A POOR weather forecast didn't deter crowds from cheering on entrants in this year's raft race.

On Sunday, hundreds lined Rhyl's harbour and Pont Y Ddraig lifting footbridge to get a view of the RNLI raft race spectacle.

Rhyl Journal:

Rhyl Jetski club knights 'battle' with Rhyl RNLI crew pirates. Picture: RNLI/Paul Frost

Before the races began, Prestatyn cllr Anton Sampson, who had arrived to the event by sea on his paddle board, presented coxswain Martin Jones with a cheque for £1,200, which he had pledged to the Rhyl Shannon lifeboat appeal during his year as town mayor.

The raft races began at 2pm, with two heats for the rafts constructed on site on the day.

Rhyl Journal:

Rafts prepare for racing. Picture: RNLI/Paul Frost

The winners of these heats, plus the fastest losing raft, then went head-to-head for the Povah Cup. This was won by the 'Try Hards' from Sainsburys supermarket.

An additional heat was the long-awaited 'revenge match' between the lifeboat crew and the Jetski club. The battle took place with the crew as pirates and the club as knights.

Rhyl Journal:

Raft race heat. Picture: RNLI/Paul Frost

The Jetski club came out victorious; the RNLI charity's raft was 'destroyed' forcing the occupants to swim to shore.

Martin Jones, Rhyl RNLI Coxswain, said: "Once again, the Rhyl RNLI raft race has been very successful, and has raised money to go towards the new Helly Hansen kit, which the crew received the week before.

Rhyl Journal:

The 'battle' between knights and pirates! 

"We are very grateful to cllr Sampson for his donation and we are proud that the raft race has become a firm favourite in the Rhyl events calendar."