Sunshine, splashes, and a sea of yellow ducklings drew a record-breaking crowd to the Tauranga waterfront on Sunday for the 2025 Great Tauranga Duck Race — the biggest yet, according to organisers from the Tauranga Te Papa Rotary Club.

The much-loved annual event once again proved its worth not only as a crowd-pleaser but as a successful fundraiser for local schools and the Life Education Trust, bringing in nearly $35,000.

“$17,000 from ticket sales went directly to participating primary schools and Life Education Trust,” Rotarian Simon Ellis said.

Ducks competing in the main Duckling Race.  Photo/ Karen Killeen.

A floating fundraiser with impact

The Duck Race, now in its eighth year, has become a highlight on Tauranga’s calendar. With the Rotary Club taking care of logistics, local schools PTAs and the Life Education Trust were able to focus on selling raffle tickets — and keep 100% of the proceeds.

Page McCrae Team with their winning duck. Photo/Supplied.

Each of these ducklings was numbered, and raffle tickets sold for each one.

“They had the potential to raise over $20,000 without organising the event themselves as Tauranga Te Papa Rotary does that for them,” Ellis said.

“And Tauranga Te Papa Rotary sold the remaining tickets.

“Welcome Bay Primary has already let us know they raised enough to buy a gazebo for school events. Other schools have raised up to $2,000 or so each, to fund resources not funded through the education system.”

Best Dressed Duck was won by Plumberman in the Great Tauranga Duck Race 2025. Photo/Supplied.

Duck races and dressed-up competition

The event kicked off at The Strand Waterfront, where ducks were released into an outgoing tide and guided toward the finish line near the iconic Hairy Maclary statues — providing spectators with a perfect view.

At 10.30am, the Corporate Duck Race took centre stage with 60 creatively decorated, company-branded ducks competing. Ellis said one was motorised, and most were fully “pimped out” for the occasion.

Rodney Fong and Stephen Lange from Tauranga Te Papa Rotary with the Corporate Ducks. Photo/Supplied.

“The amount of work that went in to detailing and pimping the ducks was impressive,” Ellis said.

Judged by event sponsor Rodney Fong of Ray White Tauranga, the Best Dressed Duck award went to Plumberman, while the race itself saw Page Macrae Engineering take the win.

Their duck, expertly engineered and motorised, crossed the line first, with Grange Road Spa Canine Resort – Judea and Grange Road Spa Canine Resort – Mount Maunganui claiming second and third.

Page McCrae’s winning duck.  Photo/Supplied.

“Swanny from Page McCrae’s design team said it was a great team building exercise and fun for the company, as well as giving us their support,” Ellis said.

“They were however a bit concerned they may run the battery flat before reaching the finishing line.

“The motorisation was all legit, and maybe some others will look towards some medication next year.”

Grange Road Spa Canine Resort – Judea took second place, and Grange Road Spa Canine Resort – Mount Maunganui. Photo/Supplied.

Grange Spa Canine Resort, a first-time entrant, impressed with two glittering ducks.

“Thanks so much for organising such a fantastic event – we all had a great time and really appreciated being part of it. Looking forward to next year already,” said Grange Spa’s Ishan Bhatnagar.

Ducklings take the plunge

At 11am, it was time for the main event — the duckling race. 5,000 numbered yellow ducks were dropped into the harbour from a crane, cheered on by the crowd.

Hundreds of small yellow ducks tipped by crane into the Tauranga harbour.  Photo/Karen Killeen.

With help from leaf blowers and a kayaker guiding them away from the seawall, the ducklings made their way to the finish line in a slow but steady stream.

The raffle tied to each duckling offered serious prizes, with first place going to Anna Ford with $1000; second place to Jane Grierson with $500; and third place to Catherine Andrew with $250.

A kayaker helping keep ducks away from the sea wall while they competed in the main Duckling Race.   Photo/ Karen Killeen.

Winners have already been contacted.

Looking Ahead

With strong support from sponsors, schools, and the business community, the Rotary Club is already setting its sights on 2026.

Ducks competing in the Corporate Duck Race. Photo/Supplied.

“The great feedback from the corporate/business sector is that they will be back for 2026,” Ellis said.

“Rodney Fong from Ray White did not hesitate to say, ‘When Tauranga Te Papa Rotary approaches us to renew the main event sponsorship, I have no hesitation in saying yes’.”