September 21st 2007

 Great Yarmouth Duck Races 2007.

             The eighth annual Great Yarmouth Duck Races took place last Sunday 23^rd September at the  Waterways, North Denes and was hailed as the most successful success to date by Rotary President Ian Thomson.

             The event is run by Great Yarmouth Haven Rotary Club, and by organising its members to sell

 numbers on race cards related to the thousands of plastic ducks participating, some £6500 was raised

 this year which will all go towards deserving charities to be nominated in the near future.

             First and foremost, this is a fun event, with free admission to the public.  Judging by the splendid  attendance on Sunday, estimated in excess of 1200 people, the sheer good humoured quirkiness of  watching plastic ducks propelled around the WaterWays, on a tide generated by massive water pumps, is a British idiosyncrasy with lots of life left in it.

              Richard Delf, proprietor of the Burlington Palm Hotel, who headed the race committee this year was  splendidly attired in an eccentric outfit of which John McCririck would have been proud. He prowled  the shores, commentating on the action in a manner not heard since the retirement of Peter O’Sullivan,  whilst at the same time doing a passing  imitation of Basil Fawlty as he bounded along to keep pace with the speeding ducks.

              Meanwhile the Black Thunder girls entertained the youngsters between races with their non-stop zest  and rolls of badges, whilst the Gorleston Model Boat Club provided a stunning active exhibition.

Results:

First Race sponsored by SPP Group

1^st  £200...    Bruce Daisley           ....           Hemsby

2^nd £100 ...   Michael Spalding      ....            Great Yarmouth

3^rd  £ 50 ...   David Bluck            ....             Thetford

The Great Corporate Race sponsored by PKF Accountants

1^st            Charles Bycroft & Co

2^nd           SPP Group

3^rd            Express Removals

Third Race sponsored by Potters Leisure Resort

1^st  £200 ...                 Stephen Rackham             Ormesby

2^nd £100 ...                 Lesley Bromley                 Filby

3^rd  £ 50 ...                 Yvonne Ling                     Great Yarmouth