Only for the brave: The Russian Egg Roulette Championship
When: 25th June 2017, from 10.30am
Where: Swaton, Lincolnshire
£: Admission costs £4 for adults, £3 for concessions, £2 for children and £10 for a family ticket. Children under school age go free. The Egg Target Throwing costs £2 for three eggs, all the other egg competitions are free.
What is it?
For the 12th year running, Swaton Vintage Day will be hosting the prestigious World Egg Throwing Championships, on Sunday 25th June.
There are five championship disciplines which competitors can take part in. If you fancy taking part in this year’s championship, then the all important disciplines are, the Russian Egg Roulette, Egg Throwing, the Static Relay, the Egg Trebuchet and the Egg Target Throwing.
Unlike pale imitations such as cabbage hurling or javelin throwing, Egg Throwing is a two person sport which requires accurate distance lobbing and the ability to perfectly catch the delicate missiles. Egg Throwing teams should consist of a catcher and a tosser. The team members begin by standing ten metres apart, spreading out after each successful catch. Drop or break the egg and you’re out!
Serious egg hurling power: The Egg Trebuchet
The Egg Target Throwing challenge awards points for hitting the arms, legs, body and groin of the (willing volunteer) target.
Teams of eleven spread out at ten metre intervals for the Static Relay. Twelve eggs then have to be passed individually along the line. The fastest team wins, but there are penalty time points for breakages, so you need to be careful, as well as quick, for this contest.
The Egg Trebuchet is another long distance knock out challenge. This time, however, it is played with the aid of specially built trebuchets, to help hurl the eggs.
Our favourite competition, the Russian Egg Roulette, involves two players sitting opposite each other, wearing bandanas. The players have six eggs (five hard-boiled and one raw), and must take it in turns smashing the eggs against their foreheads. The first one to ‘find’ the raw egg loses!
The events are open to all and pre-registration is not required. Registration on the day will begin at 11am. Places are limited, so get there in plenty of time!
The events will kick off at 1pm with the preliminary heats for the Russian Egg Roulette. This will be followed by the heats for the World Egg Throwing Championship at 2pm, and the Static Relay at 2.30pm.
For the younger participants, there is the (under 13s) World Egg Throwing Championship at 2.45pm. The Egg Trebuchet begins with three preliminary close quarter rounds to find the best competitors, before the long distance knock out event takes place. The finals for the World Egg Throwing and Russian Egg Roulette will take place in the main arena at 4pm. This will be followed by the award of trophies.
The World Egg Throwing Federation’s official logo
Egg throwing is reported to have first occurred in Swaton in the 1300s. The then Abbot of Swaton, the only owner of chickens, used to give eggs out as alms to the peasants who attended church.
However, when the river flooded, the eggs would be thrown across the torrent to the waiting masses. This eventually grew into an informal sport called the ‘egg toss’, played at many country fairs, sports days and fetes.
The World Egg Throwing Federation was formed in 2004, to cater for the growing sport and regulate the variety of disciplines it involved.
This year’s Swaton Vintage Day will also have over 400 classic and vintage vehicles, a craft tent, children’s games and rides, and a novelty dog show. The event will be served by a real ale tent, so no need to go thirsty after all that sporting activity!
More info: www.eggthrowing.com/world_championship