The Newaygo Nationals Association (NNA) was formed in January of 2011 after a five year history of attracting and hosting various regional activities on the Muskegon River. These events included river clean-ups, clinics, and athletic competitions starting in  2005 with the original “PowerPaddle” race that has since attracted hundreds of paddle sports enthusiasts each year since.   In 2009, based on encouragement from competitors that were Members of the United States Canoe Association (USCA) and the Michigan Canoe Racing Association (MCRA), Gabriel Slominski and Martin Ecker made the decision to bid for the USCA’s most prestigious international competitive paddling event, the “USCA Nationals”.  The bid was ultimately approved, and the NNA’s team was expanded to include Scott Faulkner,  Chairman of the Newaygo Area Chamber of Commerce, as well as Rose Slominski, Robbin Faulkner & Theresa Buttleman.