World Conker Championships

The World Conker Championships are held annually on the second Sunday in October[1] in the county of Northamptonshire, England. Two players use conkers threaded onto a string and take turns to strike the others nut until it shatters.[2] Since 1965, conker players from around the world have gathered to compete in a knock-out, to be world champion in team and individual, also women's and youth titles. Up to 5000 spectators watch around 400 players participating.[3] from many countries, including Australia, Austria, Canada, France, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, the United States and the United Kingdom.[4][5][6] [7]

History

The championships began in 1965 when a group of anglers in Ashton held a conker contest at the Chequered Skipper public house[3] because the weather was too bad to go fishing [2] The event was held in Ashton for 45 years before moving to a larger venue at the Shuckburgh Arms [8] in Southwick, Northamptonshire in 2009.[5][6] Money made from the competition goes to charities such as the Northamptonshire Association for the Blind and the Huntingdon Society for the Blind.

On Thursday October 6, 2011, Ashton Conker Club the organisers of the World Conker Championships were forced to cancel the event over safety fears with high winds being forecasted.[9] In 2012, the championships were cancelled again when a suitable venue couldn't be found in time.[10]

Concerns for the future of the event were voiced over the Horse-chestnut leaf miner moth, Cameraria ohridella, which has appeared in the region and could have a detrimental effect on the UK's Horse-chesnut population affecting conker yields.[8]

Video History from 2007 to 2016

The rules

Players’ Rules of Engagement for the Noble Game of Conkers as follows:

  1. Prior to the game, over 2000 conkers (horse chestnuts) of the required 1.25-inch (30mm) width are collected, drilled and strung ready by tournament officials.[1]
  2. Each game will commence with a toss of a coin, the winner of the toss may elect to strike or receive.
  3. A distance of no less than 8" or 20 cm of lace must be between knuckle and nut.
  4. Each player then takes three alternate strikes at the opponent’s conker.
  5. Each attempted strike must be clearly aimed at the nut, no deliberate miss hits.
  6. The game will be decided once one of the conkers is smashed.
  7. A small piece of nut or skin remaining shall be judged out, it must be enough to mount an attack.
  8. If both nuts smash at the same time then the match shall be replayed.
  9. Any nut being knocked from the lace but not smashing may be re threaded and the game continued.
  10. A player causing a knotting of the laces (a snag) will be noted, three snags will lead to disqualification.
  11. If a game lasts for more than five minutes then play will halt and the "5 minute rule" will come into effect. Each player will be allowed up to nine further strikes at their opponents nut, again alternating three strikes each. If neither conker has been smashed at the end of the nine strikes then the player who strikes the nut the most times during this period will be judged the winner.

Roll of Honour

All World championship results taken from worldconkerchampionships.com official website:

All players are British except where indicated with a national flag icon.

Year Mens Individual Ladies Individual Team Winner Ladies Team Junior (7-11) Youth/Intermediate (11-15) Young adult (16-18)
1965 R.W. Marsh - - - - - -
1966 S.J. Walden - - - - - -
1967 L. Collins - - - - - -
1968 Tim Winham - - - - - -
1969 P. Midlane - - - - - -
1970 John M. Hillyard - - - - - -
1971 T. Dicks - - - - - -
1972 Ron Marsh - - - - - -
1973 P. Midlane - - - - - -
1974 P. Midlane - - - - - -
1975 P. Midlane - - - - - -
1976 Jorge Ramirez Mexico [6] - - - - - -
1977 C. Childs - - - - - -
1978 L. Treliving - - - - - -
1979 Charlie Bray - - - - - -
1980 K. Height - - - - - -
1981 W. Cox - - - - - -
1982 Jim Blackman - - - - - -
1983 S. Rowan - - - - - -
1984 R. Langer - - - - - -
1985 P. Midlane - - - - - -
1986 Charlie Bray - - - Luke Bilson Craig Belson -
1987 John Hawes - - - - Martin Nikel -
1988 W. Cox Sheila Doubleday - - - Martin Nikel -
1989 P. Short Christina Bateman - - Fiona Kingdom Lempriere -
1990 H. Watson Mary Bedford - - - Faye Elliott -
1991 John Bull Pauline Baker - - - Lisa Crews -
1992 P. Canning J. Courtney Chequered Skipper 'B' Team - - M. Hutcheson -
1993 M. Tindall Sheila Doubleday Chequered Skipper 'B' Team - M. Heatherington R. Rawcliffe -
1994 James Marsh Tina Stone The Crocodile - Daniel Jacks James Nikel -
1995 Brian Jackson Judi Rabbit The Brigstock International Quartet The Wilpave Swingers Tim Maguire James Gould -
1996 John Bull Karen Morgan Sebright Arms Nutcracker Suite Richard Fuller James Nikel -
1997 Paul Vjestica Louise Bunker Nelson Nutcrackers The Minge Petals Graham Clark Diane Allen -
1998 Helmut Kern Germany[6] Lesley Bullock Nauort 2 Germany Sebright Arms Matthew Storrow Jonathon Lyan Ashley Thomas
1999 Jody Tracey Margaret Twiddy Absolutely Hammered Wilpave Sweeties Charlotte Laskey Jack Jarvis Chris Eccles
2000 Mark Tracey Selma Becker Austria Barton Seagrave Bashers The Minge Petals Rachel Mintern Sally Rate Tim Linnell
2001 Neil Fraser Celine Parachou France Royal Oak Resistance France Fillies France Duncan Winfrey Max Aitken Lewis Chilvers
2002 Richard Swailes Liz Gibson Elton Wasps Castle Green Conkerers Ruth Pritchard Joseph Emery -
2003 Brian Stewart Debbie Oates No Strings Attached Magnificent 7 Minus 3 Kieran Campbell William Pritchard Lucy Walshaw
2004 Darren Foster Alison Everett Daniel Lambert Dining Club Les Filles Francais France Kieran O'Connor Jordan Witherall James Robinson
2005 Alex Callan Jayne Coddington Peterborough Nutters Magnificent 7 Minus 3 Callum Owen William Pritchard Kallom Nash
2006 Chris Jones Sandy Gardner Celtic Conkerors France France Philip Broomhead Jack Boon Emma Ratcliffe
2007 Ady Hurrell Tina Stone Royal Haskoning Rest of the World Magnificent 7 Minus 3 Philip Broomhead Nicolas Rothera Steven Wray
2008 Ray Kellock Amy Farrow Rushden Reprobates France France Thomas Whincup Robert Winfield Rebecca Moss
2009 Thomas Gormley Sue Howes Peterborough Nutters - Evie Driscoll-King Oliver Mas Brent Walker
2010 Ray Kellock Wendy Bradford The Fairways Sri Lankan Ladies Sri Lanka Louis Carpenter Samuel Lewin Robyn Geldard
2011 Event Cancelled [9] Bad weather - - - - -
2012 Event Cancelled [10] No venue - - - - -
2013 Simon Cullum Sophie Knox Woodbeeez event abolished Harrison Scott Oliver Simons Georgie Spence-Jones
2014 John Doyle Stephanie Withall Woodbeeez - Elliott Hurrell Daniel Devaney Alex Wallman
2015 Steve Prescott Amy Farrow Woodbeeez - Peter Rogers Isla Watson Charlie Dathorne
2016 Tom Dryden Lorna Clarke [7] Lord Robartes Nutters - William Chapman Josh Broomhead Oliver Simons [11]

Roll of Honour

Team competition  : France France 4, Magnificent 7 Minus 3 3, Woodbeeez 3, Chequered Skipper 'B' Team 2, Peterborough Nutters 2, Sebright Arms 2, The Minge Petals 2
Individual multiple Champions : P.Midlane 5, Amy Farrow 2, Charlie Bray 2, James Nikel 2, John Bull 2, Martin Nikel 2, Philip Broomhead 2, Ray Kellock 2, Sheila Doubleday 2, Tina Stone 2, W.Cox 2, William Pritchard 2

References

  1. 1 2 "Hail the Conkering Hero". timetravel-britain.com. 2005.
  2. 1 2 "Enough nuts for conker champions". BBC. 2006.
  3. 1 2 "World Conker Championships in Ashton". chequeredskipper.co.uk. 2016.
  4. ↑ "World Conker Championship Press Photos". worldconkerchampionships.com. 2015.
  5. 1 2 "World Conker Championship History". worldconkerchampionships.com. 2015.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "World Conker Championship returns to Northants tomorrow". northantstelegraph.co.uk. 2016.
  7. 1 2 "World Conker Championship crowns new king 2016". BBC. 2016.
  8. 1 2 "PANIC! World Conker Championships threatened by moths". Metro. 2015.
  9. 1 2 "World Conker Championship cancelled because of high winds". The Telegraph. 2011.
  10. 1 2 "World Conker Championship cancelled for second year in row". BBC. 2012.
  11. ↑ "Past World Conker Champions". worldconkerchampionships.com. 2016.
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