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The Great British Sport of Welly Wanging
14 April 2011
Britain has a wide history of strange sporting traditions. One of the most famous is that of 'cheese rolling' which is an annual event in Gloucestershire where locals chase a large round cheese down an almost vertical slope. Unfortunately, due to insurance and health and safety regulatations, this years cheese rolling event is in jeopardy. However, another traditional sport that is alive and well is that of welly wanging; what is it and where did it originate?
The rules of the sport are very simple; you pick up a welly boot and throw it as far as you can, either from a standing or running start.
The sport is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, where the village of Upperthong is the home for the annual World Welly Wanging Championships. The reason the event started is still unsure, but is rumoured to have been during an incident when someone accidentally spilled a pint of beer into someone's welly boots; whether this is actually true or not is the matter of some doubt!
So, that's the 'what' and the 'where' answered; the 'why' is slightly more difficult to fathom! Certainly, the Brits aren't usually reknowned for their sporting prowess in the mainstream events, but activities such as cheese rolling and welly wanging are activities engrained in parts of the British society; they're not taken too seriously and make for a fun few hours during the summer months.
The sport also has it's own governing body; the World Welly Wanging Association, which has it's own set of rules, just a couple of which are listed below:-
"Welly wanging is a sport open to all people irrespective of age, sex, race, creed, religion, nationality and colour. And people from Lancashire."
"The use of wind assistance is allowed and, indeed, encouraged. Waiting for a suitable gust, however, is limited to one minute. No artificial or man-made wind is to be used."
While the basic sport has remained the same for generations, there are some variations, including one where the competitors launch the welly as if kicking off a pair of shoes.
Several other countries also have their versions of the event. There are annual Boot-Throwing events in many European countries including Poland, Finland and Germany. In New Zealand, the town of Taihape claims the title of the gumboot-throwing capital of the country.
Back in the UK, the prize for the winners of the annual Welly Wanging World Championships receive the traditional prize of a leg of Yorkshire lamb, donated by a local butcher. It is then expected that the winners will follow the friendly ethos of the sport by inviting their friends over for a Sunday lunch. The winner of the children's event shall receive a crisp five-pound note.
A British tradition that is still alive and well. Around the country, people will be picking up a welly boot this summer and throwing it as far as possible.
The rules of the sport are very simple; you pick up a welly boot and throw it as far as you can, either from a standing or running start.
The sport is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, where the village of Upperthong is the home for the annual World Welly Wanging Championships. The reason the event started is still unsure, but is rumoured to have been during an incident when someone accidentally spilled a pint of beer into someone's welly boots; whether this is actually true or not is the matter of some doubt!
So, that's the 'what' and the 'where' answered; the 'why' is slightly more difficult to fathom! Certainly, the Brits aren't usually reknowned for their sporting prowess in the mainstream events, but activities such as cheese rolling and welly wanging are activities engrained in parts of the British society; they're not taken too seriously and make for a fun few hours during the summer months.
The sport also has it's own governing body; the World Welly Wanging Association, which has it's own set of rules, just a couple of which are listed below:-
"Welly wanging is a sport open to all people irrespective of age, sex, race, creed, religion, nationality and colour. And people from Lancashire."
"The use of wind assistance is allowed and, indeed, encouraged. Waiting for a suitable gust, however, is limited to one minute. No artificial or man-made wind is to be used."
While the basic sport has remained the same for generations, there are some variations, including one where the competitors launch the welly as if kicking off a pair of shoes.
Several other countries also have their versions of the event. There are annual Boot-Throwing events in many European countries including Poland, Finland and Germany. In New Zealand, the town of Taihape claims the title of the gumboot-throwing capital of the country.
Back in the UK, the prize for the winners of the annual Welly Wanging World Championships receive the traditional prize of a leg of Yorkshire lamb, donated by a local butcher. It is then expected that the winners will follow the friendly ethos of the sport by inviting their friends over for a Sunday lunch. The winner of the children's event shall receive a crisp five-pound note.
A British tradition that is still alive and well. Around the country, people will be picking up a welly boot this summer and throwing it as far as possible.