As you may be aware, last year the traditional pancake races in Ripon were cancelled for mainly due to necessary road closures, a bill for North Yorkshire Police presence and insurance issues. 

"...Dean of Ripon, and co-organiser of the event, the Very Rev Keith Jukes, admitted the event had become too expensive and too risky to hold. ... 'Any organisation which runs an event has to go through a number of risk assessments. The insurance companies demand it and in the end you have to work out whether it's a risk you take. There is also the whole issue of road closures which can be an expensive business. ..."
Health and safety kills off pancake race - The Gazette February 2008

 However -

" ... Choir School PE teacher Jacqui Allinson was determined that the races should go ahead and Ripon's Mayor Andrew Williams, his deputy Peter Horton and the city's Hornblower, George Pickles, turned up to give support. Coun Williams started the races with a handbell and he and his colleague from the city council took part in races against the school's prefects - watched by other pupils. ..."
Pancake races prove a breeze as red tape overcome -  Yorkshire Post February 2008 

Children from Foundation made pancakes whilst being filmed by Mark Simpson and his crew from the BBC. The races were held on the school sport field.

The event attracted wide media coverage: 

"...PANCAKE RACES will take place in the historic city of Ripon today despite health and safety restrictions and road closure difficulties which had threatened to batter the event. ... Teachers at the Cathedral Choir School in Whitcliffe Lane on the edge of the city, whose choristers took part in the previous races from the West Front of the Cathedral across Minster Road and up Kirkgate, are running their own event. ... Since 1998, the Dean of Ripon has been organising the races from the Cathedral up Kirkgate, a street which is normally closed to traffic. This year, Keith Jukes, who became Dean last March, faced problems with insurance and in arranging road closures with the police and highway authority. ..."
Pancake races rise above red tape... - Yorkshire Post February 2008

"... In Bedale, North Yorkshire, where last year's race was cancelled because of road closure cost, 150 children joined in an alternative race through the town's park. ... 'Everyone was disappointed last year, but we just couldn't afford the road closures,' he said. 'This year, everyone had a wonderful time and there were no health and safety issues at all'.
In Ripon, teachers at the Cathedral Choir School organised a race on the school's playing fields after the traditional route was abandoned because of health and safety concerns. ..."
Keeping pancake race tradition alive - Darlington and Stockton Times February 2008

" ... It seems reports of the death of Ripon's traditional pancake races have been very much exaggerated. Not only did pupils of the Cathedral Choir School gather to stage their own race on Tuesday, but the Gazette has learned the race will return to its Kirkgate home next year. Following last week's report that the traditional race from the Cathedral would not go ahead due to health and safety concerns, the story attracted the attention of media around the world and was even picked up by an outraged Terry Wogan on his BBC2 breakfast show. ... '
The story even inspired people in Washington DC to hold their own pancake race.' ..."
Battered but unbowed, pancake races will be back - The Gazette February 2008

"... The media frenzy surrounding the cancellation of the race provoked an official response from Judith Hackitt, Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission, on the organisation's website. ;..."
Day the media put spotlight on pancake party poopers - The Gazette 08/02/2008

for more information: 

http://www.hse.gov.uk/news/2008/pancake.htm

or see below the response from HSC Chair Judith Hackitt:

We are pleased to hear the race will this year return to its traditional route from the Cathedral and along Kirkgate. The Choir School will as always lend full support in keeping in 600 year tradition alive.

Please feel free to read the HSE publication for this year' event:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/feb09.pdf

Online articles:

The Telegraph
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1577651/Health-and-safety-rules-trip-up-pancake-race.html

BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/7227897.stm

BBC video
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_7220000/newsid_7229300?redirect=7229335.stm&news=1&bbram=1&bbwm=1&nbram=1&nbwm=1

or alternative you can watch from here if the BBC link is not available anymore: