Liberal wins 75th International Pancake Day race
LIBERAL, Kan. (KSNW) – The 75th Annual International Pancake Day race was held in Liberal on Tuesday. It is a friendly competition between the women of Olney, England, and the women of Liberal.
KSCB News reports that Liberal’s Pamela Bolivar was the winner of the race. She is a 19-year-old native. Bolivar ran the race in 1:03.03. Last year’s winner, Isabelle Sullenger, came in second, and Minerba Lopez was third.
In Olney, Kaisa Larkas, won the race with a time of 1:03.37. Eloise Kramer came in a very close second, with Rebecca Budd in third.
Bolivar edged Larkas to give Liberal the win this year. Liberal leads the series 41-31.
The day in Liberal had several events, including a pancake breakfast, pancake eating and flipping contests, youth races, a men’s pacer race, the international race, the shriving service, and an international video call between the two cities. It will be capped off with a parade.
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WHAT IS THE HISTORY OF THE PANCAKE DAY RACE?
In Olney, England, the race tradition dates back nearly 600 years to 1445. 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 415 yards to the church, skillet and pancake in hand and still apron-clad. Neighbors got into the act in the following years, and it became a race to see who could reach the church first and collect a “Kiss of Peace” from the verger (bell-ringer.)
WHY DOES THE DATE CHANGE FOR PANCAKE DAY?
Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, and Pancake Day all refer to the same day, the day before the beginning of Lent. Lent is the 40 days of fasting and prayer before Easter Sunday. Since Easter changes each year, so does the date for Shrove Tuesday.
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HOW DID PANCAKE DAY GET STARTED IN AMERICA?
Liberal Jaycee President R.J. Leete contacted the Rev. Ronald Collins, Vicar of St. Peter and St. Paul’s church in Olney, challenging their women to race against women of Liberal.
HOW MANY RACES HAVE THE TOWNS WON?
The overall score stands at 41 wins for Liberal and 31 for Olney. In 1980, the score didn’t count because a media truck blocked the finish line in Olney. In 2017, the race did not count due to a malfunction in the time clock. In 2021, the event was canceled due to a global pandemic.
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