The road to Finland starts at Box Hill's Knacker Cracker
The mayhem and mirth at the Box Hill Knacker Cracker and Knicker Knacker expected on New Year's Day was cranked up a few more notches last week when organisers announced that the winners of both 1 January events would gain automatic entry into the UK Wife Carrying Race, scheduled for 3 March 2019 in Dorking.
The Knacker Cracker race, with its female offshoot the Knicker Knacker, takes place around Box Hill in Surrey and sees up to 250 runners, most in fancy dress, setting out for five lung-bursting ascents of the famous hill.
The hilly and muddy 10K race is known for its picturesque views and festive camaraderie between participants, with many saying that it is ‘the best way to start the New Year.’
The experience of the Box Hill races should hold winners in good stead for the more challenging wife carrying test where participants will be expected to carry their partner - or be carried - over the 380m UK Wife Carrying Race course. Race obstacles include hay-bale hurdles and buckets of cold water thrown at you.
The winners of the UK Wife Carrying Race will win £250 towards their travel expenses to compete in the World Wife Carrying Championships in Finland in July 2019. A squad of competitors is expected to accompany them from the UK, ‘for a laugh.'
A further development at the Knacker Cracker is a 'Mob Match' prize awarded to the club with the most registered runners at the event.
Entry for the Knacker Cracker and UK Wife Carrying races is via the event website.