IRISH JOURNALIST David Walsh has won the prestigious William Hill Sports Book of the Year prize.
In collaboration with former Tour de France cyclist Pippa York, Walsh wrote ‘The Escape: The Tour, the Cyclist and Me’.
The book details York’s 11 appearances on the Tour as Robert Millar, focusing on topics including doping, gender and sports psychology.
‘The Escape’ becomes the fifth cycling book in the competition’s history to claim the accolade since its inception in 1989.
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Walsh is the second successive Irish winner of the award, after former Irish tennis player Conor Niland and The 42’s Gavin Cooney won last year for ‘The Racket’.
The Escape was one of seven books shortlisted by a judging panel chaired by sports journalist Alyson Rudd and including former professional footballer Clarke Carlisle, broadcaster Gabby Logan and comedian Elis James, alongside Dame Heather Rabbatts, Mark Lawson and Michelle Walder.
York and Walsh collected the trophy along with a share of the £30,000 prize.
Other books shortlisted included ‘Finding the Edge,’ the autobiography of English cricketer Sir James Anderson, co-written by The Maccabees guitarist and author Felix White.
‘Ultra Women’ by endurance athletes Lily Canter and Emma Wilkinson, ‘States of Play’ by The Independent journalist Miguel Delaney, and ‘The Last Bell’ by two-time William Hill Sports Book of the Year winner Donald McRae, also featured.
‘Engulfed’ by football journalist James Montague and ‘Test Cricket’ by Daily Telegraph cricket correspondent Tim Wigmore were also recognised.
Each shortlisted author received a £3,000 prize.
“It feels amazing to win the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award,” Walsh said. “This is an important book because it shows that people in Pippa’s situation are human beings. And of all the human beings I travelled with on the Tour de France, she was maybe the single most wonderful.
“The book was a labour of love in a way, because we had such a good time together. For the book to be awarded the greatest prize in the world of sports writing, it’s overwhelming.”
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Irish journalist David Walsh wins prestigious William Hill Sports Book of the Year prize
IRISH JOURNALIST David Walsh has won the prestigious William Hill Sports Book of the Year prize.
In collaboration with former Tour de France cyclist Pippa York, Walsh wrote ‘The Escape: The Tour, the Cyclist and Me’.
The book details York’s 11 appearances on the Tour as Robert Millar, focusing on topics including doping, gender and sports psychology.
‘The Escape’ becomes the fifth cycling book in the competition’s history to claim the accolade since its inception in 1989.
Walsh is the second successive Irish winner of the award, after former Irish tennis player Conor Niland and The 42’s Gavin Cooney won last year for ‘The Racket’.
The Escape was one of seven books shortlisted by a judging panel chaired by sports journalist Alyson Rudd and including former professional footballer Clarke Carlisle, broadcaster Gabby Logan and comedian Elis James, alongside Dame Heather Rabbatts, Mark Lawson and Michelle Walder.
York and Walsh collected the trophy along with a share of the £30,000 prize.
Other books shortlisted included ‘Finding the Edge,’ the autobiography of English cricketer Sir James Anderson, co-written by The Maccabees guitarist and author Felix White.
‘Ultra Women’ by endurance athletes Lily Canter and Emma Wilkinson, ‘States of Play’ by The Independent journalist Miguel Delaney, and ‘The Last Bell’ by two-time William Hill Sports Book of the Year winner Donald McRae, also featured.
‘Engulfed’ by football journalist James Montague and ‘Test Cricket’ by Daily Telegraph cricket correspondent Tim Wigmore were also recognised.
Each shortlisted author received a £3,000 prize.
“It feels amazing to win the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award,” Walsh said. “This is an important book because it shows that people in Pippa’s situation are human beings. And of all the human beings I travelled with on the Tour de France, she was maybe the single most wonderful.
“The book was a labour of love in a way, because we had such a good time together. For the book to be awarded the greatest prize in the world of sports writing, it’s overwhelming.”
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book Cycling DAVID WALSH Pippa York Take a Bow the escape