Over $120,000 was raised for Agape House yesterday at the ninth annual Rubber Duck Derby.

With 4,000 ducks sold the event was the largest to date and the demand for corporate ducks was so high that organisers had to fly in 50 more ducks last week.

Hundreds of people turned up at Ordnance Island, St. George?s, to help raise money for Bermuda?s only free-standing hospice centre.

Every year Agape House, with the help of its sponsor Belco, holds a rubber ducky race.

Companies, families and individuals purchase a yellow duck and cheer it on, hoping it crosses the finish line before the other ducks.

This year there were over 100 donated prizes ranging from dinner for two to trips abroad. Edward Christopher was the MC and kept the crowd entertained with his jokes. There was also a fun castle and clown on hand to keep the kids entertained. Another highlight was the Fish Chowder Competition.

For the last seven years the Corporation of St. George?s has held a competition during the event to see who makes the best fish chowder on the Island.

Locals and visitors tasted each of the six contestants? chowders and voted on their favourite.

Griffin Bar and Grill, Blackbeard?s Hideout, Jerome Dublin, Nathan Richards, Harvey Glenroy and Elizabeth Morse-Brown each gave out small samples of their chowder.

In the end Griffin?s Bar and Grill took away the coveted first place.

Jesus and Regina Alvarez said they enjoyed the day and thought the fundraiser was fun and original. The couple are visiting from New Mexico. ?We?ve never seen anything like the duck race before,? Mrs. Alvarez said.

The Williams family also had a great time cheering their two ducks along. Kim and Denton Williams enjoyed the atmosphere, while their daughter Jahnya hoped their ducks in the ?Pamper Me Race? and ?Family Race? were at the head of the pack ? though she couldn?t tell which were her ducks because they all looked the same.

The winners of the corporate races were American International, Bacardi and the Bank of Butterfield.

The Youth race gave out many certificates to a variety of stores and the big winners were M. Ming who won a Motorola Walkie Talkie and Sheridan Raynor who won a TREK bicycle.

The ?Pamper Me Race? winners were Marjerie Ross, who won a trip to the US on Continental Airlines and Sandra Robinson who won a Movado Watch. The Reefs Hotel also donated a weekend ?Romantic Escape?.

The final race was the family race which saw Nelda Cann walk away with a trip to Disney World on US Airlines and Jeff Conyers win a Yamaha YBR 125CC motorbike.

In previous years the funds raised at the derby have been used to purchase electric beds, therapeutic equipment, medications and kitchen equipment.