By Ari Bloomekatz
Enquirer staff writer

Two canoes (one with a dog aboard) head for the Serpentine Wall, downtown, after putting in the Ohio River 6 miles upriver at Water Town Marina. Photos by TONY JONES/The Enquirer

Sarah Dalzelle (left), Cory Spowa, James Sheene and Marty Skidmore paddle their raft.

Some were in kayaks or canoes by themselves, others in pairs, some in small groups and a few boats even had crews of almost 15 working their way down the Ohio River Saturday during Paddlefest.

In its third year, nearly 1,200 people in 700 to 800 boats either aggressively raced or simply floated on the river during the event sponsored by the Ohio River Way, a local environmental group.

"Canoeing and kayaking are very rapidly growing sports that are easy for people of all ages," said event chairman Brewster Rhoads.

Rhoads said Paddlefest is the largest kayak and canoe festival in the Midwest and is important because it helps promote one of the area's most valuable resources and attractions.

"For generations, people have been turning their backs on rivers in general. But now people are turning their orientation toward rivers," Rhoads said, noting the new riverfront development.

Tim Morrison, 57, said he moved to Cincinnati from Long Island, N.Y., two years ago and was excited about tapping into Ohio's paddling community.

"When I was coming under the yellow bridge and the purple bridge, that was phenomenal," he said.

Morrison was just one of the paddlers who said the river was more beautiful than expected.

"Prettier than I thought it was going to be," said Mike Kovasckitz, a pilot from Columbia-Tusculum who rode Saturday with his 9-year-old daughter.

In addition to a 6-mile relaxed float down the river, Paddlefest included both an amateur and a professional race.

U.S. Rep. Rob Portman, R-Cincinnati, joined the 9-mile amateur race and said he placed third.

"I love paddling and I love this river. It's a great ... event to showcase the Ohio River," he said.

"Rivers are undervalued in America," said Mike Fremont, President of Rivers Unlimited, a statewide river protection agency.

"If you make them (rivers) attractive, if you provide access, if you make them reasonably clean, that provides the maximum potential (for the rivers)."

E-mail abloomekatz@enquirer.com