Every February the small village of Evandale in Tasmania turns the clock back a century and holds a festival of Penny Farthing bikes and races, including the National Penny Farthing Championship.
This weekend (Feb. 19/20th 2011) was the 29th year of the Evandale Village fair.
The village dresses for the occasion, with period costumes and parasols. Its population increases dramatically from around 1000 to over 8000.
Penny Farthing Races Unique
It can't be easy to balance on top of a penny farthing. The riders of this antique contraption surely deserve medals just to stay upright.
According to Di Sullivan, initial organizer of the festival: “The National Penny Farthing Championship has the reputation of being the most competitive in the world.”
Penny farthings are not raced anywhere else like they are in Evandale.
“This is something people won’t see anywhere else” she said, “ it’s unique to see people racing penny farthings. And they really do race them – the young fellows lean right over the front of the bikes.”
As well as watching the races, visitors enjoy the whole ambience of a village fair, browsing the stalls, eating, drinking, checking out the veteran car and steam engine displays, enjoying the musical entertainment.
Popular country singer, Tania Kernaghan was guest performer this year.
The Penny Farthing Races
The races include a slow race, where last rider over the line wins. I suspect on a penny farthing, this might be more difficult than coming first.
There’s a section for veterans (50 plus, 60 plus and 70 plus), and a few of the riders are well in their seventies.
There’s also a juniors section (under 18), a novice race for first-time riders, a 200-metre dash sprint, a slalom (two at a time around witches hats), a relay, an obstacle race (as if the bike itself is not obstacle enough), a handicap, and a consolation prize, for anyone who hasn’t won a medal.
But the feature is always the National Penny Farthing Championship, the fastest of eight riders through heats to the final, over four laps of a circuit, a distance of a mile.
Among this year’s fifty four riders were five children, aged five to twelve, seven riders from overseas, and eleven new riders.
Rain and Penny Farthings Do Not Mix
Unfortunately, rain on Saturday delayed the races, for the first time in the festival’s twenty-nine-year history. Since most penny farthing bikes don’t have brakes, wet weather is not ideal. But Sunday saw bright sunshine and penny farthings galore on the roads around Evandale.
Thirty four of the ancient bikes raced in the thirty-two-kilometre road race, which was won by Sydneysider, James Fowler, in one hour, eight minutes.
For the second year in a row, Amy Vesty, of New South Wales, won the women’s race, followed closely by two London women riders.
The villagers pack away their parasols and antique clothing, the riders pack up their antique bikes and head home, and Evandale comes back to 21st century.
Sources: The Examiner, Feb. 21, 2011
The Examiner, Feb. 19, 2011
Heather Donaldson - Heather Donaldson is a writer, a registered nurse with a diploma in nutrition, an interest in natural medicine, animals and environment.
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