LIBERAL, Kansas — I always know I'm onto a truly weird sport if no one believes me when I tell them about it. Take, for example, pancake racing.
Pancake racing?
Yes, pancake racing, one of the most wonderfully random of weird sports. It takes place each year on Mardi Gras, or, if you prefer, Shrove Tuesday, in England and (naturally) Kansas. Did I mention this sport is more than 500 years old? Here's the backstory, from the race's official website:
[bug id="weird-sports"]"The Pancake Race tradition dates back more than 500 years to 1445 in Olney, England. A woman engrossed in using up cooking fats (forbidden during Lent) was making pancakes. Hearing the church bells ring calling everyone to the shriving service, she grabbed her head scarf (required in church) and ran to the church, skillet and pancake in hand and still apron-clad. In following years, neighbors got into the act and it became a race to see who could reach the church first and collect a 'Kiss of Peace' from the verger (bell-ringer.) The kiss is still the traditional prize in both races. Racers today must still wear a head scarf and apron and the runner must flip her pancake at the starting signal, and again after crossing the finish line, to prove she still has her pancake."
The sport jumped the pond in 1950 when the Liberal Jaycee prez challenged folks in Olney to an international race. The race has been staged, come hell or high water or freezing rain, ever since. I say freezing rain because there was plenty of it falling when I visited Liberal last year to photograph this historic race.
The nasty weather caused the event organizers to cancel the children's races and the parade. But, this being pancake racing, the 11:55 a.m. main race would go on as scheduled, even if the women running it had to slide their way to the finish line.
At Faith Tabernacle Church, men and women were staying warm and stretching before the race. The men's race is nothing more than a sprint sans skillet and apron. The main event is always the women's race. Entrants spent a lot of time practicing flipping flapjacks, as the rules require a flip at the start and finish of the 415-yard race. The races are run in Liberal and Olney simultaneously, even though Liberal is six hours behind.
Now, you might think pancake racing would attract a few locals and maybe some D-list local celebrity. But no. This is a big deal, and last year's race drew Miss Liberal, Miss Kansas and Miss Southwest Kansas. Sunflower State, represent! Local winner Nicole Schowengerdt, 28, posed for photos with Gov. Sam Brownback in the International Pancake Day Hall of Fame before everyone went to First United Methodist Church for Shriving Service.
After the service, Schowengerdt joined her fans and fellow racers for a videoconference with their compatriots in Olney. Everyone cheered when it was announced that Schowengerdt, who completed the course in 1:03.41, beat the time posted by the best British runner to become the international pancake racing champion.
The title went back to jolly old England today when Devon Byrnes, 18, of Olney made the sprint in 58.5 seconds to beat Kaela Krueger, 19, who took first place in Liberal.
Editor's note: Sol is a featured speaker at the Michigan Press Photographers Association seminar in East Lansing, Michigan this weekend, where he'll discuss — what else? — photographing weird sports. He goes on at 1 p.m. Saturday.
Photos: Sol Neelman
The guv, with Nicole Schowengerdt, who won the race in 2011. She ceded the title to Kaela Krueger at this year's race.
