This weekend in North Yorkshire, England, motorcyclists will compete for the title at the 11th Annual Motorcycle World Wheelie Championship. Roughly 30 motorcyclists from around the world will convene at the historic Elvington Airfield August 20-21 to vie for the wheelie world title.
The objective of the race is to be the fastest to complete a kilometer (0.62 mi.) on the track, wheeling all the while. Last year’s champion, Gary Rothwell, went on to set a world record for wheelie speed events. He and other hopefuls will return this year to try to smash that record and claim the top prize. To beat Rothwell’s 2015 record, a rider would have to compete the track at nearly 210 mph.
Thousands of spectators flock to the event to watch the riders race. This video of Gary Rothwell setting the world record gives a sense of the excitement to come. Watch carefully– he zips through the frame at an impressive speed…