Just Ducky

Talk about getting your ducks in a row – the third annual Great British Duck Race lined up a record-breaking 205,000 of the rubber birds in the name of charity (pictured to the left).

Entrants pay £2 (about $3.30) to adopt a specially numbered blue bath toy. The ducks are then put on the River Thames by Henry VIII's Hampton Court Palace, where they float full speed  (or as fast as the tide will allow) to the finish line 1 km away. Race time: About an hour. Post race, the blue duck brigade is sent to be recycled at a plant in North Shropshire, in northwest England.

"The duck race is a fantastic opportunity to have some fun, raise some serious money for a range of good causes and have the chance to win £10,000, as well as take part in a Guinness World Record attempt," the race's director Mike Scott told the UK's The Times. (The event even has Olympic aspirations -- it's aiming to race a million ducks for London's 2012 games).

Proceeds from the race support the organizers' charity of choice – this year it was the NSPCC, which works to prevent child abuse.

Though a huge crowd cheered the rubber racers – the weather was (atypically for England) good for humans as opposed to ducks – the owner of winning duck 023871 has yet to make himself known to the event's organizers. When he does, he'll pick up £10,000 ($16,509).

The lucky duck.

Photo courtesy A Roving Eye via Flickr.