With a time of four minutes and 42 seconds, Craig Heppinstall was victorious at the World Coal Carrying Championships in Gawthorpe, Yorkshire, England
Like so many of Britain’s quirky contests, this one was forged in the pub as a test of fitness and machismo.
The championship was dreamt up over a pint in 1963 when one man walked into his local pub and remarked to another customer that he looked a little unfit. Somewhat offended he challenged him to a race while carrying a sack of coal and the World Coal Carrying Championships was born.
Today people travel from all over the country and further afield, to race the three-quarters of a mile uphill course. Men carry a 50kg sack of coal and women a 20kg sack.
Athletes of all shapes and sizes gathered outside the starting point at the Royal Oak pub to tackle the 1,100-metre uphill course.
Even though the nearest coal mine closed a long time ago, the opportunity to carry 50 kilograms of coal around Gawthorpe's streets proved irresistible for many.
Men aged over 40 took part in the men’s veterans race, followed by a women’s race and two men’s main races, with the best time being taken across the three men’s races.
Some of the men had clearly done more training than others, but all were enthusiastic about the challenge ahead.
In the women’s event, Penny Ditchfield won the title for the third year in a row with a time of 4 minutes 35 seconds. The women ran the same course as the men, but carrying a considerably lighter 20kg bag of coal.
While in the men’s race Craig Heppinstall, took the title for the first time with a time of 4 minutes and 42 seconds.
World Coal Carrying Championships
Теги
World Coal Carrying ChampionshipsGawthorpeOddEnglandUKYorkshirerunrunningcoal miningpubCraig HeppinstallRoyal Oakcrazy sportstough running racesEnduranceCoalMinersYorkshire sportspointlesstoughest running race in the Worldmen in shortscoal carryingalways with a smileworld championshipseaster sportsworld coal carrying cahmpionships 2024coal racejoel hicksenglish culture