Scott Rogers The Times Ben Hefner, of the North Hall Middle School Alpha team, competes in the final round of last Saturday's Richardson Racing League Spring Championships at the Lake Lanier Olympic Center.

About 175 young paddlers, comprising eight middle school teams in the Lanier Canoe & Kayak Club's Richardson Youth Racing League, made quite a splash last Saturday at the Lake Lanier Olympic Center at Clarks Bridge Park, competing in the club's second annual spring championships.

The league, for children ages 10-15, gives the young athletes a chance to train over a six-week period, culminating with last Saturday's regatta-style spring championships.

"Most of these kids are from Hall County or affiliated with local middle schools," said LCKC executive director Connie Hagler. "The newest member was the Boys and Girls Club. They did really well for their first time.

"We had two home school teams as well," added Hagler. "Gainesville Middle School has a strong team and North Hall Middle School has a very strong team, coached by Jeff Eden."

The Home School team took first place with 353 points, followed by North Hall Alpha in second at 327. The Falcons took third at 238, followed by West Hall in fourth at 184. North Hall Omega took fifth at 156, Geckos placed sixth at 140, Gainesville finished seventh at 137 and the Boys and Girls Club took eighth at 36.

"I think it was a wonderful day and a great introduction to this sport," said Hagler about last Saturday's championships. "About 68 of them have been in a group doing clinics this year and we're real excited about their potential."

Following are the first place winners in each event from last Saturday's spring championships:

Girls, 10-15, C5, Battista, Bragg, Smith, Hedden, Elzey, Falcons, 1:23.97; Boys, 10-15 Mini K1, Blackburn, Home School, 1:01.18

Boys, 10-15, K3 Scupper Ben Hefner, Jase Comeax, Charlie Hortenstein, North Hall Middle School Alpha, 1:14.79

Girls, 14-15, ICF K1, Ash, Home School, 1:05.08; Boys, 10-12, C2, Tyler Wetherford, Zach Chafin, NHMS Omega, 1:41.81

Girls, 10-12, K2, Ali Grace Hutchings, Morgan Copeland, NHMS Alpha, 1:32.15

Boys, 14-15, Trainer, Robertson, Home School, 1:01.20; Girls, 10-11, ICF K1, Sharry, West Hall, 1:32.68

Boys, 10-15, C5, Potts, Roszel, Young, Farress, Halliley, Falcons, 1:01.20

Girls, 13-15, K2 Chelsea Smith, Sarah Paschall, NHMS Omega, 1:25.46

Boys, 10-12, Mini K1, Bradley, NHMS Omega, 1:18.69

Girls 10-15, K3 Scupper, Rebecca Westmoreland, Katelyn Dill, Libby Fonghaiser, NHMS Alpha, 1:22.86

Boys 14-15, ICF K1, Blackburn, Home School, 0:58.01

Girls, 10-12, C2, Jocelyn Engheben, Ashley Berry, Home School, 1:54.62

Boys, 10-12, K2, Cory Orr, Cason Stewart, Home School, 1:27.96

Girls, 10-12, Mini K1, Westmoreland, NHMS Alpha, 1:25.59

Boys, 10-15, Scupper K1, McArthur, Home School, 1:15.85

Girls, 12-13, Trainer, Rowland, West Hall, 1:09.01

Boys, 10-11, ICF K1, Windstrom, Falcons, 1:40.79

Girls, 13-15, C2, Cannie Ash, Brittany Orr, Home School, 1:51.52

Boys, 13-15, K2, Jared McAuther, Zach Robertson, Home School, 1:19.25

Girls, 14-15, Trainer, Engheben, Home School, 1;17.29

Boys, 12-13, ICF K1, Comeaux, NHMS Alpha, 1:11.34

Girls, 10-15, Scupper K1, Bragg, Falcons, 1:28.48

Boys, 13-15, C2, Brandon Merritt, Teryan Rucker, Boys & Girls, 1:42.91

Girls, 13-15, Mini K1, Jones, NHMS Alpha, 1:17.78

Boys, 12-13, Trainer, Webster, Gainesville, Falcons, 1:07.72

Mixed, 10-15, K2, Cannie Ash, Hezekiah Blackburn, Home School, 1:23.71

Boys, 10-15, Open K1, Potts, Falcons, 0:56.84

Girls, 12-13, ICF K1, Westmoreland, NHMS Alpha, 1:19.89

Mixed, 10-15, C5, Zach Robertson, McArthur, Blackburn, Ash, Ariana Graham, Home School, 1:20.73

Coach, ICF K1, Brandon Honea, Gainesville, 00:49.55

Girls, 10-15, Open K1, Dill, NHMS Alpha, 1:04.62

Boys, 10-11, Trainer, Windstrom, Falcons, 1:30.67

Boys, 10-15, K3 Scupper, Elijah Murawski, Drake Boyer, Alex Sharry, West Hall, 1:37.43

Boys, 10-15, Open K1, Hefner, NHMS Alpha, 1:01.67

Girls, 10-15, Scupper K1, Copeland, NHMS Omega, 1:57.76;

Coach, ICF K1, Cait O'Dell, Falcons, 1:19.13

Mixed, 10-15, C2, Alex Cook, Ashley Berry, Home School, 1:41.42

Mixed, Dragon Boat Challenge, Heat 1, West Hall, 1:17.82

Mixed, Dragon Boat Challenge, Heat 2, Falcons, 1:15.95

Mixed, Dragon Boat Challenge, Final, Falcons, 1:15.39.

The Richardson Racing League, named after the company that funds it, Richardson Associates Electronics, follows a basic structure first used with the Junior Olympic Program that began shortly after the 1996 Olympics called the Lanier venue its home for canoeing and kayaking events.

(Times staff writer Tana Suggs contributed to this article.)

Contact: kdonaldson@gainesvilletimes.com; (770) 718-3406

Originally published Friday, May 26, 2006