Catshill lawnmower racer Richard Hawksbee finds ice race too hot - The Bromsgrove Standard

Catshill lawnmower racer Richard Hawksbee finds ice race too hot

Bromsgrove Editorial 16th Feb, 2019   0

CATSHILL lawnmower racer Richard Hawksbee tore up the snowy plains of Finland when taking part in the Ice Race in Finland.

The 12-hour endurance race in the small town of Lavia, roughly 150 miles north of the capital Helsinki, takes place on a frozen lake. It starts at 9am and finishing at 9pm.

West Midlands Lawn Mower Racing Club finished 10th overall out of 39 and in fifth place in class, a very respectable outcome in the blistery conditions.

It was the second year for Hawksbee and Co had taken part, having been denied last year by tyre punctures caused by the metal ice studs despite leading the race for five hours.




Starting off the 2019 edition in pole position this time around after flying through qualifying, Hawksbee led the pack once more and was able to pull away from his challengers with ease.

He posted the quickest lap of the weekend in the 15th, but the warmer conditions, with small puddles of water forming with the ice melting, proved problematic.


It caused several additional pit stops, dropping the Catshill racer to eighth. Team-mate Phil Jennings resumed the lead, but the melting of the ice caused larger puddles which proved a stumbling block for Hawksbee’s hopes.

In the seventh hour, the race was cancelled for safety reasons when three small cracks on the icy lake appeared.

Next up for WMLMRC is an 24-hour endurance event in France, taking place over the Easter Weekend.

Hawksbee remains hopeful, as the club go into the event aiming to defend their 2018 title.

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