The home of Scouting since 1908! |
Raft Race |
1st Marple (Kinder) do it in the water Equipped with only a ball of string and a load of barrels at the start of the day, 9 budding mariners set off in search of victory in the Marple Carnival Raft Race this Sunday. Competition was fierce, ranging from two canoes lashed together (entered by the sailing club) to the Jolly Roger (entered by the Round Table) with a mast too tall to pass under the start / finish line (Doh!). 3rd Hazel Grove Scouts entered into the true spirit and built a raft on the day, only to find it floated 6" below the waterline (more planning required next time fellers!!!). Blessed with scorching sun, plentiful supply of hamburgers and hot-dogs, and some thoughtful firemen with a water cannon to cool people down, all that was needed was some good competitive racing. Marple Scouts had an enviable reputation to maintain after recent outings (last, last, next-to-last if memory serves correct) and the crew was as fired up as ever. Read on to find a totally unbiased synopsis of the days' events. |
RESULTS....RESULTS....RESULTS....RESULTS....RESULTS....RESULTS....RESULTS |
Open race. Seven 'rafts' including two submarines and the Jolly Roger lined up. We had to fight off a late charge from the Marple Web Site entry to steam in second behind the sailing club, who were disqualified for a while (for entering a boat) and then reinstated when the organisers decided that entering a raft wasn't stipulated in the rules... Hippy Chick featuring a couple of Marple Rangers finished somewhere mid-field, but at least didn't sink and was definitely the most colourful craft entered. Scouts Grudge Match. The 3rd race of the day and it's a 1st Marple against 3rd Hazel Grove head to head in identical craft. We whipped their ass. Hurrah for Marple! (And they looked much bigger than our lads!!!) |
Team Mascot competition. Definitely the winners here. Mark 'Lightbulb head' Ridgeway dressed in equally startling orange gangshow T-shirt was an instant hit with the announcer. One - Nil to 1st Marple Scouts. Real raft competition. Not a formal competition as such, but another clear winner. Only Marple and Hazel Grove Scouts dared to produce rafts on the day and theirs didn't float. Enough said. Under 13's race. Marple's entry beat off a spirited challenge from Hazel Grove Scouts but was edged into second place by some youth club in a raft held together with bolts. Cheats. |
Round Table Grudge Match. Since this race was for round tables only, Scouts were ineligible. Won handsomely by the Jolly Roger after Marple Round Table sunk their craft only yards from the start. Definitely the most amusing race of the day. Scouts Grudge Match: Part 2 A tug of war competition featuring 1st Marple (Raft + 9 paddlers) and 3rd Hazel Grove (Submarine + 16 paddlers) It wasn't really fair. We can't remember who won but Marple certainly ran out a very strong second. |
POST-RACE COMMENT.... POST-RACE COMMENT.... POST-RACE COMMENT.... PO |
An unbelievable result achieved with a real raft built without nails, tie-wraps or fibreglass. A true victory for Scouting skills over modern convenience fastenings. Hurrah! We'll return next year with renewed vigour (and no doubt to our usual position at the back of the field), but for now we intend to revel in our long-overdue success. 1st Marple hereby issue a challenge to all-comers to arrive next year armed with string and barrels and see how you measure up against the (only slightly disputed) champs. And thanks indeed to the Round Table for another thoroughly enjoyable event. |
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Etherow Country Park, Marple |
The Round-Table for a raft was less than successful |