In 1965 a small group of "Happy Sappi Chappies" staged their own adventure – on the Tugela River, from Mandini to the river mouth. Little did they realize that they were opening a veritable Pandora’s box and that the event would become so popular as to be rated amongst the largest if its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. The year after its inception it drew so much local support that it had to be held on a more organized basis. For quite a few years the event was very much a local family affair, however word soon spread and attracted enthusiasts from all round the country. Company sponsored as well as individual rafts eventually swelled the field to over 400 entrants which compelled the organizers to limit entries to 250 in the interest of public safety. Some interesting anecdotes have been collected over the first 10 years of the race and, drawing from the tales of the late Bill Hemmings, the father of the raft race, a few of them are as follows: The prodorite tree, for example, marks the scene of the destruction of one of the first sponsored rafts to enter. It was designed to make the QE II resemble a yacht by comparison. The tree that jumped out in front of the unfortunates, demolished the superstructure and wasted most of the five hours of shipyard construction time. The jockey straits, a short distance from the start qualifies dominant contestants for a prime position into the first bend. The low hanging trees on 'beer - can bend' have said " Howzit" to many an unwary crew. Yet further downstream marks the sensational pumpkin snatch of 1973. A deed that almost surpassed the great train robbery in it's planning and also provided the first prize for that year. In the same year, a sandbank on the Southside was the scene of an impromptu rugby test – unfortunately no score was available for publishing. This event has only had to be cancelled three times in it's history, due to low water levels. It is convened by Mandini Round Table, but not to be overlooked are all the assisting bodies without whose assistance the smooth running of this annual event would not be possible: The S.A.P.S..; Mandini Protection Services ; N.S.R.I., Renckens SuperSpar, Blessed Gerard's First Aid and Emergency Service and all the others who help with marshalling, catering and entertainment. The 39th Annual Tugela Raft Race will be held on the 20th March 2007 and will no doubt prove to be just as much fun, if not more, than any held previously.
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