The 14th annual Bluz Cruz will take off on Saturday, April 21, and will feature a 22-mile paddling race down the Mississippi River and up the Yazoo Diversion Canal.

The race begins at 9 a.m. at Madison Port in Tallulah and ends at the Vicksburg River Front.

Co-race director Wayne Pratt said one of the things that makes the race so special were the regulars who attend each year, not only to compete in the race but also to be reacquainted with friends they’ve made there over the years.

“It has quite a following throughout the southeast,” Pratt said.

“It’s just been a fun event,” Pratt continued. “We have lots of safety support and cooperation with the city. It just runs very smoothly. We have a large team in place to coordinate the race each year, and because of that team, we’re able to put on a pretty good event.”

There has been plenty of rain this spring, so the water level on the river is a bit higher than normal. Pratt said this is an issue they’ve encountered before, and that the event still ran smoothly.

“It does create some challenges for this year, I believe, with the sea wall being closed,” Pratt said. “In year’s past we haven’t had that problem. We may have to port some boats at the edge of the sea wall, into the parking lot of the train museum, which is a little of a challenge for us.”

With the Mississippi River and the Yazoo Diversion Canal still holding a good amount of barge traffic, a notice is sent out to all ships in the area. Pratt said the ship captains have generally received the race well and that the barges haven’t caused many problems in the past.

“They have a river notice, where they try to have the barges go at kind of a holding pattern so when the racers come down the race, they reduce speed and many times they try to pull over to the bank and let the boats pass,” Pratt said.  “There have been occasions where the boats are moving up the river at a very slow pattern, so it doesn’t create a hazard for the paddlers.”

Racers are expected to finish the race as early as 11 a.m, with recreational paddlers coming in in the hours following.

In order to register, head to www.bluzcruz.com or stop by Martin’s at Midtown from 2-7 p.m. on April 20 to register in person. The signup fees are $65 per person, and $135 if you want to ride in one of Quapaw Canoe Company’s two large canoes at the race. However, if you register before April 8, you can save $10 off your fee, and all ACA members get $10 off their entry.

Along with entering the race, anyone who signs up also gets a T-shirt, bag and commemorative glass.

All profits from the race are pledged to Service Over Self, which is a Christian based youth service organization that serves the Vicksburg and Warren County area.

The race coincides with the RiverFest, so any participants, whether they battle in the race or just attend as recreational paddlers can stick around to attend the festivities that day.