Annual Inter Livery Pancake Race
17th February 2026Guildhall Square
What a day here in the historic heart of the City of London, and the crowd is on its feet as the drama unfolds in the shadow of the magnificent Guildhall!
And listen to that roar! Past Master Elise Rasmussen has stormed into the spotlight and claimed the Novelty Prize! What a performance! She brought flair, she brought creativity, and she brought the crowd along for every step of the journey. Meanwhile, charging down the course with determination and grit, Court Assistant John Clark has powered through his heat and crossed the line in triumph! Clinical. Composed. Champion stuff!
And let’s hear it for the mighty Worshipful Company of Tobacco Pipe Makers and Tobacco Blenders—a tremendous team display, showing precision, pride, and pancake-flipping prowess under pressure!
This—this—is what the great Livery Companies do best! Tradition meets competition in a spectacle unlike any other. Nearly 50 companies on the field today, flipping pancakes at full sprint, chef’s hats clinging on for dear life, as competitors push themselves to the absolute limit. There were slips! There were stumbles! But above all, there was heart!
And credit where it’s due—the mastermind behind the lineup, Team Manager Sandra Stocker, had assembled a squad brimming with talent and experience. Their unconventional training regime—relentless email responses and medal polishing—had clearly paid off!
Leading the charge were Master Tony Scanlan, Consort Maggie Scanlan, John Clark, and Elise Rasmussen—arriving right on schedule, focused, and ready for battle.
And Elise—oh, what a story! Her bold theme, “Unsquaring the Square Mile,” echoing one of the Lady Mayor’s central visions, captured the imagination of judges and spectators alike. She didn’t take the race itself—but she captured something greater. The Novelty Prize was hers! And the race winner? A penguin. Yes—a penguin! Only in this competition, ladies and gentlemen!
As the cold air bit hard and the breath of competitors hung in the air, relief finally came in the form of warm soup, hearty shepherd’s pie, and a restorative glass of red. The athletes recovered, the crowd buzzed, and the legends of this day were already being written.
But mark my words—the gauntlet has been thrown down. The message is clear.
Training for next year starts now.