In pictures: the Great Spitalfields Pancake Race

Ok so we were supposed to enter the Great Spitalfields Pancake Race with an amazing team of Time Out tossers. We had been throwing names around for months (The Flaming Flips, Flippy Rascals, Deeply Flippy, The Mad Batters, A Load of Crepe) but when the time came, our team were so busy that we had to bow out before we had even begun. I think I was a little too disappointed (having been practising my flipping technique) so I went down to see how our competitors got on without us. Pretty well, it turns out.

Some cheeky monkeys came out of the woodwork for the race.

Nice to see Her Royal Highness taking time out of her busy schedule for a spot of tossing.

Even some Olympian athletes had come down as part of their training for London 2012.

The course is cleared so that the race can begin.

And they are off. Let’s hope no one slips up on a banana skin…

This guy made running in a mask look like child’s play.

Our costume choice would have been much more practical than The Sun girls who were getting quite a lot of attention (but looked rather chilly).

After some grueling heats, H&J Flippers are crowned the best tossers in town! Is being a chef cheating?! Their tips: oil the pan and air dry the pancake.

Pancake hats for all.

They were obviously wearing more suitable footwear than this unlucky contestant.

Has all this talk of pancakes made you hungry? Check out London’s best pancakes.

Watch it below:

Tags: Brick Lane, dray walk, great spitalfields pancake race, pancake day, pancake race, photos of london, shrove tuesday