Overcast weather failed to dampen the interest in the Rotary Duck races at Kingscliff on Sunday morning.
Kingscliff Rotary Club member Maggie-Anne Leybourne said the event was a great success, with a crowd of more than 500 turning up throughout the morning to watch the various events.
The morning started with the Watersports Gurus running a Stand-up Paddleboard and Kayak Race on the Cudgen Creek.
Casuarina paddler Derek O’Neill, who only took up the sport four years ago, streeted the field to take the Stand-up Paddleboard race from Peter Patch and Florian Stotz.
“I learned to paddle in this creek,” he said.
“I love it now and I train a lot with some guys up at Currumbin Creek.”
Sunday’s race must have seemed easy for Derek, who has just returned from taking on the longest race in the world in California with 700 paddlers.
The Kayak race was taken out by another Casuarina local, Mick Corcoran, with his three-year-old son Bryce.
Mick said he wasn’t looking to win the event and just enjoyed being out in the kayak with his young son.
“I love to surf but we can’t go out surfing together yet,” he said.
“This is something we can do together and he loves it.”
The SUP and Kayak races were a great success with local entrants and others travelling from over the border to compete—the word on the water was that the race was one of the best, with all competitors eager to hit the ‘creek’ again in 2013.
Winner SUP Derek O’Neill from Natural Designer Homes
Winner Kayak Mick Cochran & Bryce from Casuarina.
The paddle events were followed by the community duck race which saw 1000 ducks hit the water. The creek sent them on an exciting journey, with much applause and encouragement from the hundreds that lined the banks of Cudgen Creek.
“Winner, Dianne Traversi, was overwhelmed with her win. Dianne grabbed a whopping $1470.00 in the cash booth at Rory Curtis The Goods Guys store on Monday morning,” Maggie Anne said.
The Corporate Duck Race was run over a rough course and was taken out by Dianne’s Coolangatta-Tweed Rotary club-mate Shari Cowan of Monarch Prestige Cleaning, followed by Best Friends Pet Superstore.
The crowds worked them-selves into a frenzy as the ducks came up to the finish line.
The Monarch duck streeted the field, aided by a huge butterfly on its back. Shari said she had considered not putting the butterfly on, but decided, as it’s her logo, it had to be there. In the end it proved to be the a good decision.
Another crowd pleaser was the Best Dressed Corporate Ducks, with the much deserved winner being Plumb-jet, which actually came last in the actual race, with runners-up Toy World and The Royal Life Savers.
“What a great way to raise funds for The Rotary Club of Kingscliff Ed Parker Rotary Park Project and Cudgen Headland Surf Life Saving Club, along with various Rotary charities,” Maggie Anne added.
“Public demand will see the race hit the ‘creek’ in 2013!”
