What a triumph for Relay for Life participants

The huge numbers exceeded last month's Warrnambool Relay for Life and even outnumbered Geelong's effort, which was also held on the weekend.

Corangamite Relay for Life spokeswoman Bronwyn Hutton said 1200 people registered before the relay and another 350 people registered during the event.

"It was an overwhelming effort," she said.

The turnout and the funds raised far exceeded the targets of 30 teams and $30,000.

Ms Hutton partly attributed the big turnout to people's curiosity being aroused by the relay, which was the first in the area.

"A lot of people have never been involved and wanted to see what it was all about," she said.

Most people knew someone who had lost their life to cancer and were keen to raise funds to help achieve a cancer-free world.

Ms Hutton said there had been a circle of brown and white tribute bags around the walking track at Leura Oval at Camperdown during the relay.

The brown bags held written tributes to people who had lost their lives to cancer while the white bags paid tribute to those fighting the disease.

A candlelight ceremony on Saturday evening was a solemn event with oaths read to those who had been, were currently battling, and would be affected in future by cancer.

Walkers enjoyed mostly good weather during their 18 hours of taking turns to do circuits of Leura Oval.

Cold temperatures overnight on Saturday and light rain for a brief time on Sunday morning did not deter the good spirits of participants.

Bands and a line dancing demonstration were among the entertainment that buoyed people on Saturday night and performances by soloists, rock 'n' roll and tai chi demonstrations on Sunday morning kept walkers moving.

Ms Hutton said organisers wanted to hold a relay again next year, hopefully in another town in the Corangamite Shire.

"It may be shifted round the shire," she said.