The Thames Turd Race 2004
Putney Embankment
Two crews, Two turds
Floating Protest
Activists' Faeces
Two crews of rowers challenged each other to a race with a difference. From the starting horn the two rowing eights skidded off the start line for an 800m sprint on the stretch of brown water most famous for the Oxford/Cambridge boat race. Each boat towed 14’ inflatable faeces and the crews were all clad in gas masks to demonstrate against unacceptable levels of pollution in the river, brought to attention this summer, after several large discharges killed most of the life in the river. Unsurprisingly, it is also pretty unpleasant for all river users as well as representing a significant health risk, and it reflects badly on a choice for the 2012 Olympics in London.
The red BioHaz team stormed to victory at Putney bridge leaving the blue GasHaz team fuming in their wake. There was a stink of race fixing as the GasHaz faecal floater looked decidedly soggy and was not slipping through the water at all cleanly!
This was followed by the delivery of a 320 strong petition from Thames rowers to the offices of DEFRA (Department of the Environment) afterwards.
