Wacky racers take to the streets and the water in Hamble (From Daily Echo)

Wacky racers take to the streets and the water in Hamble

7:54am Thursday 1st July 2010 in News

RECORD crowds turned out to watch a bunch of wacky racers hurl themselves down a cobbled street and splash about in the River Hamble in an annual soap box derby.

More than 1,000 bystanders cheered on 21 teams of racers – from local playschools to pubs – as they tackled the gruelling circuit while being pelted with water balloons and hosed down by firefighters.

Queues ten deep in places watched them speed down Hamble high street into the river and paddle around two piers before pushing their soap boxes back up the hill to the finish line outside The Victory pub. A team from Hudson Marine Electronics emerged victorious for the second year running in what was the tenth year of the race, a highlight of Hamble Week.

Hamble Week committee chairman Theresa Maple said: “We had a couple of punctures that slowed things down, but it was good fun and everyone got very wet. It easily our busiest year.”