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Waterside's Hank Berzins, 9, finishes second in his age group. He said he was going "really fast" and that he could feel the wind blow through his hair.

Lakewood Ranch area kids enjoy final summer camp at Benderson Park in Sarasota

Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021 |

Waterside's Hank Berzins, 9, finishes second in his age group. He said he was going "really fast" and that he could feel the wind blow through his hair.

Lakewood Ranch's Blake Delaney, 8, cools off on a hot morning at Nathan Benderson Park by splashing into the swimming pool section of the lake. His favorite part of the camp was racing kayaks.

Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021 |

Lakewood Ranch's Blake Delaney, 8, cools off on a hot morning at Nathan Benderson Park by splashing into the swimming pool section of the lake. His favorite part of the camp was racing kayaks.

Waterside's Maria Berzins, 12, and Julia Dillingham, 12, compete in the girls kayak race for 11- and 12-year-olds. Berzins said paddleboarding was her favorite part of the camp.

Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021 |

Waterside's Maria Berzins, 12, and Julia Dillingham, 12, compete in the girls kayak race for 11- and 12-year-olds. Berzins said paddleboarding was her favorite part of the camp.

Waterside's Ella Berzins, 11, relaxes with some time on a paddleboard after finishing the kayak races. Berzins said using the paddleboard was her favorite part of the camp.

Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021 |

Waterside's Ella Berzins, 11, relaxes with some time on a paddleboard after finishing the kayak races. Berzins said using the paddleboard was her favorite part of the camp.

Waterside's Evan Dillingham, 6, finished second in his age group during the kayak races. "I paddled about as fast as I can run," he said.

Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021 |

Waterside's Evan Dillingham, 6, finished second in his age group during the kayak races. "I paddled about as fast as I can run," he said.

Venice's Jake Mains, 10, makes a big entrance by doing a cannonball into the swimming pool section of the lake. His favorite part of the week was kayaking.

Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021 |

Venice's Jake Mains, 10, makes a big entrance by doing a cannonball into the swimming pool section of the lake. His favorite part of the week was kayaking.

Campers and Counselor Zianna Williams of Sarasota hang out by the swimming pool section of the lake after kayak races. The "pool" was set off from the rest of the lake by an inflatable rectangle float.

Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021 |

Campers and Counselor Zianna Williams of Sarasota hang out by the swimming pool section of the lake after kayak races. The "pool" was set off from the rest of the lake by an inflatable rectangle float.

Sarasota's Jake Johnson, 8, enjoys his favorite part of water adventure camp, which was taking turns jumping into the water with his friends.

Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021 |

Sarasota's Jake Johnson, 8, enjoys his favorite part of water adventure camp, which was taking turns jumping into the water with his friends.

Sarasota's Blake Brown, 9, smiles after enjoying his time in the "swimming pool" while Venice's Isabella Gregory, 13, Sarasota's Luke Lynch, 8, Venice's Jake Mains, 10, and Counselor Zionna Williams prepare for the next activity.

Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021 |

Sarasota's Blake Brown, 9, smiles after enjoying his time in the "swimming pool" while Venice's Isabella Gregory, 13, Sarasota's Luke Lynch, 8, Venice's Jake Mains, 10, and Counselor Zionna Williams prepare for the next activity.

Sarasota's Brayden Lynch, 11, falls into the water after a long morning of racing kayaks and jumping into the lake. He said paddleboarding with friends was his favorite part of the week.

Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021 |

Sarasota's Brayden Lynch, 11, falls into the water after a long morning of racing kayaks and jumping into the lake. He said paddleboarding with friends was his favorite part of the week.

Sarasota's Lorenzo Romero, 9, braces himself for the fall into the swimming pool at the end of a hot morning. His favorite activity was riding the paddleboards.

Saturday, Aug. 14, 2021 |

Sarasota's Lorenzo Romero, 9, braces himself for the fall into the swimming pool at the end of a hot morning. His favorite activity was riding the paddleboards.

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Nathan Benderson Park's water adventure camp, held Aug. 2-6, featured kayaking, paddleboarding, swimming and more.
by: Brendan Lavell Staff Writer

The camp counselors were counting down.

"3... 2... 1..."

Lined up next to the dock, campers began furiously paddling toward the middle of the lake at the center of Nathan Benderson Park. They hoped to take home bragging rights on the final day of water adventure camp, held Aug. 2-6 and hosted by Suncoast Aquatic Nature Center Associates, that featured kayaking, paddleboarding, swimming and more.

For Waterside sisters Maria Berzins, 12, and Ella Berzins, 11, the race for girls ages 11 and 12 was just another contest between two competitive siblings.

"It was really fun to see who was faster," Maria Berzins said.

Their neighbor, 6-year-old Evan Dillingham, finished second in the boys race for his age group.

"I paddled about as fast as I can run," Dillingham said.

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