Henley-on-Todd Regatta
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Henley-on-Todd Regatta (also called the Todd River Race) is a "dry" sand river race held annually in Alice Springs, Australia. It began - and continues - as a joke at the expense of the original British settlers and the formal atmosphere of the British river races which continue today.
Every year in the spring, around September, the town holds a mock regatta which large numbers of locals and tourists attend. Food and drink are sold at stalls, "no fishing" signs are put up, and the celebration takes all day. It's the only dry river regatta in the world; thus, it's the only regatta ever canceled because it rained and there was water in the river.
"Boats" are made from metal frames and hung with banners and advertisements, and teams of "rowers" run their boats in races through the hot sand. Races are also held in washtubs, human-sized mouse wheels and at the final event, modified trucks decked out as boats are driven by teams armed with flour bombs and water cannon. Many bystanders end up as casualties of the final battle. Traditional teams include Pirates and Vikings, complete with costumes. Who wins the final battle can be difficult to determine; even the announcers occasionally get a blast.
[edit] References
 |
This Australia-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
