Birdman festival really takes off

ROYALTY: Shrek and Princess Fiona were Gary Hooson and Moana Stuart.

GIVES YOU WINGS: Carl Johnson’s energetic leap as Red Bull.

FLIGHT OF FANCY: Alex Hansen and Danny Montgomerie as the Flight of the Conchordes.

RESCUE: The WestPac rescue helicopter ladies about to descend into the sea – Tracy Taylor, Charlotte Maher and Imogen Moray-Newton.

PLANE MAD: The Red Baron aka Barry Price.

WEIGHTLESS WAITRESS: This Eagles Nest team competitor really flew!

007: Suave and sophisticated, Peter Hughes and Hannah Lyle of Russell Realty were James Bond and lady.

PARTY TIME: Party girl Pania Sigley, one of the Russell Birdman organisers, heads for the briny.

FLASH GORDON: Dives to ‘‘rescue a baby’’.

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FLASH: Supreme winner Flash Gordon, aka Jason Bye, on parade.

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There were super heroes, cartoon characters, assorted flying machines, animated food dishes, crazy creatures, party revellers and lots more at the fourth Russell Birdman Festival on Saturday.

The festival lived up to its name when 20 individual and team entries braved the leap off the wharf in front of more than 3000 spectators who lined the waterfront, bathed in afternoon sunshine.

The birdman part of the festival was the highlight of events which started on Friday with a drag race and continued on Saturday with a beach dig, plane flying competition, dinghy races and a barbecue cooking contest.

Waiters and waitresses musical chair madness was held on Sunday.

Supreme winner of the wharf leap was Flash Gordon, aka Jason Bye, who entered on behalf of The Pub around the Corner.

Jason also won the best individual title for his stylish dive on a mission to "rescue" a baby.

Best distance prize went to Sally's Restaurant entrant Romantic Russell.

Best team was James Bond enacted by a deserving Peter Hughes and his team.

A clear crowd favourite, the class winner, and first pair to leap off the wharf, were Shrek and his Princess, Gary Hooson and Moana Stuart.

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