Going, going... DeGray Lake Resort State Park offers children near Hot Springs and Arkadelphia a Last Chance Day Camp led by park interpreters July 30 to Aug. 1. The $ 50 program is for boys and girls from 9 to 12. It includes swimming, hiking, kayaking, lake tours, snorkeling, nature programs and games from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. The cost includes snacks and drinks, but campers will need to bring sack lunches. Registration, which is due by July 28, is available by calling (501 ) 865-2809.
Dam Night Run The social event of competitive runners’ season is at hand. Saturday, Club Arkadelphia hosts the annual Dam Night Run 5 K and its all-day tailgate party beside the spillway at De-Gray Lake. The 3. 1-mile, point-to-point footrace begins up high on Iron Mountain and ends in the spillway boat-ramp parking lot, for an overall downhill that can sizzle when the temperature’s not too high. The course record, set by Wesley Brown, is 14: 22. Julie Jiskre set the women’s record: 17: 02. There is one small but miserable uphill in the final mile; racers will resent it. Racers show up at the dam early, spend the day socializing and ride hay wagon shuttles to the starting line. Before and after the race, running clubs cook hot dogs and compete for a spirit award with costumes and loud music. Themes are usually tropical, to accommodate shorts and sandals, but this year’s theme is Classic Rock, which sounds kinda sweaty. The winning club gets (they don’t say “stuck with” ) a tailgate — a real tailgate that has traveled around the state over the years.
Race entry costs $ 25 and can be placed in person at the spillway parking area Saturday from early afternoon until 7 p.m.
This is a championship event in the Arkansas Grand Prix Series, so more information is at www. arkrrca. com.
The Grand Prix series competitors have another hard race the next weekend, at Batesville. So they’ll have just one week to recover for the White River 4 Mile Classic on Aug. 2.
Water ski Roger Boskus expects more than 300 competitors will travel from five states to his Cedar Creek Water Ski Park on July 31-Aug. 3 for the South Central Regional Water Ski Championships. The park is in Durham in Northwest Arkansas near Elkins. Skiers from 5 to 65 will try to qualify to ski in the U. S. National Championships, organized by USA Water Ski, the national governing body of the sport. Competition begins Aug. 1 with junior skiers (ages 18 and under ); adults compete Saturday and Sunday. Slalom, trick and jumping events will run simultaneously on two lakes. Beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday, the Fayetteville Night Jam is a water sports show and exhibition with wake skating, wake surfing, wake board, short board and head-to-head slalom skiing performed under the lights. Admission is $ 10 per car; proceeds benefit Restore Humanity. More information is at (479 ) 841-3768 and www. fayettevil lenightjam. com.
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