‘Ski’ Racing in Surbiton!

12th October 2026

Britain’s wackiest ski race returned to Surbiton  in south est London on Sunday October 11, with competitors strapping blocks of ice to their feet and sliding down a water and detergent soaked track.

The bizarre downhill event also featured bathtub racers, including local police officers racing in a tub fitted with ice blocks.

Organiser Robin Hutchinson called it a classic example of British sporting eccentricity, while participants tackled the slippery course in front of cheering crowds.

Elliot Newton won this year’s race with a time of 11.25 seconds, with entry fees going to a local charity.

The newsagency, Reuters, also covered the event:

The quiet London suburb of Surbiton became the capital of British eccentricity by staging a ‘downhill skiing’ event involving participants strapping lumps of ice to their feet and sliding down a track made slippery with water and detergent https://t.co/cixTJWcqCR

— Reuters (@Reuters) October 12, 2026