World Record Attempt: The World's Fastest Lawnmower
"I spent 6 weeks on E2 around last Christmas as a GUCH patient, and am eternally grateful not only for the life-saving surgery, but also the deep friendships I formed with the staff during my stay."
Since coming out of hospital, Stephen Vokins has been engaged in putting together a team to help him take the World Land Speed Record on a Lawnmower, a record which is currently held by an American.
On July 4th, 2006, Bob Cleveland from the USA threw down the gauntlet to the world by becoming the first human being to travel at more than 80 mph on a lawn mower: no mean achievement. Since then, no-one has dared to try and beat his record until now. Team Runningblade, headed by Vokins, aims to bring this world record to Great Britain, and by a margin of more than 25%!!
"Let's get serious", says Vokins. "This is a proper record, and building a lawnmower capable of speeds well into 3 figures is no easy feat undertaken in an afternoon. For a start, it still has to be a lawnmower, capable of cutting grass properly. And then it has to obey the laws of physics that will try to stop it going so fast, both through drag and also aerodynamics. 100+ mph is a hell of a speed: at that speed you're covering 147 feet per second. There is a real danger that if the aerodynamics are wrong, it will flip up in the air, with disastrous results. It'll be me at the wheel, and I'm none too keen for that to happen".
The challenge: 100mph on a Lawnmower
Where: Pendine Sands
When: February 2010
Obviously such an undertaking costs a considerable amount of money, which they are raising through sponsorship. The team are supporting Wessex Heartbeat by raising awareness of the charity on their website and on their world record attempt lawnmower.
"Be under no illusions: this is no collection of blokes standing around in a shed wondering what to do until the pub opens. Backed by some of Britain's finest companies who are contributing their expertise and funds to the project, this is a hand-picked team of professionals and experts in their fields, all bringing their knowledge and experience to achieve something that no-one has ever done before - to crack the ton on a ride-on lawnmower" says Vokins "to set a new record of 100 miles an hour or more is in itself no mean achievement, but in the build-up to the London Olympics in 2012, it will show the rest of the world that the plucky spirit of the Brits is alive and well, and that we're ready to take on the best the world has to offer, and win."
