Entries for Shrewsbury River Festival’s raft race have closed well ahead of the deadline after attracting thirteen teams, all of whom are raising funds for the British Heart Foundation.
The race, just part of the programme of entertainment planned for Sunday 7th June, will follow challenging new rules that will stretch even the most determined competitors. Teams taking part include those entered by Morris Lubricants, Morris Leisure, three from Salop Leisure, Willmott Dixon, Greenhous, Gateley Waring, Multisol, Rea Valley Tractors, Tudor Griffiths, Price Waterhouse Coopers and Dentale.
Visitors to the Festival will get to see the teams building their rafts using exactly the same ration of barrels, pallets and rope in only one hour, then taking them to the start area. After being carried to a pontoon, launched and paddled upstream to collect a team member from the opposite riverbank, the rafts will then be paddled back downstream, where they’ll need to be hoisted onto a waiting lorry in order to complete the course.
The theme for this year’s Festival is ‘Historic Battles’, featuring the 1815 Battle of Waterloo and the 1403 Battle of Shrewsbury. Raft crews have been encouraged to wear mediaeval fancy dress, and in the case of a draw then the best costumes will be taken into account to decide the winners.
Now in its fourth year, the Festival is set to be held in the Quarry Park and on the River Severn 10am-5pm on Sunday, 7th June 2015. The event is a great free family day out, offering a range of entertainment including the raft race, various demonstrations on the river and in the Quarry, coracles, canoeing, trade and food stalls, children’s fancy dress and other competitions, as well as live entertainment.
The event is promoted by the Shrewsbury & Shropshire Waterways & Leisure Group and supported by a number of organisations including Shrewsbury Town Football Club, Salop Leisure, Salop Computer Centre, Henshalls Insurance, Team Shrewsbury, Morris Lubricants, Shropshire Fire & Rescue, Willmott Dixon and the University Centre of Shrewsbury.
“The new rules are going to make the course formidable for even the most seasoned raft-ers,” said Morris Lubricants’ Philip Gittins, Shrewsbury River Festival committee member and raft race organiser. “I have a feeling that many of the teams are going to need to practice their swimming beforehand!”
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