Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008

They all float on OK (w/ gallery)

Kristin M. Kraemer, Herald staff writer

Suzanne Sullivan was in the market for a new car, but she didn't think it would cost only $20 for a shiny red 2009 Toyota Camry LE.

The Burbank woman took the top prize Saturday afternoon when her lucky duck drifted to the head of the pack and crossed the finish line first on the Columbia River.

But the win in the 20th Great Mid-Columbia Duck Race didn't come without some drama, as another rubber duck that had held the lead through the short race went under the guiderail just 3 feet from the dock. It was immediately disqualified, along with a few others that followed its lead.

That gave Sullivan's duck the chance to float in first.

"In perspective, it's just like having a huge haystack covering a whole field and somebody going in picking out one little piece of straw, and that was my piece of straw with my name on it," Sullivan said shortly after getting the call. "It was just mind-boggling that I won."

Sullivan bought four ducks at $5 apiece. They were among 45,000 that hit the choppy waters of the Columbia River after noon.

The Tri-Cities Rotary event sold a record 40,501 tickets this year. Almost half of those were sold in the last week, with 300 being purchased in Columbia Park before the race, said Terry Marie Fleischman, duck race director of marketing and promotions.

Fleischman said Saturday's windy weather on the river helped and hindered the ducks.

"They had to stay with the pack because once they stayed with the pack, they clearly floated in fine," she said. "It was cute to watch."

About 11/2 hours after the ducks first were dropped in, organizers still were plucking a few out of the river.

In total, 52 prizes were awarded in the charity event, with the majority of winners from the Mid-Columbia.

One notable winner was retiring Rep. Shirley Hankins, R-Richland, who got a golf/dinner package at Tri-City Country Club.

A complete list of winners can be seen at tricityherald.com.

The mega-duck race started off the festivities with 27 entries. Tickets were $500 for the larger duck.

The board and staff of the American Red Cross Benton-Franklin chapter took first, with $3,240 going to the organization.

Barnard Griffin winery in Richland, coming in second, selected The Chaplaincy at Hospice as the recipient of its $1,620 prize. And Fast Signs of Kennewick got third, giving $540 to Camp Patriot.

American Red Cross also defended its title in the charity tug-of-war at the park, winning $1,000. The ARC of Tri-Cities got $500 for taking second.

Sullivan said she's been a longtime supporter of the duck race because it supports the community and a number of local organizations. She bought her winning ticket from Ken Williams, a Richland Rotary Club member and race course organizer.

When she got the call from Fleischman, Sullivan was with a group of friends at a Soroptimist International convention in Yakima.

Fleischman had told Sullivan to sit down before delivering the news. Sullivan said she couldn't stop screaming and yelling, then immediately called her husband Paul, who was at home.

"It was definitely a joyful moment," said Sullivan, who has a manufacturing business and farms.

She has been driving a Cadillac for more than 10 years. The car has more than 200,000 miles.

"I have a car that is starting to cough," she said. "I was looking at getting a new car this fall, and this (Toyota Camry) replaced it."

The Camry, valued at $20,000, was donated by Toyota of Tri-Cities. It will be presented to Sullivan this week.

"Who would have thought? Never in a million years would I have thought that I would have won a grand prize like that," she said. "It's like, pinch me. I'll believe it when I get behind the wheel."

More information is also available at midcolumbia duckrace.org.