Chester

The British Canoe Union's National Marathon Championships took place on the River Dee, Chester on 31st and 1st August 2010. More than 600 Canoists from all over the UK gathered in the Earls Eye Meadows to compete over the two days. Varying in experience from the young novice to Olympic competitors and seasoned veterans. With races from 4 to 16 miles long each with portage sections that took place on the meadows bank at the Sandy Lane ferry crossing. The first time in 18 years the event has been held in Chester. Many competitors camped on the meadows during the competition days.

A spate of damage to Rhino's on the streets of Chester. The unfortunate statues have been removed for repair and replaced by black rhinos with the message..."My friend is at the vets and will be back soon".

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Having completedthe preliminary tonal drawing across the amphitheatre wall. Mural artist Gary Drostle and his team add colour washes. Having changed the perspective on the entrance way at the centre of the piece.

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The 82 decorated Rhinos have made onto the streets of Chester and some further afield. The largest number are to be found in the city centre and are easily found on foot with the aid of the location map that can be downloaded from the Rhino Mania website or picked up in Chester Tourist Information in Town Hall Square.

Created by public art company Wild in Art. The designs on each of the 60 kg 6ft long fibreglass Rhinos have been created by local artists, community groups and schools, and the work sponsored by local businesses and organisations. In addition more than a hundred smaller Rhinos have been decorated by local schools.

Work is underway on the mural that will decorate the wall crossing Chester's roman Amphitheatre. Mural artist Gary Drostle from Woowich, London has completed murals of Roman Britain before when he created a vision of the now largely lost Roman Wall of London in the branch of Starbucks on London Wall. The intention is to depict what the amphitheatres currently hidden half would have looked like and how the building as a whole would have been through the ages up to the present day.

Totesport Day at Chester Races saw a good crowd of racegoers decend on the Roodee course on a hot humid afternoon on the 10th July. Races included the £37,000 City Plate and City Wall Stakes.

The 35th annual Chester Raft Race ran on the morning of 4th July. Taking place on the River Dee between the Grosvenor Boat House and the Old Dee Bridge. Over 40 rafts battled against each other and the wind to compete for a series of prizes.

Organised by Chester Rotary Club in aid of the Help for Heroes charity. This years theme, "Great Historical Events through the Ages", saw competitors paddle against a strong head wind down stream from the Earl's Eye meadows, over the weir to the Old Dee bridge and back again. Running the gauntlet of water pistols, water and flour bombs thrown by fellow contestants and spectators.

Choirs from Chester and all over the North West and North Wales decended on Chester for the Chester Big Sing event. Part of Chester's Chestival series of summer events. Choirs circulated between four locations in the city centre. Performing a set of songs at each. Venues were the Chestival stage in the Town Hall Square; The Cross; outside Browns Department store, favourite spot of many a busker; and beneath the Cathedral Bell Tower.

Chester's Rhino Mania event was launched on the Racecourse in front of 300 invited guests on Thursday 1st July 2010. Prior to the placement of the 62 large Rhinos around the city and at travel gateways further afield. The Rhino Mania event itself begins on 5th July and runs until the 12 September. A leaflet is available showing the locations of the artwork and people are encouraged to go and see as many as possible and to sample the delights of the rest of the city as they do so.

Celebrating the end of cycle week. Part of Chester's summer "Chestival". Events took place on Sunday 28th June in Town Hall Square and the Amphitheatre. On the stage outside the Town hall was a static cycle race. Featuring two bikes on rollers. Riders competing over a 500 and 100 metre distance. In the square there was a mountain biking spectacular performed by a professional display team. In the amphitheatre a 11ft vertical half pipe saw a display of professional BMX cycling.

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A celebration of the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Tom Rolt. Father of the Inland Waterways Association. Vintage car and heritage train enthusiast.

A few pictuers of the preparations for the first evening event on the Chester racing calendar. Chester races Ladies Evening, followed on the Saturday by Chester Races Midsummer Meeting.

A very hot day day the evening included an appearence from the cast of Hollyoaks.

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Professional cycle racing came to Chester for the second year with the Halfords World Series. The ninth and penultimate race in the series. Ten cycle teams raced 25 laps of the city centre circuit. With the start and finish in Town Hall Square.

A 30 minute musical version of Noah's Flood from the Chester Mystery Plays. Last performed in 2008. The 1997 performance was performed by 200 people. Taking place in the newly refurbished amphitheatre it was a fitting, if not a little dusty, place for the production to take place. The Mystery plays are a melting pot of religion and everyday life. Originating in the Middle Ages they were street plays full of humour.

The Chester Midsummer Watch parade dates back to 1498 and took place in the years between performances of the Chester Mystery Plays. The 1564 procesion is said to have included:

4 gyants, 1 unikorne, 1 dromodarye, 1 luce, 1 camell, 1 dragon, 6 hobbyhorses and 16 naked boys

The parades were continued until the late 17th century and revived in 1995 as a major event in the city calendar.