Racers go quackers

SIMON EDWARDS/Hutt News

FLYING START: 'Duck!' was a warning as well as the subject when Mitchell, Ben and Connor Mexted (plus mum Christine in the suit) helped launch sales of ducks for the 2010 river race by tossing some of the plastic critters in the air. They're not soft when they land on your head.

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The Hutt's annual duck race is going national, and there's also a new option for corporates enabling them to ''bling up'' their river racer.

Organisers Paul Mexted (Petone Working Men's Club) and Mike Raynes aim to have up to 5000 plastic yellow ducks drifting down Hutt River from Melling to Ewen Bridges for the 2010 Great NZ Englefield Duck Race on Sunday, April 18. Tickets for the numbered ducks are now on sale for $5.

This time duck ''owners'' are able to indicate on the ticket their choice of charity: Te Omanga Hospice, the Gillies McIndoe Research Institute, Wellington Free Ambulance or Coastguard New Zealand.

Mr Mexted says they're all organisations involved in looking after people facing an emergency or adversity.  The expanded range of charities ''spreads the interest'' in the event and, for the Coastguard in particular, it means tickets can be sold in other regions.

On April 18, there will also be a separate corporate duck race.  Instead of regular bathtub yellow ducks, the corporate ducks are four times the size.  They cost $200 but sponsoring businesses get to paint them in their own colours, add decals and appendages, or any other ''bling'' (short of sails or little outboard motors).  After the race, the business gets to claim their duck for keeps.

''We've got some pretty good interest in the corporate race already.

''I think we can have a lot of fun with this,'' Mr Mexted says.  ''We'll get some friendly [inter-business rivalry] banter going.''

In one sense, this year's duck race has gone international.   Michael Weaver, a lieutenant of the United States Coast Guard visiting from Fort Dixon, New Jersey, has already signed up for one of the $200 corporate ducks.

- Hutt News

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