World Conker Championships

Last updated

World Conker Championships
Strung conker.jpg
World Conker Championships
Highest governing body Ashton Conker Club
First played1965
Characteristics
ContactNo
Type Pub games, Precision sports
EquipmentStrung conker

The World Conker Championships (WCC) is a conkers tournament 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 other's nut until it shatters. [2] Players from around the world enter the tournament, competing in a knock-out format in both team and individual formats, with titles for men's, women's and youth categories. Up to 5,000 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] [8]

Contents

WCC History

The World Conker 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] At the event, a small collection was made for charity, by a person with a blind relative. Since then the event has raised over £420,000 for charities supporting the visually impaired and at least £2,500 is donated yearly. [9] The event was held in Ashton for 45 years before moving to a larger venue at the Shuckburgh Arms [10] in Southwick, Northamptonshire in 2009. [5] [11]

The tournament has been threatened with conker shortages over the years, in 1976 conkers used in the tournament had to be flown in from Jersey, [12] in 1980 freak spring weather was one of the factors that threatened the World Conker Championships causing a conker shortage, and in 1982 a late frost killed off the horse chestnut blossom resulting in a failed conker harvest. [12]

On 6 October 2011, organisers were forced to cancel the event over safety fears with high winds being forecasted. [13] In 2012, the championships were cancelled again when a suitable venue couldn't be found in time. [14]

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 chestnut population affecting conker yields. [10]

On 9 October 2017, Chelsea pensioner John Riley won the men's tournament at the age of 85, quite possibly making him the oldest world champion on the planet. [15]

In 2022, Fee Aylmore won the women's event after 30 years of trying. [16]

WCC Rules

Players' Rules of Engagement for the Noble Game of Conkers as follows: [17]

  1. Prior to the game, over 2,000 conkers (horse chestnuts) of the required 1.25-inch (30 mm) width are collected, drilled and strung ready by tournament officials. All conkers and laces are supplied by the World Conker Championships. [1]
  2. Conkers are drawn ‘blind’ from a bag, and players may reject up to three selected conkers.
  3. Each game will commence with a toss of a coin, the winner of the toss may elect to strike or receive.
  4. A distance of no less than 8" or 20 cm of lace must be between knuckle and nut.
  5. Each player then takes three alternate strikes at the opponent's conker.
  6. Each attempted strike must be clearly aimed at the nut, no deliberate miss hits.
  7. The game will be decided once one of the conkers is smashed.
  8. A small piece of nut or skin remaining (less than a third) shall be judged out, it must be enough to mount an attack.
  9. If both nuts smash at the same time then the match shall be replayed.
  10. Any nut being knocked from the lace but not smashing may be re threaded and the game continued.
  11. A player causing a knotting of the laces (a snag) will be noted, three snags will lead to disqualification.
  12. 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 opponent's 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. If this is equal, then play continues, one strike each in turn, until one player hits and the other misses.

WCC Results History

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

YearMens IndividualLadies IndividualTeam WinnerLadies TeamJunior (7–11)Youth (11–15)Young adult (16–18)
1965Ron Marsh (1)------
1966Sid Walden [18] ------
1967L. Collins------
1968Tim Winham------
1969Peter Midlane (1)------
1970John M. Hillyard------
1971T. Dicks------
1972Ron Marsh (2)------
1973Peter Midlane (2) [8] ---Simon Bayliss [8] --
1974J Marsh (1)------
1975J Marsh (2)------
1976Jorge Ramirez Carrillo Flag of Mexico.svg [19] [6] ------
1977C. Childs------
1978L. Treliving------
1979Charlie Bray (1) [12] ------
1980Keith Height [12] ------
1981Bill Cox (1) [12] ------
1982Jim Blackman------
1983S. Rowan------
1984R. Langer------
1985Peter Midlane (3)------
1986Charlie Bray (2)---Luke BilsonCraig Belson-
1987John Hawes----Martin Nikel (1)-
1988W. Cox (2)Sheila Doubleday (1)---Martin Nikel (2)-
1989P. ShortChristina Bateman--Fiona KingdomLempriere-
1990Harold WatsonMary Bedford---Faye Elliott-
1991John Bull (1)Pauline Baker---Lisa Crews-
1992P. CanningJ. CourtneyChequered Skipper 'B' Team (1)--M. Hutcheson-
1993M. TindallSheila Doubleday (2)Chequered Skipper 'B' Team (2)-M. HeatheringtonR. Rawcliffe-
1994James MarshTina Stone (1)The Crocodile-Daniel JackJames Nikel (1)-
1995Brian JacksonJudi RabbitThe Brigstock International QuartetThe Wilpave SwingersTim MaguireJames Gould-
1996John Bull (2)Karen MorganSebright Arms (1)Nutcracker SuiteRichard FullerJames Nikel (2)Ian Smith
1997Paul VjesticaLouise BunkerNelson NutcrackersThe Minge Petals (1)Graham ClarkDiane Allen-
1998Helmut Kern Flag of Germany.svg [6] Lesley BullockNauort 2 Flag of Germany.svg Sebright Arms (2)Matthew StorrowJonathon LyanAshley Thomas
1999Jody TraceyMargaret TwiddyAbsolutely HammeredWilpave SweetiesCharlotte LaskeyJack JarvisChris Eccles
2000Mark TraceySelma Becker Flag of Austria.svg Barton Seagrave BashersThe Minge Petals (2)Rachel MinternSally RateTim Linnell
2001Neil FraserCeline Parachou Flag of France.svg Royal Oak ResistanceFrance Fillies (1) Flag of France.svg Duncan WinfreyMax AitkenLewis Chilvers
2002Richard SwailesLiz GibsonElton WaspsCastle Green ConkerersRuth PritchardJoseph Emery-
2003Brian StewartDebbie OatesNo Strings AttachedMagnificent 7 Minus 3 (1)Kieran CampbellWilliam Pritchard (1)Lucy Walshaw
2004Darren FosterAlison EverettDaniel Lambert Dining ClubLes Filles Francais (2) Flag of France.svg Kieran O'ConnorJordan WitherallJames Robinson
2005Alex CallanJayne CoddingtonPeterborough Nutters (1)Magnificent 7 Minus 3 (2)Callum OwenWilliam Pritchard (2)Kallom Nash
2006Chris JonesSandy GardnerCeltic ConkerorsFrance (3) Flag of France.svg Philip Broomhead (1)Jack BoonEmma Ratcliffe
2007Ady Hurrell (1)Tina Stone (2)Royal Haskoning Rest of the WorldMagnificent 7 Minus 3 (3)Philip Broomhead (2)Nicolas RotheraSteven Wray
2008 Ray Kellock (1) [4] Amy Farrow (1) [4] Rushden ReprobatesFrance (4) Flag of France.svg Thomas WhincupRobert Winfield Rebecca Moss
2009Thomas GormleySue HowesPeterborough Nutters (2)-Evie Driscoll-KingOliver MasBrent Walker
2010 Ray Kellock (2) [20] Wendy Bradford [4] The FairwaysSri Lankan Ladies Flag of Sri Lanka.svg [4] Louis CarpenterSamuel LewinRobyn Geldard
2011Event Cancelled [13] (Bad weather)
2012Event Cancelled [14] (No venue)
2013Simon Cullum [21] Sophie Knox [21] Woodbeeez (1)-Harrison ScottOliver Simons (1)Georgie Spence-Jones
2014John Doyle [22] Stephanie Withall [22] Woodbeeez (2)-Elliott HurrellDaniel DevaneyAlex Wallman
2015Steven Prescott [23] Amy Farrow (2) [23] Woodbeeez (3)-Peter RogersIsla WatsonCharlie Dathorne
2016Tom Dryden [7] Lorna Clarke [7] Lord Robartes Nutters-William ChapmanJosh BroomheadOliver Simons (2) [24]
2017John Riley [15] Julie Freeman [15] Mutts Nutts-Benjamin WallaceFaith WeatheringtonOliver Simons (3) [24]
2018Edward Gaze [25] Karen Holloway [25]
2019Andy Moore [26] Jasmine Tetley (1) [26]
2020Event Cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic) [27]
2021Ady Hurrell (2) [28] Jasmine Tetley (2) [28] We Came, We Saw, Jasmine Conkered (1)
2022Randy Topolnitsky Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg [16] Fee Aylmore [16] The BritcansTeam GB
2023Mark Hunter [29] Jasmine Tetley (3) [29] We Came, We Saw, Jasmine Conkered (2)

WCC Roll of Honour

Shown in alphabetical order by surname in the event of a tie.

Individual ChampionWins
Peter Midlane3
Oliver Simons3
Jasmine Tetley3
Charlie Bray2
Philip Broomhead2
John Bull2
Bill Cox2
Sheila Doubleday2
Amy Farrow2
Ady Hurrell2
Ray Kellock2
J Marsh2
Ron Marsh2
James Nikel2
Martin Nikel2
William Pritchard2
Tina Stone2
Team ChampionWins
France Fillies, Les Filles Francais, France Flag of France.svg 4
Magnificent 7 Minus 33
Woodbeeez3
Chequered Skipper 'B' Team2
Peterborough Nutters2
Sebright Arms2
The Minge Petals2
We Came, We Saw, Jasmine Conkered2

WCC Video History from 1974 to 2021

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