• Special to the Daily Leader

The Pancake Day Board will begin accepting applications Tuesday, Jan. 19, for contestants in the 61st International Pancake Day Race, slated for Feb. 16. It’s a chance to take part in a unique event, make a bit of history and have a great time. This year, the women of Liberal will once again don headscarves and aprons, grab skillets and pancakes and compete against the women of Olney, England.

All women who are ages 18 or older, have domestic duties and are residents of Liberal are eligible to enter the International Pancake Day Race. Women who are 18 but still enrolled in high school should enter the new youth division.

The Seward County Community College Wellness Center is again offering international race contestants the chance to work out for free at the Wellness Center.

Qualified racers may train at the Wellness Center any time the center is open and may attend as many times as they wish until Pancake Day, according to Kelly Cook, Director of Wellness and Aquatics at SCCC.

In addition, a Men’s Pacer Race is open to all men ages 18 and older (except those still enrolled in high school, who should enter the new youth division). A women’s Last Chance race is open to women ages 50 and older. Men’s Pacer contestants and women’s Last Chance contestants are not required to be Liberal residents.

The number of spaces available in each race is limited, so those interested are encouraged to sign up soon.

Race applications may be picked up at the Liberal Tourist Information Center, 1 Yellow Brick Road, across the street from the Coronado Museum. International racers will be given information about attending the Wellness Center at the time they return completed race applications to Pancake Day Executive Secretary Jo Ann Combs.

For more information on any Pancake Day event, call Combs at 624-6423.