World Conker Championships

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The World Conker Championships (WCC) is a conkers tournament held annually on the second Sunday in October<ref name="sunday">Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name="angling">Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name="skipper">Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name="press">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="history">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="northants1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="2016result">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="aussie">Template:Cite news</ref>

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<ref name="skipper" /> when the weather was too bad to go fishing.<ref name="angling" /> At the event, a small collection was made for charity, by Garth Crooks, who was having dinner in the pub with his family.Template:Cn Since then the event has raised over £420,000 for charities supporting the visually impaired and at least £2,500 is donated yearly.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The event was held in Ashton for 45 years before moving to a larger venue at the Shuckburgh Arms<ref name="moths" /> in Southwick, Northamptonshire in 2009.<ref name="history" /><ref name="faq">Template:Cite web</ref>

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,<ref name="jersey">Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name="jersey" />

On 6 October 2011, organisers were forced to cancel the event over safety fears with high winds being forecast.<ref name="2011cancel">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2012, the championships were cancelled again when a suitable venue couldn't be found in time.<ref name="2012cancel">Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref name="moths">Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref name="bbc2017">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2022, Fee Aylmore won the women's event after 30 years of trying.<ref name="2022result"/>

In 2024, allegations of cheating were levelled at the men's event winner David Jakins by men's runner-up Alastair Johnson-Ferguson,<ref name="scandal"/> when a brown-painted fake steel conker was discovered in his pocket. Jakins was also one of the event's organisers,<ref name="scandal"/> responsible for the handing out of chestnuts used by the competitors.<ref name="scandal"/> He was cleared of any suspicion after a review of video evidence, by fellow organiser St. John Burkett.<ref name="scandal">Template:Cite web</ref>

WCC rules

Players' Rules of Engagement for the Noble Game of Conkers as follows:<ref name="rules">Template:Cite web</ref>

  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.<ref name="sunday" />
  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.

Results history

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

Year Mens Individual Ladies Individual Team Winner Ladies Team Junior (7–11) Youth (11–15) Young adult (16–18)
1965 Ron Marsh (1) - - - - - -
1966 Sid Walden<ref name="sid">Template:Cite web</ref> - - - - - -
1967 L. Collins - - - - - -
1968 Tim Winham - - - - - -
1969 Peter Midlane (1) - - - - - -
1970 John M. Hillyard - - - - - -
1971 T. Dicks - - - - - -
1972 Ron Marsh (2) - - - - - -
1973 Peter Midlane (2)<ref name="aussie" /> - - - Simon Bayliss<ref name="aussie" /> - -
1974 J Marsh (1) - - - - - -
1975 J Marsh (2) - - - - - -
1976 Jorge Ramirez Carrillo Template:Flagicon<ref name="jorge">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="northants1" /> - - - - - -
1977 C. Childs - - - - - -
1978 L. Treliving - - - - - -
1979 Charlie Bray (1)<ref name="jersey" /> - - - - - -
1980 Keith Height<ref name="jersey" /> - - - - - -
1981 Bill Cox (1)<ref name="jersey" /> - - - - - -
1982 Jim Blackman - - - - - -
1983 S. Rowan - - - - - -
1984 R. Langer - - - - - -
1985 Peter Midlane (3) - - - - - -
1986 Charlie Bray (2) - - - Luke Bilson Craig Belson -
1987 John Hawes - - - - Martin Nikel (1) -
1988 W. Cox (2) Sheila Doubleday (1) - - - Martin Nikel (2) -
1989 P. Short Christina Bateman - - Andrew Donald Kerry Lempriere
1990 Harold Watson Mary Bedford - - Andrew Donald Kerry Faye Elliott
1991 John Bull (1) Pauline Baker - - Andrew Donald Kerry Lisa Crews _
1992 P. Canning J. Courtney Chequered Skipper 'B' Team (1) - - M. Hutcheson
1993 M. Tindall Sheila Doubleday (2) Chequered Skipper 'B' Team (2) - M. Heatherington R. Rawcliffe -
1994 James Marsh Tina Stone (1) The Crocodile - Daniel Jack James Nikel (1) -
1995 Brian Jackson Judi Rabbit The Brigstock International Quartet The Wilpave Swingers Tim Maguire James Gould -
1996 John Bull (2) Karen Morgan Sebright Arms (1) Nutcracker Suite Richard Fuller James Nikel (2) Ian Smith
1997 Paul Vjestica Louise Bunker Nelson Nutcrackers The Minge Petals (1) Graham Clark Diane Allen -
1998 Helmut Kern Template:Flagicon<ref name="northants1" /> Lesley Bullock Nauort 2 Template:Flagicon Sebright Arms (2) Matthew Storrow Jonathon Lyan Ashley Thomas
1999 Jody Tracey Margaret Twiddy Absolutely Hammered Wilpave Sweeties Charlotte Laskey Jack Jarvis Chris Eccles
2000 Mark Tracey Selma Becker Template:Flagicon Barton Seagrave Bashers The Minge Petals (2) Rachel Mintern Sally Rate Tim Linnell
2001 Neil Fraser Celine Parachou Template:Flagicon Royal Oak Resistance France Fillies (1) Template:Flagicon Duncan Winfrey Max Aitken Lewis Chilvers
2002 Richard Swailes Liz Gibson Elton Wasps Castle Green Conkerers Ruth Pritchard Joseph Emery -
2003 Brian Stewart Debbie Oates No Strings Attached Magnificent 7 Minus 3 (1) Kieran Campbell William Pritchard (1) Lucy Walshaw
2004 Darren Foster Alison Everett Daniel Lambert Dining Club Les Filles Francais (2) Template:Flagicon Kieran O'Connor Jordan Witherall James Robinson
2005 Alex Callan Jayne Coddington Peterborough Nutters (1) Magnificent 7 Minus 3 (2) Callum Owen William Pritchard (2) Kallom Nash
2006 Chris Jones Sandy Gardner Celtic Conkerors France (3) Template:Flagicon Philip Broomhead (1) Jack Boon Emma Ratcliffe
2007 Ady Hurrell (1) Tina Stone (2) Royal Haskoning Rest of the World Magnificent 7 Minus 3 (3) Philip Broomhead (2) Nicolas Rothera Steven Wray
2008 Ray Kellock (1)<ref name="press" /> Amy Farrow (1)<ref name="press" /> Rushden Reprobates France (4) Template:Flagicon Thomas Whincup Robert Winfield Rebecca Moss
2009 Thomas Gormley Sue Howes Peterborough Nutters (2) - Evie Driscoll-King Oliver Mas Brent Walker
2010 Ray Kellock (2)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Wendy Bradford<ref name="press" /> The Fairways Sri Lankan Ladies Template:Flagicon<ref name="press" /> Louis Carpenter Samuel Lewin Robyn Geldard
2011 Event Cancelled (Bad weather)<ref name="2011cancel" />
2012 Event Cancelled (No venue)<ref name="2012cancel" />
2013 Simon Cullum<ref name="2013result">Template:Cite web</ref> Sophie Knox<ref name="2013result" /> Woodbeeez (1) - Harrison Scott Oliver Simons (1) Georgie Spence-Jones
2014 John Doyle<ref name="2014result">Template:Cite web</ref> Stephanie Withall<ref name="2014result" /> Woodbeeez (2) - Elliott Hurrell Daniel Devaney Alex Wallman
2015 Steven Prescott<ref name="2015result">Template:Cite web</ref> Amy Farrow (2)<ref name="2015result" /> Woodbeeez (3) - Peter Rogers Isla Watson Charlie Dathorne
2016 Tom Dryden<ref name="2016result" /> Lorna Clarke<ref name="2016result" /> Lord Robartes Nutters - William Chapman Josh Broomhead Oliver Simons (2)<ref name="past">Template:Cite web</ref>
2017 John Riley<ref name="bbc2017" /> Julie Freeman<ref name="bbc2017" /> Mutts Nutts - Benjamin Wallace Faith Weatherington Oliver Simons (3)<ref name="past" />
2018 Edward Gaze<ref name="holl" /> Karen Holloway<ref name="holl">Template:Cite web</ref> Oakley’s Nuts (1) - Seth Wiltshire (1) Matthew Farrow Freya Griffith-Thompson
Year Mens Individual Ladies Individual Team Winner Junior (7–11) Intermediate (12–16)
2019 Andy Moore<ref name="rain" /> Jasmine Tetley (1)<ref name="rain">Template:Cite web</ref> Oakley’s Nuts (2) - Leon Brown Seth Wiltshire (2) -
2020 Event Cancelled (COVID-19 pandemic)<ref name="cancelled">Template:Cite web</ref>
2021 Ady Hurrell (2)<ref name="2021result"/> Jasmine Tetley (2)<ref name="2021result">Template:Cite web</ref> We Came, We Saw, Jasmine Conkered (1) - Riley Martin (1) Brandon King & Seth Wiltshire (3) (Tied) -
2022 Randy Topolnitsky Template:Flagicon<ref name="2022result"/> Fee Aylmore<ref name="2022result">Template:Cite web</ref> The Britcans - Oliver Price Riley Martin (2) & George Holton (Tied) -
2023 Mark Hunter<ref name="2023result"/> Jasmine Tetley (3)<ref name="2023result">Template:Cite web</ref> We Came, We Saw, Jasmine Conkered (2) - Dominic Christou Alex Duckham -
2024 David Jakins<ref name="2024resultmens">Template:Cite web</ref> Kelci Banschbach Template:Flagicon<ref name="2024resultwomens">Template:Cite web</ref> The Skuumkoppers Template:Flagicon<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> - Sebastian Sheffield<ref name=":0" /> Enija Butane & Clara Axmacher (Tied)<ref name="2024results">Template:Cite web</ref> -
2025 Matt Cross<ref name="2025results">Template:Cite web</ref> Mags Blake<ref name="resultfor2025">Template:Cite web</ref> The Conker Cowboys<ref name="resultfor2025">Template:Cite web</ref> - Nicoda Hutchinson<ref name="resultfor2025">Template:Cite web</ref> Felix Axmacher<ref name="resultfor2025">Template:Cite web</ref> -

WCC roll of honour

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

Individual Champion Wins
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Team Champion Wins
France Fillies, Les Filles Francais, France Template:Flagicon 4
Magnificent 7 Minus 3 3
Woodbeeez 3
Chequered Skipper 'B' Team 2
The Minge Petals 2
Oakley’s Nuts 2
Peterborough Nutters 2
Sebright Arms 2
We Came, We Saw, Jasmine Conkered 2
Junior, Intermediate, and Young Adult Champion Wins
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Note: The young adult category of the competition was discontinued after 2018. All young adults aged 16 and over are now eligible to compete in the adult championships (with consent from a parent/guardian).

Video history from 1970 to 2024

References

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