By TANIA PHILLIPS
KINGSCLIFF went quackers on Sunday as hundreds of people flocked to the Ed Parker Rotary Park on the banks of the Cudgen Creek for the second annual Kingscliff Rotary Duck Race.
The event raised more than $9000 for Rotary with the money going towards a face lift for the park as well as towards the Cudgen Headland Surf Club.
Kingscliff Rotary president Nathan Williams said the event had tripled from last year’s inaugural race with more than 1073 little ducks and 50-plus large highly decorated corporate quackers taking a trip down Cudgen Creek in the name of charity.
“Today’s Duck Race was absolutely amazing,” he said on Sunday.
“We had overwhelming support from the community, sold out of ducks and snags and had an all-round fantastic event.”
Crowds started flocking to the highly colourful event just after 8am with the first race – involving people not ducks – taking to the water just after 9am.
Compared to last year’s modest event the 4km paddle up Cudgen Creek attracted a strong field including World Top 10 Beau O’Brien streeting the field to win the event but only just ahead of last year’s victor Derek O’Neill. The kayak division of the picturesque race was a one-two finish for Kingscliff couple Brett and Fay Miller.
Next into the water were the corporate ducks who were lined up for judging before being launched into the creek by their owners.
Winner of the best-dressed was the colourful fruity creation from Duranbah’s Tropical Fruit World. But being beautiful didn’t count for much when it came to the big race which went to the creation from Banana Coast Credit Union.
The duck was decorated by Tara Armbruster of the credit union but nearly didn’t make the start – falling to pieces on the Saturday.
Local Kingscliff lad Kalan Hodge, 6, also had a hand in the victory – volunteering to put the duck into the water.
“He went in shoes and all – right up to his waist – I had to go in and get him,” his mother laughed.
The credit union duck didn’t have it all its own way with the former National Party candidate for Richmond Matthew Fraser’s Hungry Jack giving it a run for its money while the little black duck from Austbrokers Coast hit the line in third. Tweed Coast Weekly’s own Loki (decorated by the Kingscliff Art Manga Class) was in the running for much of the race, eventually settling for about six.
And then it was time for the community race – people of all ages across the coast spent $5 each to “buy” a duck for the race.
A tiny pink duck led for most of the race, only to get snagged in the mangroves, allowing a yellow one to street the field. Turned out the yellow duck was number 315 and belonged to Kingscliff woman Elza Simmons.
The 79-year-old former nurse said she was encouraged to take part in the event by her daughter, Cr Carolyn Byrne, who had just joined Rotary.
It was a timely win for Elza who, after winning a lucky dip, pulled out duck number one and won herself $500 car service from Auto Leaders – just as her car was in need of major repairs.
