Double Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee was the star attraction at the 50th anniversary edition of the Oxenhope Straw Race on Sunday.
Brownlee is the only triathlete – male or female – to successfully defend an Olympic title, winning at London 2012 and Rio 2016.
He retired from the sport at the end of last year and has thrown himself into a number of sporting challenges since then, including the famous Three Peaks Fell race in April where he finished on the podium.
Charity fundraiser
Cross country and fell races were a key part of his early sporting journey but the Oxenhope Straw Race, near Haworth in Yorkshire, is one of the more maverick ones out there.
Organisers say it all began over a pint one evening back in the mid 1970’s when two local farmers made a bet about racing between pubs having a pint at each. As the night continued the bet grew – and now they would also be carrying a bale of straw between the pubs.
The event has now raised over £500,000 with funds donated to Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice, Haworth Riding for the Disabled and other local worthy causes.
Teams of two are timed running the race in fancy dress, carrying a bale of straw (15-20 kgs), visiting six pubs and drinking a pint at each (except the last one). The route is approximately 2.5 miles or 4km.
Donald Trump costumes
And Brownlee fully got into the spirit as he ran with friend Nathan Edmondson, the winner of the first-ever Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon in 2023.
They were dressed in Donald Trump outfits, with caps sporting the slogan ‘Make America Sprint Again’.
They were joined by hundreds of other competitors around the hilly course – as well as plenty of spectators, with prizes awarded not just for the fastest teams but also the best fancy dress.
“What a blast,” posted Alistair on his Instagram page before adding “apart from this bit” over a video of him carrying the straw bale up a steep incline!
Are we in a triathlon boom, or hurtling towards burnout? Laura Siddall on the growth of the sport
