Dragon Boat race is a roaring success
An annual dragon boat race which has raised £200,000 for good causes celebrated its 10th anniversary in style as visitors voted it a roaring success.
An annual dragon boat race which has raised £200,000 for good causes celebrated its 10th anniversary in style as visitors voted it a roaring success.
Thousands descended on Himley Hall, near Dudley, yesterday as 18 teams battled it out on the Great Lake to take the top honours.
Businesses, schools and council staff from across the region formed teams to compete in the race, organised by Wolverhampton Rotary Club.
And some were taking part in the event for the first time. Teams competed against each other in three rounds, tackling a 200m course each time.
The four teams with the fastest times then went head-to-head in the final. This year's winners were Joner's Ark, a team from Goodrich Aerospace in Wolverhampton, with a time of one minute 19 seconds.
They narrowly pipped runners-up Tettenhall College to the post. The College team came in at one minute 24 seconds.
The team received a trophy for their efforts but said the most important thing was raising cash for their chosen cause, the Prostate Cancer Charity.
Team-member Phil Plant, aged 25, said: "We were a good team and we gelled together well. It has been a great day and we have raised money for a very good cause. We would like to thank everyone who supported us."
Each team had to raise £1,000 with £500 going to a charity of their choice and the remainder to the rotary club's charitable trust.
Among the team's taking part for the first time were staff from the road safety department at Dudley Council - who excelled first time out by taking fourth place. They were raising money for Cancer Research UK.
Team-member Wendy Howard, aged 30, said: "We have had a really good time. It has been a good day. The amount of support has been marvellous and the crowds absolutely wonderful."
Roberts Primary School, in Lower Gornal, also took part in the competition, raising cash for the MacMillan charity.
The school has fielded a team in the competition for the past five years and this year was its best performance yet when it took third place.
