Duck Race 2009

The Club held its annnual Duck Race on the River Stour on Saturday July 4th - but don't worry, no living animals suffer in this event which involves  4,500 individually numbered plastic ducks battling it out to cross the finishing line first.

The race starts at the Toddlers' Cove bridge about a kilometer upstream of the finish at Westgate Gardens and the time of the event depends on the amount of water in the river and the speed of the current.  Typically it takes about 25 minutes for the first duck to cross the line cheered on by an enthusiastic crowd which gathers to witness this strange happening.

This year the winning duck was sponsored by Mrs Maggie Brett and the winning Corporate Duck was sponsored by Martin Forrest. 

Click here to read the report - and view a video - of the Duck Race in the Kentish Gazette

Rotary stalwarts pour 4500 plastic ducks into the Stour   

They soon fill the River Stour from bank to bank

The field spreads out - red headed ducks are Corporate

  The leading duck speeds past the halfway point

 Spectators watch them coming round the bend! 

 President David views the scene at the finishing line 

 President-elect Richard, supervising things in the water

 Netting the Winners and losers ready for 2010

 Photos courtesy of Roger Bickerton and Geoffrey Goodban.

Thursday 1st January 1970

Published by: The Rotary Club of Canterbury

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