Annual duck race raises $17,000 for Jigsaw Whanganui

Two thousand plastic ducks are released into the river in the sixth annual Plumber Dan Duck Race. Photo / Lewis Gardner

With gusts of wind and a turning tide, the ducks in this year's Plumber Dan Duck Race had to be wrangled to keep them on course.

The race began at 12.30pm on Saturday with 2,000 plastic ducks released from Dublin St Bridge to make their way downriver to a spot near the PS Waimarie wharf, organiser Dan Goldsworthy said.

Christina Emery, from NZME The Hits, acted as MC on the bridge, while Goldsworthy was on the water throwing escaping ducks back inside the guidelines.

There were good numbers of people on the bridge and scattered along the riverbanks to watch.

On the river, Whanganui Surf Lifesaving Club members, boats from Wanganui Exhaust & Service Centre, kayakers, paddleboarders and jetskiers kept the ducks moving in the right direction.

It took about 45 minutes for them to reach the finish line. Duck number 247 was first, winning $1,000 for Marcia Amadio. It was followed by duck 736 for the $500 second prize. Duck 1,462 came third and won $250.

Due to Covid-19, the extra events planned this year were cancelled to thin crowds and keep people safe, Goldsworthy said.

The $10 tickets were a bit slower to sell in this sixth annual duck race.

Goldsworthy chose Jigsaw Whanganui as the charity that will benefit. It was suggested to him by a customer, and he has since been impressed by "the great things they do in the community, helping families".

The nearly $17,000 raised will be used for its social work service, Jigsaw Whanganui chief executive Tim Metcalfe said.

All three winners were local people and good supporters of his agency.

"It will enable us to increase our capacity there a little bit, which I'm very happy about given the increasing complexities our community is dealing with facing Covid," Metcalfe said.

He was grateful for the support of Plumber Dan, Jigsaw's other sponsors and the community's "outstanding support" for the work of his team.