World Conker Championships
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The World Conker Championships are held annually on the second Sunday in October in the village of Ashton near Oundle in Northamptonshire, England. Since 1965, conker players from around the world have gathered on the village green to compete for the world title.
The idea for the championships was dreamed up by friends as they sat in their local pub; at first the event was modest in size but in the last twelve years, rising numbers of participants and more interest from abroad have brought it into the headlines. Money made from the competition goes to charity; since 1965 over £200,000 has been raised.
The competition is divided into men's, women's and team games; there is even a section for the blind. In 2004, 5,000 spectators watched more than 500 participants from 13 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Austria, the Ukraine, Scotland, France and Poland. France, the winning team in 2003, looked in for a good chance but were finally beaten by Britain.
Prior to the game, 2,283 conkers of the required 1.25-inch width were collected, drilled and strung for the game by Ashton Conker Club officials. Worries were voiced over the leaf-miner moth, Cameraria ohridella, which has appeared in the region and could have a detrimental effect on conker yields.
External links
- [Ben & Jerry's - World Conker Championships]
- [BBC coverage of the 2003 Championships]
- [French Union of Conkers - World Championships]
- [Official Website of the World Conker Championships]
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