Nearly 9,000 rubber ducks raced along the Alouette River Sunday, raising thousands of dollars for local youth groups.
Exactly 8,850 ducks were sold during the second annual Rotary Duck Race raising $88,500 for not-for-profit youth organizations and Rotary youth projects in Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows.
Last year, 7,000 ducks were sold.
Organizer Bob Schantz, was pleased with the race, especially how the ducks flowed down the river this year. That was because of changes made by Peter Davies, river coordinator.
“The race couldn’t have gone better if it had been done to a script,” said Davies.
“The river conditions were perfect. The ducks did what they were told to do. The winner got ahead of everybody and went straight through the tube.”
It took 10 minutes for the ducks to make it downstream.
Winner of the grand prize, a 2012 Jeep Wrangler Sport 4x4 provided by Maple Ridge Chrysler and valued at $25,995 was Franz Prokop.
The second prize winner of a luxury cruise for two aboard Holland America Lines, valued at $3,300, was Alanna Wadhwani. Third prize, a household furniture and appliance package provided by Fuller Watson, valued at $3,500, was won by Andrea Buckley.