World Conker Championships


The World Conker Championships are held annually on the second Sunday in October in the county of Northamptonshire, England. Two players use conkers threaded onto a string and take turns to strike the others nut until it shatters. Since 1965, conker players from around the world have gathered to compete in a knock-out, to be world champion in team and individual, also women's and youth titles. Up to 5,000 spectators watch around 400 players participating. 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.
The next World Conker Championship will be held on Sunday 11 October 2020.

WCC 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 because the weather was too bad to go fishing. The event was held in Ashton for 45 years before moving to a larger venue at the Shuckburgh Arms in Southwick, Northamptonshire in 2009. Money made from the competition goes to charities such as the Northamptonshire Association for the Blind and the Huntingdon Society for the Blind.
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, 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.
On Thursday 6 October 2011, Ashton Conker Club the organisers of the World Conker Championships were forced to cancel the event over safety fears with high winds being forecasted.
In 2012, the championships were cancelled again when a suitable venue couldn't be found in time.
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.
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.
in 2018, Her Majesty The Queen and Sir David Attenborough chatted about conkers in a 2018 TV documentary.

WCC Rules

Players' Rules of Engagement for the Noble Game of Conkers as follows:
  1. Prior to the game, over 2,000 conkers of the required 1.25-inch width are collected, drilled and strung ready by tournament officials.
  2. Each game will commence with a toss of a coin, the winner of the toss may elect to strike or receive.
  3. A distance of no less than 8" or 20 cm of lace must be between knuckle and nut.
  4. Each player then takes three alternate strikes at the opponent's conker.
  5. Each attempted strike must be clearly aimed at the nut, no deliberate miss hits.
  6. The game will be decided once one of the conkers is smashed.
  7. A small piece of nut or skin remaining shall be judged out, it must be enough to mount an attack.
  8. If both nuts smash at the same time then the match shall be replayed.
  9. Any nut being knocked from the lace but not smashing may be re threaded and the game continued.
  10. A player causing a knotting of the laces will be noted, three snags will lead to disqualification.
  11. 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.

    WCC Results history

All players are British except where indicated with a national flag icon.
YearMens IndividualLadies IndividualTeam WinnerLadies TeamJunior Youth/Intermediate Young adult
1965Ron Marsh------
1966Sid Walden------
1967L. Collins------
1968Tim Winham------
1969Peter Midlane------
1970John M. Hillyard------
1971T. Dicks------
1972Ron Marsh------
1973Peter Midlane---Simon Bayliss--
1974J Marsh------
1975J Marsh------
1976Jorge Ramirez Carrillo ------
1977C. Childs------
1978L. Treliving------
1979Charlie Bray------
1980Keith Height------
1981Bill Cox------
1982Jim Blackman------
1983S. Rowan------
1984R. Langer------
1985Peter Midlane------
1986Charlie Bray---Luke BilsonCraig Belson-
1987John Hawes----Martin Nikel-
1988W. CoxSheila Doubleday---Martin Nikel-
1989P. ShortChristina Bateman--Fiona KingdomLempriere-
1990H. WatsonMary Bedford---Faye Elliott-
1991John BullPauline Baker---Lisa Crews-
1992P. CanningJ. CourtneyChequered Skipper 'B' Team--M. Hutcheson-
1993M. TindallSheila DoubledayChequered Skipper 'B' Team-M. HeatheringtonR. Rawcliffe-
1994James MarshTina StoneThe Crocodile-Daniel JacksJames Nikel-
1995Brian JacksonJudi RabbitThe Brigstock International QuartetThe Wilpave SwingersTim MaguireJames Gould-
1996John BullKaren MorganSebright ArmsNutcracker SuiteRichard FullerJames NikelIan Smith
1997Paul VjesticaLouise BunkerNelson NutcrackersThe Minge PetalsGraham ClarkDiane Allen-
1998Helmut Kern Lesley BullockNauort 2 Sebright ArmsMatthew StorrowJonathon LyanAshley Thomas
1999Jody TraceyMargaret TwiddyAbsolutely HammeredWilpave SweetiesCharlotte LaskeyJack JarvisChris Eccles
2000Mark TraceySelma Becker Barton Seagrave BashersThe Minge PetalsRachel MinternSally RateTim Linnell
2001Neil FraserCeline Parachou Royal Oak ResistanceFrance Fillies Duncan WinfreyMax AitkenLewis Chilvers
2002Richard SwailesLiz GibsonElton WaspsCastle Green ConkerersRuth PritchardJoseph Emery-
2003Brian StewartDebbie OatesNo Strings AttachedMagnificent 7 Minus 3Kieran CampbellWilliam PritchardLucy Walshaw
2004Darren FosterAlison EverettDaniel Lambert Dining ClubLes Filles Francais Kieran O'ConnorJordan WitherallJames Robinson
2005Alex CallanJayne CoddingtonPeterborough NuttersMagnificent 7 Minus 3Callum OwenWilliam PritchardKallom Nash
2006Chris JonesSandy GardnerCeltic ConkerorsFrance Philip BroomheadJack BoonEmma Ratcliffe
2007Ady HurrellTina StoneRoyal Haskoning Rest of the WorldMagnificent 7 Minus 3Philip BroomheadNicolas RotheraSteven Wray
2008Rushden ReprobatesFrance Thomas WhincupRobert Winfield
2009Thomas GormleySue HowesPeterborough Nutters-Evie Driscoll-KingOliver MasBrent Walker
2010The FairwaysSri Lankan Ladies Louis CarpenterSamuel LewinRobyn Geldard
2011Event CancelledBad weather-----
2012Event CancelledNo venue-----
2013Simon CullumSophie KnoxWoodbeeezevent abolishedHarrison ScottOliver SimonsGeorgie Spence-Jones
2014John DoyleStephanie WithallWoodbeeez-Elliott HurrellDaniel DevaneyAlex Wallman
2015Steven PrescottAmy FarrowWoodbeeez-Peter RogersIsla WatsonCharlie Dathorne
2016Tom DrydenLorna ClarkeLord Robartes Nutters-William ChapmanJosh BroomheadOliver Simons
2017John RileyJulie FreemanMutts Nutts-Benjamin WallaceFaith WeatheringtonOliver Simons

YearOverall World ChampionLadies' World ChampionMen's World Champion
2018Karen HollowayKaren HollowayStuart Campbell
2019Jasmine TetleyJasmine TetleyAndy Moore

WCC Roll of Honour

Shown in alphabetical order by surname in the event of a tie.
Individual Multiple ChampionsWinsTeam CompetitionWins
Peter Midlane3France 4
Oliver Simons3Magnificent 7 Minus 33
Charlie Bray2Woodbeeez3
Philip Broomhead2Chequered Skipper 'B' Team2
John Bull2Peterborough Nutters2
Bill Cox2Sebright Arms2
Sheila Doubleday2The Minge Petals2
Amy Farrow2--
Ray Kellock2--
J Marsh2--
Ron Marsh2--
James Nikel2--
Martin Nikel2--
William Pritchard2--
Tina Stone2--

WCC Video History from 2007 to 2017