Sandy Springs paddlers will get a shot at prizes on the Chattahoochee River for the first time when the city hosts the inaugural standup paddleboard (SUP) Showdown on Saturday, August 15, at Morgan Falls Overlook Park.

The six-mile out-and-back course along the Chattahoochee and Bull Sluice Lake starts at 7 a.m. Prizes will be awarded to the top three overall male and female finishers, according to the city's recreation and parks department.

Registration costs $75, and the deadline to sign up is Wednesday, August 12. Prospective competitors can register at sandyspringsga.gov/events/sandy-springs-sup-showdown.

Murph's Surf partnership

The event is a partnership between the city's recreation and parks department and Murph's Surf, the paddle shop that already operates a rental location inside Morgan Falls Overlook Park. Murph's Surf offers kayak and standup paddleboard rentals seven days a week, weather permitting, giving local paddlers a built-in training ground on the same stretch of river the race will cover.

Adaptive athletes welcome

Catalyst Sports, a nonprofit that gives people with physical disabilities access to adaptive adventure sports across 14 Southeast locations, is providing support for adaptive kayak athletes at the event. The organization already runs a regular adaptive kayaking program at Morgan Falls Overlook Park on the second Saturday and fourth Thursday of each month from June through October, using American Canoe Association-certified instructors and specialized equipment to accommodate a variety of physical needs.

Catalyst Sports serves more than 1,000 people with disabilities per year across its programs.