Lizanne Wilmot breaks penny farthing speed record after recording best time days earlier

Before her second penny farthing world record attempt, Lizanne was worried she would fail. However, she not only smashed the women’s record but also beat the men’s.

TAS Carnivals Burnie- Penny Farthing World Record 100m Individual Time Trial Lizanne Wilmot. Picture: Caroline Tan

Lizanne Wilmot has broken a second penny farthing world record just days after her first.

During the Burnie Carnival on New Year’s Eve, she broke both the men’s and women’s records for the fastest speed reached on a penny farthing.

She recorded an average speed of 41.71km/h, as rules dictate those attempting the record need to do two runs in opposite directions – which is done to counteract the influence of factors such as wind and elevation.

The men’s world record was previously 41.56km/h, while the women’s one was 38.09km/h

The speed record came after she claimed the best time over 1000m ever for a woman on a penny farthing two days prior at the Devonport Carnival.

TAS Carnivals Burnie- Penny Farthing World Record 100m Individual Time Trial Lizanne Wilmot. Picture: Caroline Tan

Wilmot said it was a relief to get the second world record.

“I spent all of New Year’s Eve looking at the winds going ‘ I don’t know if I can do this’ because it was blowing a gale,” she said.

“I could hear the crowd all the way around.”

Since breaking both world records, Wilmot said she had been on a cycling trip.

“I’m back in Tasmania for the penny farthing nationals at Evandale in February. I might need to make plans for this year to do some more penny farthing record stuff.

“All the Europeans are watching what I’m doing and thinking they could break the records.

“There are discussions online from some who want to give it a poke and possibly beat what I did.

“So if that happens, I might have to do it again.”