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Beccles Duck Race - 4th October 2009
(Click on Despard to see the Photographs)
 The Beccles Duck race turned out to be a really fun, if somewhat bizarre, event - not that a duck race is going to be anything other than a strange concept, but this one was stranger than most.
The Society bought, prepared and trained an entrant in the Corporate Duck section of the race - basically you get a bigger duck.
Named Despard and, mixing the G&S references kitted out as a pirate, our duck was transported to Beccles in his special racing duck box with high expectation. Despard took his place on the scaffold (‘are you sure we’re racing them?’) awaiting the race.
On a bright October day it didn’t seem likely that much could go wrong, but as the G&S Duck team bided their time until launch (burgers, ice-cream, hot drinks etc.) it became clear that all was not well.
A rising tide just kept rising - the team were lucky to get lunch before the water started lapping around their feet and they were cut off from their pedigree racing duck.
As the general wetness increased it became clear plans for the start of the race from the bridge were in tatters and the sea-cadets were drafted in for a mid-stream launch from boats. In the meantime the ducks had been cut-off by the rising water.
Ducks being rescued from too much water by men using makeshift stretchers is certainly not something you see every day - but it happened in Beccles!
Eventually, with a combined effort - which included the fire brigade - the corporate ducks were launched (well, unceremoniously dumped into the water) from the boats.
Despard stayed upright and looked in a good position to make his way through a gap when he was unfairly distracted by a ‘raven-haired beauty’ who swam up and caught his eye - and that, due to an unforeseen weakness, was the end of Despard’s chances (well his chances of winning the race anyway).
The reliable information is that Despard now resides in a loft awaiting next year’s race. (Aren’t lofts for pigeons? A duck loft?)
See the Photo Gallery
(You can also visit the Official Beccles Duck Race Site.)
(The Great Yarmouth G&S Society is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites.)
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