Christmas Day action for Hercules Wimbledon runners in long-running parlauf event

BY TOM POLLAK

Hercules Wimbledon Athletic Club get the chance to build up their Christmas lunch appetite by competing in the annual Lauriston Runners’ Club’s Parlauf in Wimbledon Village on Christmas Day morning.

The event involves pairs of athletes running alternately for 30 minutes round a circuit near Rushmere Lake on Wimbledon Common along a course which takes in Southside, The Green, The Causeway, Cannizaro Road and the West Side of the Common.

The paarlauf has been staged for more than 50 years. It was launched by the late Arthur Whitehead, who lived in Lauriston Cottage on the edge of the common, in 1954 and has proved a popular appetiser for Christmas dinner every year since – except last year when the event was cancelled due to the pandemic.

In Whitehead’s day the paarlauf was started and finished by a loud boom caused by a small explosive charge in a dustbin but, following objections from local residents, a more modestly sounding klaxon is now used to signify the beginning and end of the 30 minutes.

The pair which covers the furthest distance in the 30 minutes period are the winners. The Good Race Guide describes the event over a 1.3km laps as “Good Christmas Day fun”.

The Paarlauf starts on the edge of the common alongside Southside opposite the junction with Lauriston Road at 11am.

After the race both athletes and officials retire to Lauriston Runners’ Club’s headquarters to enjoy seasonal refreshments of mince pies and punch.

Hercules Wimbledon marathon runner Dave Grima, a member of the winning pair for four years up to 2019, will be aiming to continue his winning run.

Anna Garnier took the South of England Masters’ women’s over-65 cross country title at Croydon’s Lloyd Park. She finished well clear of the runner-up crossing the finishing line in 32:27.

Gina Galbraith was runner-up in the women’s over-45 category in 27:27, 47 seconds behind the winner.

Highest placed of seven Hercules Wimbledon runners in the men’s 10km race was Malcolm Davies, who was 106th out of 233 finishers and 16th in the over-50 category in 42:53.

Richard Evans was 124th and 10th in the over 60 category in 44:02.

Also in Lloyd Park, seven Hercules Wimbledon younsters were in action for Surrey in the South of England inter-counties cross country championships.

Eloise Davies and Lulu Weisz were third and fourth Surrey runners in the women’s U17 5km race finishing 35th and 46th out of 95 runners in 21:09 and 21:34 respectively.