The 2008 raft race was held on the August Bank Holiday Sunday. A couple of weeks earlier the organisers thought that health & safety red tape would prevent the event happening. Luckily there was  a massive response to the problem, with advice coming from many different avenues. One of them was a registered charity based in Selsey called T24 who are a civilian Search & Rescue team with fast water expertise.

 Click on their logo to find out more about them.

 

This years race was fantastically supported with 68 rafts of all shapes and sizes. It was the eleventh year that W.L.West & Sons Ltd have sponsored the event, and the directors were pleasently surprised when the organisers announced that over £13,000.00 had been raised. A quite remarkable effort by organisers and competitors alike.

Fancy dress certainly took off this year with everyone making an effort

 Yabba Dabba Doo all dressed up and waiting to go.

 

Feather boa's and all

 

 

Some launched and immediately capsized

 

 

 

Others used submarine tactics

 

 

One of the W.L.West teams decided on the superhero method

 

 

One of our other teams took a more 'laid back' approach

 

 

Some were determined for a fast time Milk Float completed in 1:29:50

 

 

Various shapes - this one is the Rosemary Foundation entry they raised over £2000 on their own!!!!!

 

 

This team had definately been 'Tangoed'

 

 

We had great spectator support

 

 

There were rumours about that the Rother Raft Race would be one of the sports for the 2012 Olympics ??

 

 

The first raft to finish, a superraft in 1:16:31

 

 

Family rafts triumphant to the end

 

 

Five metres from the end and still competitive !!

 

 

Even the commentator has to eat somewhen

 

 

How do they get out at the end? Neil hooks them up

 

 

Andy pulls them out

 

 

The crowd loved it.

 

This years benificiaries include:

 

MacMillian Cancer support

 

The Rosemary Foundation

Chestnut Tree Children's Hospice

 

T24 Search & Rescue

 

1st Birdham & Wittering Scout Group

 

Click on the logo's to get more info about these organisations

W.L. WEST & SONS LTD
Selham, Petworth, West Sussex GU28 0PJ
United Kingdom

Tel: 01798 861611   
Fax: 01798 861633   
E-mail: sales@wlwest.co.uk