The World Conker Championships

Over 2,000 people flocked to a small village in Northamptonshire, England to watch the return of the World Conker Championships. 

Like many sporting traditions, last year’s Championships were cancelled due to the pandemic.

This year around 250 competitors took part - many sporting fancy dress costumes. 

The game involves swinging a conker threaded on the end of a string at an opponent's conker with the aim of smashing it. 

The game commences with a toss of a coin, the winner may elect to strike or receive. A distance of no less than 8” (20cm’s) of lace must be between the knuckle and nut. There is a gauge to measure this if disputed. 

Each player takes three (3) alternate strikes at the opponent’s conker. If a player causes a knot of the laces (a snag) this is noted, three snags will lead to disqualification. 

If the game lasts for more than five (5) minutes, play will be halted and the 5- 5-minute “rule” comes into effect. Each player is allowed up to nine further strikes. If the game is still going after nine strikes then the winner is the one who has hit the nut the most times.  

In the final, it was local lad Ady Hurrell from Whittlesey near Peterborough who came out on top beating Danny Leslie, and in the Women’s final defending Champion Jasmine Tetley from Nottingham retained her title.

The annual World Conker Championships have been staged more often than both the Olympics and the Winter Olympics combined.

These are some of the rushes from the day.

#CHESTNUTS #CONKER #UNITED KINGDOM #WORLDCONKER CHAMPIONSHIPS