Lions’ Beached Duck Race a success

TORQUAY Lions Club members say they were heartened by the positive community response to their inaugural Beached Duck Race.

The event was Torquay Lions’ first foray into fundraising under lockdown, and it proved to be successful.

People were able to purchase their own numbered rubber duck for $5 to be a chance of winning a gift card if their duck made it downstream the fastest.

The club raced the ducks in 12 heats of 10, with the winners of each heat entering the final.

The club had limited the race to 120 participants and was pleased to see that limit was reached.

Torquay Lions Club leadership chairman Neil Roche said the club was grateful for the community’s support.

“We were so pleased with the response. We’d like to thank the community for getting behind it”.

The race itself took place at the mouth of Spring Creek.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the Lions filmed the races and put them online instead of inviting people to spectate.

Mr Roche said the event itself was still enjoyed by a small number of people observing COVID protocols.

“We kept our limit to 10 people, and I was keeping an eye on that, but there were a few children who passed by and had a look, and they loved it.”

Torquay Lions president Bill Ferguson said the club was likely to hold similar events going forth.

“It went really well. It takes a bit of organising but now everything is set up for it, it will be easier to run in the future.”