In a race between man and horse, back the horse. That has been the iron rule for the first 24 years of the annual "man versus horse" marathon in Llanwrtyd Wells, mid Wales. But natural law was broken on Saturday.
Huw Lobb, an IT management consultant and mere biped, outran four-legged Kay Bee Jay to make a giant leap for mankind and giant hole in the accounts of bookmaker William Hill, who had promised ?25,000 (US$45,400) to any human who could do it.
Lobb, 27, from Bedford near London, said, "I was the fourth Briton to finish the London marathon this year, so I have been in training for a long time. But the race is very different, I have been up and down mountains today."
Some 47 horses and riders lined up against nearly 500 people and relay teams in the gruelling 35.4km race in what claims to be the UK's smallest town. No human running alone had ever been able to defeat a horse in the quarter century of the competition. The closest was four years ago when Mark Croasdale came within 90 seconds.
Lobb, however, smashed the equine hegemony by more than two minutes. Cynics may compare the feat to cheese-rolling or lawnmower-racing rather than the four-minute mile, but he will have the last laugh as the prize money has been increased by ?1,000 each year after remaining unclaimed.
It is also consolation for his failure to qualify for the Olympics in Athens. Making his debut in the "man versus horse" race, he won in two hours, five minutes and 19 seconds. Kay Bee Jay, ridden by Zoe White, crossed the line in two hours, seven minutes and 36 seconds.
Lobb added: "It is amazing to win this money, but I won't believe it till I see it. I am going to buy myself a pair of fell running shoes. I have never competed in anything like this before, but I seem to be quite good at it and hope to come back next year to defend my win."
The race takes competitors through open moorland, on farm tracks, footpaths, and roads. William Hill offered odds of 16/1 that one of the runners could beat the four-legged contestants.
This month a retired greyhound defeated a top racehorse to claim the crown of fastest animal in the racing world. Tiny Tim, a six-year-old gelding, was unable to hold off a challenge from Simply Fabulous at Kempton Park racecourse.
Lobb cannot quite claim to be the only human winner in the battle of the species. After his Olympic triumph in 1936, the US sprinter Jesse Owens competed in a 100-yard (92m) exhibition race against a thoroughbred -- and won.
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