlacoochee River watershed.

First female solo finisher of six miles, at 2:04:25 was Melanie Stornuster of Tucker/DeKalb County, who drove 246 miles from the Ocmulgee River watershed, by far the farthest away.

First place for the two-mile course was Jennifer Singleton at 1:28:10, from Lake Park, in the Alapaha River watershed.

More information, visit: https://wwals.net/?p=57041