Ladies Pancake Tossing Race

Pictured right: 2012 Winner of the Melbourne Ladies Pancake Tossing Race, WNBL Bulleen Boomer Tayla Roberts with a race time of 46 secs.

Watch the Melbourne Ladies Flipping Pancakes in the 2012 Shrove Tuesday Ladies Pancake Tossing Race.

In England, the most well-known celebration is the Pancake Day Race at Olney, Buckinghamshire, which has been held since 1445.

The race came about when a woman cooking pancakes heard the bell summoning her to confession. She ran to church wearing her apron and still holding her frying pan, and thus without knowing it, started a tradition that has lasted for over five hundred years. According to the old rules, only women wearing a dress (no slacks or jeans), an apron and a hat or scarf, may take part in the race.

The traditional race has each contestant with a frying pan containing a pancake. She must toss it three times during the race which starts at the market square at 11.55 am. The first woman to complete the winding 375 metre course and arrive at the church is the winner.

In 1950 the race became an international event when a challenge was received from Liberal, Kansas, USA.

In 1984 Melbourne, Australia joined the competition and invited women to run the standard course through the centre of the city. The race was sponsored by The Pancake Parlour, who had been running the event locally since 1969.

Melbourne Ladies Pancake Tossing Race

The Annual Ladies Pancake Tossing Race, celebrates International Pancake Day, known throughout the world as Shrove Tuesday.

Ladies from all over Melbourne toss pancakes to celebrate as they run around the 380 metre course. The race recreates the pancake tossing race held in Olney, Buckinghamshire since 1445.

Ladies will dress in skirts, aprons and head scarves (traditional rules!) and toss a pancake three times during the race.

Since the 1960’s, The Pancake Parlour has celebrated Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Day, with waitresses, customers and the odd celebrity grabbing a pancake and pan and dashing 50 metres down Market Lane. The media would attend, press photographers mostly, and a photo would appear on the front of The Sun newspaper or the evening Herald.

In 1950, the traditional pancake race became an international event when a challenge was put to Olney, England from Liberal, Kansas, USA.

In 1984, The Pancake Parlour contacted the organisers of the international race. The agreement between the two towns precluded any other party being “officially” involved. However, Melbourne, Australia, replicated the exact course and details of the international race and invited women to run through the centre of the city.

Some Facts:
• A maximum of 30 ladies from all over Melbourne compete each year.
• The youngest competitor was in 2006 - Four year old, Mimi Costello, of Williamstown.
• The oldest competitor was in 2001 - 67 year old, Zoe Lovejoy, of Bendigo.
• Female Competitors from Melbourne radio stations compete each year.
• Competitors must toss the pancake three times. However, if the pancake is dropped they are not disqualified.
• The fastest race time was in 2003 - 59.5 seconds.
• The record holder internationally is Liberal, Kansas, 58 seconds.
• The race winner wins $250.00 prize money plus perpetual trophy.