The World Egg Throwing Federation
When: June 26th 2011, Gates open at 10.30am and registration commences at 11am
Where: Swaton, Lincolnshire (held at Swaton Vintage Day)
£: 4 per adult, school age children 2 and under school age children go free.
What is it?
Are you one of those people who’s always fancied throwing an egg at someone? Well now’s your chance to do so without getting into trouble! Swaton in Lincolnshire is hosting the World Egg Throwing Championships where there is a chance to compete in various egg related games or just go along to egg people on.
How it all started
For thousands of years man has laughed at the inability of others to catch a well-aimed egg! Egg throwing is reported to have first occurred in Swaton circa 1322 when the Abbot of Swaton, the only owner of chickens, used to give eggs out as alms to the peasants that attended church. However, when the river was in flood the eggs would be thrown across the torrent to the waiting masses.
Russian egg roulette
This eventually grew into an informal sport called the ‘egg toss’ played at many country fairs, sports days and fetes. However, occasionally the sport would be brought into disrepute by incorrigible types who used the egg throw to harass unwilling participants such as the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott. To counter the improper use of egg throwing the World Egg Throwing Federation was formed in 2005 to cater for the growing sport and regulate the variety of disciplines it involved.
Russian Egg Roulette, introduced at the 2007 World Games, quickly became a favourite spectator sport. This involves two people and a choice of 6 eggs of which 5 are hard-boiled and one raw. Each contestant takes it in turn to choose an egg and then smashes it onto their own forehead. The loser is the one that finds the raw egg.
This year’s Championship
The egg trebuchet
This year welcomes the return of the Egg trebuchet, based upon the ancient art but now considered anti-social process of hurling large objectionable items at neighbours during sieges. In this event contestants have to pre-construct a gravity-powered egg-hurling device to launch an egg to a waiting team member. To achieve points the team member must either catch the egg unbroken or be struck by it. As the egg can be travelling at speeds of up to 120mph this is particularly tricky and relies upon a lob technique to reduce velocity. Distances to be achieved start at 20 metres but can be extended up to 150 in this knock out competition. As teams construct their machines they will discover that the further the throw, the faster the egg.
For the 2nd year running The World Egg Throwing Championships has been awarded the prestigious title of England’s “Most Unique” event. Something that the Federation recognises it wouldn’t be able to achieve without the support of people like you taking part.
In all games health and safety is of prime importance. It’s insisted that players wear eye protection and full body protective padded gear. Eggs are sourced from happy sustainable sources and have gone past their sell by date, they are then hoarded for many months.
The World Championships and the Swaton Vintage rally are totally non-profit events with all proceeds going to a variety of charities, including Leukaemia Research, The Red Cross and LIVES.
Rory and Paddy when they took part for their TV show
The 5 disciplines are:
- 2 person team Throw and Catch
- 11 person team Static Relay
- Individual Target Throwing
- Individual Russian Egg Roulette
- Team Egg Trebuchet
The Federation is pleased to have achieved first place for the second year running in the Sun sponsored Visit England “Where Else But England” awards following tough regional and then national heats in a national poll. The World Egg Throwing Federation states “This win once again shows that a rumdoodle of an event can and does show the best in England’s sporting prowess. Where other sports fail to shine Egg Throwing has consistently shown that this fine country can produce world beating athletes.”
So far there are confirmed attendees from Dutch, German, French, Canadian, Irish, Scots, Latvian and English teams. More are eggspected. Why not scramble a team together or just go along and enjoy the eggcitement?
More info: See www.eggthrowing.com for details of how to enter each game, how it’s played and how to make a trebuchet.