- Title: UKRAINE-BOTTLE BOAT RACE Ukrainians race on kayaks made of plastic bottles
- Date: 3rd September 2015
- Summary: ODESSA REGION, UKRAINE (RECENT) (REUTERS) HANDMADE BOAT WITH DRAGON HEAD PARTICIPANTS OF BOAT RACE PREPARING FOR COMPETITION BOYS PLAYING DRUM TWO MEN MAKING BOAT MADE OF PLASTIC BOTTLES BOAT ON SHORE PARTICIPANTS CARRYING BOAT TOWARDS LAKE TWO MEN ADJUSTING BOTTLES WITH SCOTCH TAPE RACE PARTICIPANT WITH SCOTCH TAPE (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RACE PARTICIPANT DMITRY BELETSKIY, SAYING: "It took us two-three days, 300-400 bottles and 6 kilometers of scotch tape to make the boat". BOAT MADE OF PLASTIC BOTTLES VARIOUS OF BOATS IN WATER (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) ONE OF THE PLASTIC BOTTLES ON THE WATER RACE ORGANISERS KYRIL MAKSIMENKO, SAYING: "We will pass these boats to a charity organization, afterwards they will be utilized and the money will be used to buy prosthetic devices for servicemen injured during the anti-terrorist operation." PARTICIPANTS RACING PEOPLE WATCHING RACE PARTICIPANTS RACING WOMAN FILMING RACE ON MOBILE PHONE VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS RACING VARIOUS OF SPECTATORS ON SHORE MEN IN WOODEN BOAT SPECTATORS TAKING PICTURES RACE IN PROGRESS SPECTATORS APPLAUDING RACE IN PROGRESS SPECTATORS CHEERING RACE WINNERS BEING AWARDED WITH UKRAINIAN FLAG AUDIENCE WATCHING
- Embargoed: 18th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Ukraine
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA6DENAZO0KR62X9C2NU01FGQF5
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The first charity race on boats made of plastic bottles was held outside Black Sea resort of Odessa in southern Ukraine. Nineteen teams used thousands of beverage bottles to make kayaks and canoes of various designs for the race. The competition was held on an artificial lake outside the city. According to the event organizers the oldest race participant was 73 years old, the youngest - 13.
It took rowers several days to invent designs and to make vessels out of bottles taped together.
"It took us two-three days, 300-400 bottles and 6 kilometers of scotch tape to make the boat," said Dmitry Beletsky, a race participant.
One of the organizers, Kyril Maksimenko, told Reuters his aim was to attract public attention to the issue of environmental pollution caused by plastic. He also said that all the money gathered through the race will be sent to a charity helping Ukrainian servicemen wounded in the East.
"We will pass these boats to a charity organization, afterwards they will be utilized and the money will be used to buy prosthetic devices for servicemen injured during the anti-terrorist operation," Maksimenko said.
Not all boat designs proved to be practical - some of vessels sank before crossing the finish line. Luckily all the participants safely made it to the shore. The winning team was awarded a Ukrainian flag and a cash prize of 20 thousand hryvnas (around USD1000), half of which it's decided to donate to volunteers heading to Ukraine's east. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
