The Story of Our Ducks

Our ducks are already veterans and experienced racers. Every year they return to the course, ready to help children with cancer and their families.

In 2018, 14,000 ducks competed and in 2019, as many as 15,000 ducks took part in the race. Their numbers have grown over the years and the oldest athletes are more than five years old. These competitors already have their own histories and scars.

How the Duck Race works

All the ducks are poured at the same time into the water at the start of the Kadriorg Park Canal and begin floating the few hundred metres to the end. Channel drains are covered with wire mesh which means that our ducks are safe to swim there. At the finish line, our great athletes are greeted by coaches and helpers who collect the ducks, dry them and put them to rest. The ducks are housed in a warm location for the winter until the spring Duck Gathering, when training starts again.

What is the Duck Gathering?

Each year in spring, we look over, waterproof and re-label every duck separately so that each duck's number is visible and readable. In 2018, we numbered an extra 3000 ducks, so as to allow even more people to join in and make donations.