Penny Farthing Championships - A Photo Essay

By great luck we spent last Saturday around Launceston and therefore visited the 'Evandale Village Fair" which is also host to the Annual National Penny Farthing Championship. It was a great event as you will see from this photo essay:

Penny Farthing or Highwheelers, a little rusty but still in use obviously, at least one day of the year.

Many different events where held during the day starting with a slalom event, a slow race (where the last over the line won in a 25 meter 'race', a relay, a biathlon where riders had to run one round between cycling and many more.

Even the kids had there own events but there also races for the over 50, 60 and 70 year olds.

The highlight though was the National Championships event in the open class. It became really serious and riding four rounds of, I would say about 400 to 500m.

I was really impressed by these guys racing along with only one gear. You could see how demanding it was. The Championships were won by a New-South-Welshman.

But it was definitely more than a race event, not everyone was as serious. Some of the bikes were really old and the owners where happy to show them off. These guys are members of the Queensland historic bike club.

The locals brought out their old clothes and showcased them in a parade which was also great to watch.

There was a pipe band and a brass band playing throughout the day but for these guys there is of course nothing better than a parade to show off their skills (Dudlsack rocks!)

The locals obviously loved it. It seemed like it was their carneval day and who doesn't like to get in the middle of all this fun?

In the end, lot's of prices were won and there was even a 'Consolation Race" at the end of the day where everyone could participate who hadn't won a medal yet, not many were left by that time :-)