Alabama’s 650 Mile Paddle Race

Fresh off a change to a different kayak, Granby, MO, resident Jake VanLue crosses under the Fairhope pier early the morning of OCT 11th 2025 as part of a 650 mile paddle race that began seven days earlier. Billed as the longest such race in the nation, the Great Alabama 650 allows contestants ten days to complete the trip, whether by canoe, kayak or paddle board. The race begins at Weiss Lake, northeast of Gadsden in NE Alabama, and follows various waterways including the Coosa and Alabama rivers to the finish point at Fort Morgan in southern Mobile Bay. Prizes of $2,000 are awarded to first place finishers in three categories: Male solo, female solo and two-person tandem. The race, whose contestants’ locations can be tracked on line, shows FL resident Salli O’Donnell as having reached the finish line Friday, ahead of all others. As of late Saturday morning, VanLue appeared to be the leading male solo contestant as he approached the mouth of the Bon Secour River around Oyster Bay, leaving less than twenty miles to the finish point. According to tracking data, VanLue has covered almost 90 miles each day. The race is sponsored by Alabama Scenic River Trail, an organization dedicated to promoting and preserving the state’s waterways.