sport
THE MANE
MARATHON
Rhiannon Harry finds
out that Llanwrtyd Wells
is far from a one-horse
town as the annual
Man vs Horse Marathon
returns.
ON your marks, get set... go and marvel at the Man
vs Horse Marathon! Llanwrtyd Wells plays host
yet again to this exciting equestrian event, where
runners race against riders on horseback.
To bring you up to speed with how this horsey
hap came about, picture two men chatting over a
couple of pints about the idea of men and horses
running over mountainous terrain in the back
bar of the Neuadd Arms Hotel, June 1980. Gordon
Green, landlord at the time, happened to overhear
their discussion and, never one to miss a trick,
decided to put their theory to the test. Being
naturally business-minded, Gordon used this as
an opportunity to promote the town of Llanwrtyd
Wells and, particularly, business at his hotel. And
so Green Events and its first, longstanding and
pic CHRIS PRITCHARD
now internationally acknowledged event, The Man
vs Horse Marathon, was born.
In 1982 the route was altered to provide a more
even match between the man and the horse but
it wasn’t until 2004 that man finally won. The
honourable Huw Lobb won in two hours and five
minutes, beating the fastest horse by two minutes.
Florien Holtinger matched this feat three years
later, but horses have been the only winners since
2007.
This year will see electronic timing used for the
first time, with each contestant wearing a tag
which will automatically record their times. This
will undoubtedly improve the accuracy of the
recorded results.
In addition to this, there will be an amendment
to the prize money and the escalating jackpot
for the lucky runner to beat the first horse and
rider is being re-introduced. Starting at £500,
it will increase by £500 each year until it is
accomplished. Huw Lobb was jammy enough to
win the jackpot previously, which had accumulated
to an impressive total of £25,000!
A surely unmissable occasion, this entertaining
event is bound to please sport and animal fans alike.
Man vs Horse, Llanwrtyd Wells,
Powys, Sat 14 June. Admission: free to
spectators. Info: 01591 610666 / www.
green-events.co.uk
ABERGAVENNY FESTIVAL OF CYCLING
Heather Arnold gets geared
up for the Abergavenny
Festival Of Cycling
IT’S time to pump up those tyres and get on yer
bike as Abergavenny’s famous Festival Of Cycling
rides into town this month.
The weeklong celebration of two-wheeled transport
kicks off with the Deri Dash Hill Climb on Tues
24 June with a boisterous bang. For both serious
bikers and casual cyclers the route winds its way
through narrow tree-lined lanes to the top of the
hill – making it a challenge on the way up but a
BUZZ 54
good excuse to go gliding back down. There’s a good
sense of fun that comes with this races as plenty of
spectators will be around to cheer the assembled
pedal pushers on. Previous years have attracted the
attention of film actors and sports personalities, and
all the money raised during the race will go to charity.
That’s just the beginning, though, as the rest of the
week brings with it plenty more opportunities to hop
on your bike. Thursday brings with it a fight against
the clock with the British Cycling National Time
Trial Championship. This is one for the pro bikers:
previous winners include Sir Bradley Wiggins (who
later went on to win with the Tour de France), three
time winner Alex Dowsett and Olympic gold medallist
Jo Rowsel.
Friday will see a return to the town centre with the
festival’s popular circuit races. Starting in the early
evening, these central, slightly more laidback races
are both good for admiring and taking part.
Saturday’s focus will be on the Champion Sportive
ride. Split into four courses – the Bronze, Silver,
Gold and Ladies Only – the idea of the race is to let
anyone try out the rough routes usually taken on by
professional riders, but with plenty of extra support
to help you along the way.
The festival will finally be come to an end with the
prestigious British National Road Championships
where the hardcore cyclists go head-to-head. Expect
to see stars including double London Olympic gold
medallist Laura Trott.
On top of everything else, the festival even has its
own fringe events that include all sorts of bikerelated activities, so getting involved in the festival
is as easy as riding a bike.
Abergavenny Festival Of Cycling,
Mon 23-Sun 29 June. Info: www.
abergavennyfestivalofcycling.co.uk