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Nithraid Boat Race

A sailing boat race has been taking place in Dumfries and Galloway

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River Nith "must be championed"

Organisers of the Nithraid boat race say the once illustrious river must be championed again.

The river is a massive asset to Dumfries. it has historically been really significant in the formation of the town, and we believe that the river once again needs to be championed for the town and our relationship with the river needs to be developed in a positive way rather than at the moment, Dumfries is all about the River Nith flooding the shops at Whitesands. The race is about saying the Nith is part of the formation of this place and lets make it a special place again.

– Will Levi Marshall, The Stove Network

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Salt cow lowered into River Nith during boat race

Organisers of the inaugural "Nithraid" boat race in Dumfries and Galloway have created a statue of a cow, made out of salt, for the finish line of the race.

Crowds wait with the salt cow by the Devorgilla bridge in Dumfries Credit: ITV

Fourteen sail boats negotiate the 10-mile route between Carsethorn and Whitesands by any means possible, but without engines. When they arrive at Whitesands, the salt cow will be lowered into the River Nith.

The event has been organised as part of the Environmental Art Festival Scotland, by The Stove artists' collective.

The cow represents the trading goods that would have once been brought in and out of the area.

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