Winchester’s Inaugural Pancake Race!

The Inaugural Shrove Tuesday Pancake Race, organised by Winchester Rotary and hosted by Winchester Cathedral, will take  place tomorrow (5 March) from 12 until 2.00pm.

20 teams, tossing pancakes for glory, in Winchester Cathedral’s Outer Close, include clergy, choristers, councillors, charities, and mayors in full regalia. They will be competing for two specially designed 3D printed trophies. One will be awarded to the teams which complete the distance in the fastest time and the other, by popular vote, for the best attire. Miniature versions will be given to the winning competitors to keep. The trophies will pass on to what will be an annual event, which this year is supported by three local commercial employers.

Freshly made pancakes will be available from 12 noon, and entertainment will be provided by Buskers from Winchester Students Union Busking Society.

The twenty teams each consisting of 4 runners will race two teams at a time in a relay between 1-2pm. The course for each being 38 metres long with designated places where the runners must stop and toss their pancake…accidents will happen, laughter guaranteed.

Winchester Cathedral choristers get some practice in! 

However, the real winners on this occasion will be the amazing and hardworking local charities which might otherwise disappear along with their selfless dedication were it not for organisations such as Winchester Rotary. Winchester Rotary raise hundreds and thousands of pounds each year to enable those with less to have more and to be helped now and in their unpredictable future.