It appears that the recent spate of speed records set for lawnmowers could be annulled according to unconfirmed reports from the Guinness Book of Records. The current record is held by a modified Viking T6 ride-on which reached a top speed of 133.57 mph at Torp Sandefjord airfield in Norway last November eclipsing the previous record of 116 mph set by Honda’s self-styled Mean Machine.

Previous record holders have included Countax at Pendine Sands in 2010 when Sir Malcolm Campbell’s grandson, Don Wales beat the long standing record of American Bob Cleveland.

Now the custodians of world records have decreed that record breaking attempts should require that the machines ‘. . .  reflect the purpose for which the machine was originally intended’.  The obvious implication being that any future record attempt should be made whilst cutting grass.

Rules officials are now working with turfgrass scientists and agronomists to draw up new directives for future record attempts.  These will include the exact variety of grass to be cut as well as the surface conditions.

The challenges that now face any manufacturer wishing to have a crack at the record are obvious. Gearing optimum cutter blade speed to a highly modified engine, finding the right materials to streamline the discharge shute, and critically, designing a lightweight grass collector with the maximum capacity and aerodynamic characteristics.

After years in the shadows, it seems as though modified mulching mowers might prove to be the chosen choice for manufacturers deciding to enter the speed challenge, referred to by some as the ‘Clipper Series’.

One manufacturer commented “We are already working with grass seed scientists to develop a thin-stemmed variety that we believe will work well with our mulching mowers and reduce the weight of grass in the collector, and by definition the drag on the machine at speed. We are also talking to some of the F1 guys about adapting a KERS system to increase energy efficiency on the mower”.

The decision also has caught the attention of executives at Sky Sports who are looking at possible coverage of the ‘Clipper Series’ should it become competitive.  “There are plenty of names within the garden machinery community associated with motorsport. Honda obviously, Countax with their Williams FI garden tractor, Handy Motorsports, Ferrari, Lamborghini and others”.

A venue for the Clipper Series is being sought. Wembley and Twickenham have been ruled out “Sports pitches are too short, it would be more like a Drag race which is purely down to timing” said a Sky spokesman. "We believe that a turf track would be more suitable, and even specially adapted starting stalls".

At present, favourites are Royal Windsor Racecourse or  Kempton Park under floodlights. Both venues have hosted major mower events in the past.

“If we are able to combine the mowing skills of UK’s leading groundsmen with the speed skills of someone like Guy Martin, we could really pump up the interest in mowing and mowers” added the Sky spokesman.

There is also a suggestion that a pedestrian event might be included and that a quartet of former 400 metres champions with previous mowing experience are in secret training.

Further plans are due to be announced, but a date for the first ‘Clipper Series’ event has already been pencilled in -  1 April 2017