User:Tubafeller/sandbox/International Pancake Day Race

International Pancake Race The International Pancake Race is an annual sprint race held on Pancake Day in Liberal, Kansas and Olney, Buckinghamshire, England.

Origin
Since 1445, a pancake race has been run in Olney on many Pancake Days, the day before the beginning of Lent. Tradition records that in 1445 on Shrove Tuesday, the "Shriving Bell" rang out to signal the start of the Shriving church service. On hearing the bell a local housewife, who had been busy cooking pancakes in anticipation of the beginning of Lent, ran to the church, frying pan still in hand, tossing the pancake to prevent it from burning, and dressed in her kitchen apron and headscarf.

History
The women of Olney recreate this race every Shrove Tuesday (known in some countries as Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday) by running from the market place to the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, a distance of over 400 yards. The traditional prize is a kiss from the verger. In modern times, Olney competes with the town of Liberal, Kansas in the United States for the fastest time in either town to win the "International Pancake Race". There is also a children's race, run by children from the local schools. The children have to run a distance of about 20 yards. This competition has been run every year since 1950.

Liberal, Kansas Race
The Liberal version of the race is the premier event in a festival that lasts from the Saturday before Pancake Day until Pancake Day. The events in the festival include pancake eating contests, pancake flipping contests, a parade and talent show on Saturday. There is a scholarship pageant on Sunday and a dignitary reception on Monday which is frequently attended by the state's governor.

Pancake Day involves a pancake breakfast and then children's races, a men's pacer race and then the International Pancake Race. Immediately following the International Pancake Race is a Shriving Service. The culminating event to the Liberal version of the race is a live video conference between Liberal and Olney.

The Liberal version of the race begins on Kansas Avenue just south of Sixth Street in front of the Liberal Memorial Library. The racers run south to Fifth Street, run one block west to Lincoln Avenue and then south to the finish line at the south edge of the International Pancake Day Hall of Fame located at 318 S Kansas Avenue.

Olney, England Race
In the Olney version of the race, racers run south from Market Place then east on Church Street following the course of the road to the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul.