CHARLESTON, W.Va. — All the action for the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta was on the Kanawha River early Sunday afternoon with rubber duck and sternwheel boat races.
Beginning just after noon, United Way of Central West Virginia put on its third edition of The Great Rubber Duck Race with 5,000 bright yellow ducks being dumped into the river from the South Side Bridge.
The top 10 duck finishers received prizes. Various rewards included tickets to Marshall and WVU football games, golf deals, and jewelry.
The third place winner received a “duck dining package,” which includes multiple gift cards from local businesses in the Kanawha Valley. The second place winner got a $1,000 reward, and first place received $4,000.
Winners are posted to United Way’s website or Facebook page. They will also be notified that they won over phone and through email.
Margaret O’Neal, President of United Way Central West Virginia helped announce the winners of the race Sunday afternoon, along with representatives of West Virginia American Water, the events sponsor. She said the race is fun, but the real fun is putting the money they raise back into the community.
“We love the duck race, it’s super fun, but for folks to invest just $5 in their community and know that all that money is going back to help people makes it really special,” O’Neal said.
Ducks could be purchased on United Way’s website for just $5. O’Neal said ducks can be purchased again right before Christmas of this year.
“To put that money back out into the community to buy shoes for kids and make sure shelters are open, that’s what it’s all about,” said O’Neal.
O’Neal added that they don’t know the final tally of how much money was raised yet, but will know soon.
Hitting the water right after the conclusion of the rubber duck race where the many different sternwheel boats in town for the Regatta.
Sternwheel boat races happened on the Kanawha River as well. Boats began their race towards the State Capital building and finished through the South Side Bridge towards Haddad Riverfront Park.
There were 13 sternwheelers racing in total, some nearly 100 years old. There were four heats with at least three boats in each heat racing down the river, going upwards of 10 mph.
Hundreds of people gathered at the levee stage and up and down the Kanawha River to watch both events early Sunday afternoon.