Water downpour
THE rain may have been incessant on Saturday but the Rotary Club’s ducks still took to the Black Lynn for their big race.
As part of its fundraising activities for good causes, the Rotary Club of Oban resurrected the Oban duck race at the weekend.
Despite atrocious weather, the race took place on Saturday, and involved 500 plastic ducks entering the Black Lynn at Combie Street bridge to emerge in Oban bay from the tunnel across from the Lochnell slipway. The ducks were then gathered by Rotarians.
The ducks were coloured red, green, blue and yellow, each colour numbered one to 125, with the ducks being sold three times at £2 a duck so there would be three firsts, three seconds and three thirds, provided all the ducks were sold.
Saturday’s race had two firsts, three seconds and one third, each receiving £50, £25 and £15. The winners were: 1. Oban and Lorn Group Riding for the Disabled and N Allan (£50 each), 2. Teena/ Markie Dans, Nancy MacDonald, Alistair Shaw (£25 each), 3. K McGuinness (£15).
A total of £1,773, minus prize money of £190, was raised for good causes which was regarded as a superb effort given that very few ducks were sold on the day due to the dreadful weather. In addition, the incessant rain also affected the public turnout on the day, who regard this as a fun event, particularly for children.
Race organiser and Rotarian Iain MacIntyre said that despite the poor weather conditions the intention would be to make this an annual event from now on.