Hereford Sub-Aqua Club in the UK has just completed an underwater cycle ride and duck race as part of the Hereford River Festival.

The club was looking for something different to do for its 40th anniversary year and this is what they came up with. Here’s what Chairman Mike Bailey had to say about the celebrations…

“The race took place on Saturday 3rd May. Three riders took part – Mike Bailey,Linda Evans and Russ Pryce. Each had a support diver and they were John Taylor, Tony Cook and Steph Kerridge. The idea was to ride bikes along the river bed, which is not much of a spectator sport in itself, but with the addition of large inflatable ducks attached to each bike, it made more of a spectacle and enabled us to have a duck race using pedal power.

“The club used standard scuba gear, but carried extra weight to compensate for the water’s natural buoyancy and for the fact that they were pushing down on the bike pedals. As far as the club knows they are the only ones to have ridden down any river in the UK, probably in Europe and maybe the whole world! The bikes are standard bikes, which were donated by Mastercraft Cycles of Hereford, although we weighted them down a bit, to ensure they sink easily. The bikes were auctioned off for charity after the race and combined they raised £140.

“The visibility was very poor (at times we could see about 6”) and it was difficult to tell which way was up, down, left, right, forward or back. Because the visibility was bad, balance also becomes an issue and we were all unseated at times, sometimes more off the bike than on it, especially as we had to deal with moving water too! The river can be a hazardous place, as there are many obstacles to overcome, including non-moving items such as shopping trolleys, tree roots, concrete blocks and the uneven river bed, but also because floating objects get washed downstream and there is always an issue with surface traffic – canoes, kayaks etc, plus much more.

“The winning pair of riders / divers was myself, Mike Bailey (rider), and John Taylor (support). The support divers help with balance and direction and were there just in case there was a problem. As winners we received a cheque for £50, which was donated by Linda Prenter (one of the club’s members) but this was then donated again to a charity called Village Water – they provide safe water, sanitation and hygiene for projects in Zambia. The winners also got a small trophy of a diver with a duck attached.

“We may have another go next year, but might change a few things based on the experience gained this time.

“Hereford Sub-Aqua Club is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The club has been diving to many places, including Pembroke, Scapa Flow, the Orkneys, Shetland Islands, Gibraltar, Spain, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Maldives and the Red Sea, but many other places too. We have about 35 members, men and women, young and old, from all walks of life.”

To find out more about Hereford Sub Aqua Club, visit their website: www.herefordsubaqua.org.uk.