Forget the Grand Prix this is the Grand SKI of races – with competitors hurtling down a mountain on a SHOVEL.
The 9th Annual Shovel Race Championships took place on Sunday (FEB 8) at Angel Fire Resort in New Mexico, USA.
Competitors sit on the scoop of a standard aluminium snow shovel with the handle pointed downhill and lift their hands and feet as gravity sends them down the course.
Situated at over 8,600ft elevation in the Southern Rocky Mountains, a total of 86 daredevil entrants including men, women and children battle it out to see who completes the course in the fastest time.
Jeff Hamblin was crowned men’s champ romping the course in 15.3 seconds clocking speeds of over 65mph.
Dan Swanson, from Angel Fire Resort, said: “Shovel racing began as a simple contest here in the 1970’s when our lift operators would ride their shovels down the mountain at the end of their shifts.”