"Squeegees At Dawn" For Window Cleaners

It's squeegees at dawn for two warring window cleaners who are vying for the title of being the fastest in the world. Peterborough cleaning wonder Stefan Tinkler has won the UK’s Fastest Window Cleaner contest for the fourth year running – but the accolade he really wants is to beat his bitter rival from Romford, 54-year-old Terry “Turbo” Burrows.

Stefan (38), from Barber Close, Stanground, wiped away the competition last weekend, spending just 9.83 seconds washing the three 45ins by 45ins windows – though this went up to 13.83 seconds after a four-second time penalty for leaving a smear on the window. Despite the win, he could not hide his “pane” at failing to beat his Essex-based rival’s Guinness World Record time – a Usain Bolt-like 9.14 seconds – set at an October 2009 contest in Blackpool.

Terry no longer competes in the UK competition and instead appears as a special attraction. He says Stefan has no chance of beating his time, claiming his own training as a karate black belt has helped hone his technique to perfection. Terry bragged: “My feet move faster than his hands do – that record is going nowhere. Just like Elvis died as the king, I will go out on top. “Stefan is a player, but he’s not on my level. He chokes on the big stage and he doesn’t worry me at all.

“I have played at the top level, in contests in Las Vegas, France, everywhere. If he struggles in front of an audience here, he should try playing in France, where they get 400 people watching. “Not only that but his technique is all wrong, he moves his head and it’s all just so unco-ordinated. As long as that is the case, he can do all the training he wants but he will never beat me.”

However, Stefan claims his rival is running scared. He said: “The last three times we have been at the same competitions he has not been as quick as me and I think he knows that. Maybe that’s why he doesn’t compete against the other cleaners. “I have done it in record times before, but at contests it is so difficult with the pressure of people watching. It’s just the audience that slows me down.”

There was a crowd of about 100 window cleaning fanatics packed into a conference room at Coventry City’s Ricoh Arena last Saturday to enjoy the show. Stefan will continue his training with his day job at Allclear Cleaning Services, in preparation for his next chance to break the record at next year’s contest.

World's fastest window cleaner retains record in contest at Ricoh Arena: The world’s fastest window cleaner showed off his lightning quick skills at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena. Terry “Turbo” Burrows holds the world record for cleaning three 45inch windows in the super-quick time of just 9.14secs. He first began attempting records in 1993 when he appeared on television programme You Bet with a friend. This led to many more television appearances, including BBC’s Record Breakers. He took on competition from about 60 other window cleaners at the Carpex and Windex show which was held in the Ricoh Arena last Thursday and Friday. Terry, aged 54 and from Essex, said: “It went really well. They were a good lot of competitors, but no-one came close to my record, not even me! “The speed was there with me, but not the quality. “It’s the second time I’ve been to the show in the Ricoh and it was more successful this time.”



At the same event, Deborah Morris (pictured) broke the women’s record after completing her window cleaning challenge in 17.77secs.

Day one:

1st - Steffan Tinkler - All Clear Peterborough - raw time 9.82 plus 4 penalties = 13.82. Seconds

2nd -Trevor Perry - CCS Ltd Preston - raw time 13.02 plus 4 penalties = total time of:17.02 seconds.

Day two:

1st - Andrew Wharton M & S Window Clng - Rugeley - Raw time: 11.37 plus 6 penalties = 17.37 seconds.

2nd - David Morris -David Morris Window Clng - Cornwall: Raw time: 13.70 plus 5 penalties = 18.70 seconds.

See below - For overall times of other contestants:

¨ John McClean - BCS - Essex - 18.40 seconds

¨ Matthew Poole - Astound Cleaning Ltd - Sussex - 18.95 seconds

¨ Lucian Ivan - Supreme - London - 19.18

¨ Adam Brookes - Clear Sight - Plymouth - 19.50 seconds

¨ Allan Cummings - Cummings WC. - Coventry - 19.90 seconds

¨ Dean Corrigan - Taylor-Made-Cleaning -Hertfordshire - 20.40 seconds

¨ Darren Whelen - Taylor-Made-Cleaning - Weymoth - 20.90 seconds

¨ Andrew Jones - Cyrystal Cleaning - Newport - 21.00 seconds

¨ Rob Winstanley - Pure Window Cleaning - Southampton - 20.73

¨ Peter Rootham - All Clear - Peterborough - 21.70 seconds

¨ Nicolae Rusu - Pro Window Cleaning Ltd - London - 22.75 seconds

¨ Charlie Price - J.V. Price - Hertfordshire - 23.36

¨ Micah Alford - Heritage Cleaning - Hartlepool 24.50 seconds

¨ Superman - Newlife - Stockport - 24.70 seconds

¨ Mark Henderson - Window Cleaning Resources - 26.72 seconds

¨ Dan Potter - Shine on - Southampton - 26.84 seconds

¨ Judith Dyson - Glass Revival Ltd - Edinburgh - 28.16 seconds

¨ Stephen Hendry - SCS Group - Glasgow - 28.80 seconds

¨ Craig Duncan - Glass Revival Ltd - Edinburgh - 31.92 seconds

¨ Matthew Buchan - MB Window Cleaning - Essex - 32.10 seconds

¨ Dave Jones - M & S Window Cleaning - Cannock - 35.70 seconds

¨ Steven - Ladders Warehouse - Wales - 37.24 seconds

¨ Kieren Andrews - Shine on Window Cleaning - Scotland - 44.31 seconds