UK lawnmowers in 12-hour endurance race
Twelve hours of racing is gruelling with racers spotted taking it in turns to rest.
WEST SUSSEX (Reuters) - Drivers climbed into their cockpits at the weekend for a 12-hour endurance race with a difference: they weren’t driving rallying cars, but lawnmowers.
A total of 48 teams lined up for the highlight of the British and World’s Lawnmower sporting calendar - the annual 12-hour Endurance Race held in Five Oaks, West Sussex.
The annual race in Five Oaks, a hamlet near to England’s South coast, started at 1900GMT on Saturday (August 3) and saw 48 teams lined up to take to the 1.575 km (0.97 mile) circuit, with the winning team ‘Best Western’ completing 384 laps.
The race is the pinnacle of the sport’s surprisingly busy racing calendar, and this year newbies to the sport and seasoned drivers alike, battled through the night to claim top honours.
The traditional Le Mans grid formation with the drivers running to their machines signalled the start of the race.
Twelve hours of racing is gruelling with racers spotted taking it in turns to rest.
As dusk turned to night, the pit lanes became a hive of activity as mowers came in for refuelling, driver changeover, cleaning and repairs. Many breakdowns ensued but amazingly, most of the mowers were still in the race as the hours marched past.
After winning the race which concluded at 0700GMT on Sunday (August 4), Geoff Bishop from the ‘Best Western’ team described the race as "absolutely epic".
The 12 hour endurance race returns in August 2020.
