Hundreds of people descend on Maldon for an annual mud race through Essex village that sees participants covered in dirt as they vie for glory
- Daring competitors from as far away as Australia flocked to the Blackwater River
Hundreds of crazed mud racers from all over the world hit the Essex shores today to take part in the Maldon Mud Race.
Daring competitors from as far away as Australia and Japan flocked to the banks of the Blackwater River to take part in the charity event.
The race consists of a 500 meter race on the thick mud of the riverbed, with runners often sinking to their waists.
The famous dirty dash dates back to 1973 and was born out of a bet made at a local pub, when a regular was challenged to serve a riverside meal dressed in a tuxedo.
The challenge evolved into a race across the river to a waiting beer barrel, where runners drank a pint of beer before sliding down and sliding down the other side.
Runners wearing colorful wigs crossed the Blackwater River Flats today
A runner, dressed as Super Mario, was seen crawling along the river bank
Hundreds of crazed mud runners from around the world hit the banks of Essex today
Crowds lined the quayside to support loved ones in the race today
The river is crossed by runners at low tide, seeing them wade through shallow water
The mud was too much for some, who were seen trying to get out of it
Now a charity event, the beer keg has been retired and runners raise tens of thousands of dollars each year for good causes.
Last year, as many as 20,000 people attended the event, organizers said.
Around 300 fundraising runners take part, with £35,000 given out last year.
Crowds lined the dock on Sunday to support loved ones, many of whom wore fancy dress, as they competed in today’s scorching sun.
Among the crowds was TV comedian Jo Brand, who cheered on her daughter as she took part and revealed that she herself had entered competitions in the past.
“You just sink into it,” said Ms. Brand ITV East Anglia.
Runners are soaked in mud as they clamber over the drained riverbed
A competitor looked like she had a mud mask on after crossing the river
Runners dressed as Where’s Wally crawled across the plains of the Blackwater River
The mud-crazed runners rise to the challenge as they are seen rushing through the river
A runner opted for a wig and a tutu for their running outfit, which could barely be seen under the thick mud
A band of pirates looked home in the murky depths as they crossed the river
“So after about 15 yards I slammed into it, got lassoed by some guy in waders, then I fell, crashed in the mud, then I thought I wasn’t going to m get out, so I cheated!”
Leigh Hemmings, the race director, said: “We have people traveling all over the world and film crews from Germany, China, Japan, so it’s a lot of fun.”
The winner of today’s race completed it in just under 4 minutes.
