The weather was set fair with a brisk breeze and perfect tide conditions. Large crowds lined the shore, stretching all the way across the bridge ready to cheer on the ducks. Yarmouth Sailing Club hosted the event, providing the launch from where the ducks set sail on their epic journey and, on shore, very welcome refreshments with their usual amazing selection of cakes!
We had 16 corporate decorated duck entries and over 1,200 little ducks racing this year.
On the Rocks won the decorated duck competition with Martin Gotrel Jewellers and Wightwood Pizzas coming second and third respectively. There were also Highly Commended certificates for Hose, Rhodes, Dickson’s “Coronation Chicken”, Spence Willard, the Mallishag and the Royal Solent Yacht Club.
The first race was for the corporate ducks and after some tense moments with positions changing all the time Wightwood Pizza’s duck stormed to the finish line, closely followed by Wightlink’s duck “Daffydil”. Unfortunately Spence Willard’s key adorned duck was an early capsizer, closely followed by that of Royal Solent Yacht Club!!
The little ducks then gathered for their race, all jostling for position on the start line and battling their way to the finish where they were safely gathered in and returned to shore with none making a bid for freedom.