The return of Maui Dolphin Day on Saturday was a huge success with hundreds of community members turning out, while the weather played its part and the event culminated in the traditional recycled raft race at 3pm. The beach cleanup was held straight after the race and a noticeably large crowd stuck around for the raft race prize giving at the end.
With stalls from Kiwis Against Seabed Mining, Sea Shepard, the Green Party and Department of Conversation there was a lot of talk about concerns around the new government but there was also a lot of fun with performances from The Swabs, Soulti and the Blisters Sisters Ukulele Army.
The raft race was held in ideal conditions with low wind and minimal chop meaning there were no sinkings this year, or even any rafts that needed towing over the finish line.
The Raddest Recycled Raft Award went to Dream Cream Tri-Marine, constructed and piloted by Mike Renfree from Raglan Chocolate with son Vin on board, plus a random guy who was walking down the beach just before the race started. The raft that was made of a broken surfboard, a windsurfer board and a 2 meter tall milk bottle that was found at Dreamview Creamery.
The Most Ambitious Raft Award went to the Xtreme Zero Waste Raft. Raced by Sean and Caleb it was built by Xtreme’s highly skilled duo of Trevor and Pete and involved a lot of plastic welding along with the installation of an old bike that provided both pedal power and steering. The steering was tricky because it turned the craft in the opposite direction to the handlebars, and it sat alarmingly low in the water but that wasn’t enough to slow them down as the won a fierce battle for second place with Chocolate Dream Radio - the combined entry from Raglan Community Radio, Raglan Chocolate and Dreamview Creamery.
The Best junior Raft went to the Waitetuna School Wanderer. Sporting the most eclectic collection of paddles we’ve ever seen, the paddlers included Tāwhai, Theo, Penny, Matilda, Addison, Harper, Anya, Charlie, Mini, three Dads and teacher Travis.
The Best Team Award went to The Sub from Raglan Area School. We think it received the name because it mostly disappeared under water when loaded with all three of its paddlers. The 3 students, Jade Kaidon and Manoa all took turns to swim alongside the raft so it stayed afloat and while this slowed them down they never gave up and made it all the way round the circuit..
The Fastest Raft was an extremely slick effort called Drum Drum. One of the most sophisticated creations we’ve ever seen in a raft race, the raft was made up of 44 gallon drums while the outrigger (which was fixed on with adjustable brackets) was made of hydrogen peroxide containers. It also had a shiny stainless steel cone that no doubt was key to their speed in the water. It came as no surprise when we learned the crew worked at Continuous Stainless in Frankton so a big shout out to Riley, Quaid, Matilda, Matai, Finn and James for blowing everyone out of the water.
Elsewhere the Raglan Film Festival submission period has now closed and organisers says they are super thrilled to announce they have received over 45 submissions. We think this might be a record and look forward to seeing them all when it opens in a few weeks
In sport Billy Stairmand has finished in 37th place at the ISA World Games in Puerto Rico after going down in Repechage Round 4 . Kehu Butler was the best performer of the New Zealand team finishing in 16th place. The team itself also finished in 16th place overall while Brazil were clear winners over France in second, and Australia in third.