The annual Duck Race

The Rotary Club of Sandwich

The Annual Rotary Duck Race

The 2025 Race

The Rotary Club of Sandwich, as in previous years, is holding a duck race on the River Stour at Sandwich. The race will be run on Bank Holiday Monday, 25th August at around 3.30 (depending on tides). The main part of the race will involve around 7.500 ducks being released on the tide and racing along the Quay. The Prizes are as follows:

1st Prize £500 - donated by Stevens and Carlotti and Malcolm Waite Ltd
2nd Prize £250 – donated by Wilmshurst Bakery
3rd Prize £250 - vouchers for Locks of Sandwich
4th Prize Dinner for two including a bottle of wine at The Bell Hotel, Sandwich
5th Prize £100 - voucher for Hercules Wine

As well as this race there is also a corporate race in which a limited number of specially coloured ducks are entered, and the winning “corporate” duck will earn the prize of a case of champagne for the sponsoring company, donated by Sandwich Coop.
As you may be aware, monies raised by the Rotary Club of Sandwich benefit local people and
organisations in and around Sandwich as well as the bigger charities we support. This year we are supporting:

Hope for Tomorrow

Sandwich Infants School

PCIT Parkinson's Centre for Independent Living

Tickets, which are £1 per duck, will be on sale on the following dates and locations:
Sandwich Coop                             2/8/2025, 9/8/2025, 16/8/2025, 23/8/2025, 24/8/2025
The Water Park Sandwich 2/8/2025, 3/8/2025, 9/8/2025, 10/8/2025, 16/8/2025, 17/08/2025, 24/8/2025
Market Place Sandwich         7/8/2025, 14/08/2025, 16/8/2025, 21/8/2025
The Quay, Sandwich                  25/08/2025

The 2024 Race

The 2023 Race

The back of the P22

Getting the nets ready to catch the winning ducks.

Commentary, announcements and music from Sandwich Internet Radio

The P22 and Sandwich internet radio.

The music and commentary was provided by Sandwich Internet Radio.

The Duck launch boat.

The launch vessel with all the ducks on board heading for the Toll Bridge (though no toll charged these days). This is a swing bridge which did open during the day to let the River Runner boat go up river. It was built in 1892 and stopped charging a toll in 1977.

The launch vessel getting into place.

The course is ready with the boom extending the length of the far bank. This is designed to stop and ducks slacking and going into the bank.

Waiting for the start the airhorn at the ready.

Just waiting on the P22 for the ducks to be released.

And they are off!

The Ducks are well underway just passing the P22.

Just a few stragglers passing the P22.

Well on their way reaching the halfway point.

Speeding (well coasting) down to the finishing line.

Just Passing the P22. Lines of people on the quay urging their duck on.

Its all over and waiting for the winner to be announced.

The 2022 Race

The 2021 Race

2 Men in a Boat - past presidents Andy Dale and Paul Grahame

The anticipation rises as people wait patiently for the Ducks to comer past.

Every vantage point is claimed in anticipation of the start of the race.

A packed crowd await the ducks.

Patiently waiting.

They are off - The ducks have been released from the packed Toll Bridge to make their way down the river, Some obvious leaders have broken away from the pack.

The 2020 Race

No Duck Race this year due to Covid Restrictions

The 2019 Race

Due to a tragic accident on the river it was decided to cancel the Duck Race and later in the year to hold an event in St Marys Arts Centre. This was a different type of event and we gave thanks to the emergency services involved in the search and rescue operation.