LIBERAL, Kan. (AP) — Liberal has reclaimed the title as winner of the annual International Pancake Day Race.
Pancake Chair Greg Bird, Tamsin Rawlings and race winner Gabby Covarrubias wait to chat with the @OlneyPancakeRac Pancake Committee pic.twitter.com/HWdg8oH9VB
— Intl Pancake Day (@IntlPancakeDay) February 13, 2018
A Liberal woman, Gaby Covarrubias, ran the Shrove Tuesday 415-yard race with a time of 1:08.85. That was about 2.5 seconds faster than Katie Godof, who ran a similar race in Olney, England with a time of 1:11.4. Contestants must carry a pancake in a frying pan and flip it at the beginning and end of the race.
The Shrove Tuesday pancake race began in Olney in the 15th century. In 1950, Liberal challenged Olney to an international competition.
It was the first win for Liberal since 2015. The Kansas town now leads the series 38-29. Last year, a winner couldn’t be determined because of a technical glitch in Olney.