An adventurous couple from West Drayton scooped top spot in an eccentric running race - and set a new record while they were at it.
Chris Hepworth and Tanisha Prince battled hay bales, mud and 40 other couples to win the UK Wife Carrying Race in Surrey last Sunday (April 8).
Chris threw himself into the race, and his partner over the finish line, to complete the 380-metre course in a new wife-carrying course record of one minute and 37 seconds.
The race, which was broadcast around the world, took place at The Nower, Dorking, where 40 participants carried their wives or partners over the hilly course.
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Most used the ‘Estonian hold’ with the ‘wife’ upside down on the man’s back and their legs crossed round his neck.
This year’s race however saw a medical drama when a couple from Sutton Coldfield fell. Christopher Burke slipped and dropped wife Kate just after the race started.
Describing the accident as unusual, organiser Robert McCaffrey said Kate was treated by medics at the scene before being taken to hospital to be treated for ligament damage and bruising.
Wishing her a speedy recovery, Mr McCaffrey said Kate was later discharged from hospital.
“I was running in the race myself and found it very hard going, with some slippery areas after the rain,” Mr McCaffrey added on Sunday.
“They were very unlucky to slip and even unluckier to sustain an injury."
Mr McCaffrey continued: “All partners are required under the race rules to wear a crash helmet and all competitors are warned that wife-carrying, although supposedly fun, is a potentially dangerous activity.”
Chris and Tanisha have now qualified to take part in the world finals in Finland in July and are planning to take part.
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