NATCHEZ &045; On Tuesday evenings, Keith Benoist and his crew of paddlers set out from the boat launch at J&J’s on the Old River for a leisurely evening of paddling on the near Vidalia.

But this Saturday, things won’t be so calm as about 100 paddlers race their way down a 42-mile stretch of the Mississippi. Those paddlers will be trying their hardest to navigate their way around barges and get to the finish line in Natchez as fast as possible as part of the Phat Water Kayak Challenge, a race for kayaks on the Mississippi River.

The race begins at Grand Gulf shortly after sunrise and finishes in Natchez. Last year Benoist and Richard Savoie tied, finishing with a time of five hours, one minute.

This time around, there’s a new honor at stake: becoming a member of the sub-five club. Any paddler who finishes the race in less than five hours will join the sub-five club. In the first two years, only Savoie has run the course in less than five hours, finishing in 4:59 in the first year.

&8220;I started kayaking because I wanted to find a way to augment my aerobic workout,&8221; Benoist said. &8220;Then one day we came up with the idea for a race on the Mississippi River. We just wanted another event for Natchez and a way of awakening people in the area (to kayaking).&8221;

As of Friday, about 60 paddlers were registered and Benoist said he expects at least 20 more to be in the race. He had hoped to have about 100 competitors in this year’s race. The first event had 11 racers and the second year 47 people participated. The goal is for the race to continue growing until it becomes one of the nation’s premier kayak events.

All proceeds from the event benefit the Adams County Humane Society.

Safety is a high priority in the race. In two years of the event, there has not been a major incident. Race organizers emphasize ways to stay safe on the river on their website and in registration information.

Many of the participants are experienced and avid users of Mississippi’s waterways. Mississippi has more miles of navigable streams than any other state in the nation.

&8220;I love to be on the water and I love a good workout,&8221; Melissa Morrison, one of a number of female paddlers in the event, said. Morrison finished first in the women’s division last year in five fours, 58 minutes.

The event brings paddlers from across the South and from as far away as Canada.

The race isn’t just for experienced kayakers. Many relative newcomers to the sport have participated.

&8220;Some friends told me about it last year. They had an extra kayak I could use, so I did it,&8221; Brad Passman said. &8220;That was the first and last race I’ve been in, but I’m looking forward to this year’s event with great anticipation.&8221;