Thoughts video games and a ‘toss master’: world stone skimming contest returns to Scotland after dishonest scandal | Scotland

“Want to touch it?” Jonny Jennings requested, clutching the World Stone Skimming Championship trophy in his arms as he waited for the ferry. The thoughts video games from the 2025 males’s champion had began hours earlier than this 12 months’s competitors had even begun. The 38-year-old had travelled from Kentucky to Easdale island simply off the west coast of Scotland to defend his title. He was not giving it up with out a battle.

On Saturday, greater than 400 of the world’s greatest stone skimmers descended on the tiny island within the Inner Hebrides, usually dwelling to only 60 residents. From Argentina to India, Hong Kong to Jamaica, greater than 30 international locations had been represented, ferried over in teams of 10 from the mainland.

Easdale is dwelling to stone skimming’s colosseum: a former slate mine flooded by a ferocious Atlantic storm in 1881, forming a pure amphitheatre for the event. Competitors get three throws throughout the 63-metre (207ft) stretch, which is marked off like a swimming lane. Stones have to be manufactured from Easdale slate and might be no wider than 7.6cm (three inches). The final goal is to hit the again wall, the equal of a nine-dart end that sends the gang into raptures.

From the “skim of destiny”, the stone plinth from which all skimmers must throw, the again wall of the quarry doesn’t look distant. But seems deceive on Easdale. The wind, the rain and shadows within the water mix to make it one of many hardest locations to compete for skimmers on this planet. Many elite male skimmers can throw greater than double the space of the quarry in calmer circumstances. But on the world championships, they typically crumble.

“It’s the magic of Easdale,” mentioned Lucy Wood, the six-time feminine champion. “It’s different, very different. You have got hundreds of people watching you throw. It’s completely insane. Some people say that the island is not the best place to host the competition because of the back wall, and you cannot really throw that far. But most of these skimmers have never even hit it.”

On Saturday, a vicious wind performed havoc with the competitors, blowing stones astray because it swirled across the quarry. To fight circumstances, many skimmers modified their type to attempt to keep away from the gusts. Some bent their knees greater than regular, others wound up their arms and used brute power for his or her throw. But nothing appeared to work. Stones whizzed astray in all instructions, disappearing into the depths of the quarry far wanting their supposed goal. By the midway stage, only one competitor had hit the again wall.

Last 12 months, the aggressive spirit boiled over. Two rivals had been caught dishonest after fashioning stones into excellent circles in an try to enhance their probabilities of a greater throw. The scandal made international headlines and organisers had a geologist readily available this 12 months to test stones if any questions had been raised.

“To win at Easdale, you need to have guts,” mentioned Dr Kyle Mathews, the competitors organiser, referred to as the “official toss master”.

“You need distance, consistency and accuracy. You need to be able to stand up and throw when it counts. We are often put in the same category as cheese chasing down the hill or the conkers championship. But these skimmers have genuine sporting talent. The world record for the javelin is nearly 100 metres. The record for stone skimming is much further than that,” he added.

When it was time for Jennings to throw, the packed crowd across the colosseum fell silent with expectation. Dressed in his signature color, the “Green Giant” completed his pint of beer earlier than taking the plinth, nonetheless sporting sun shades. “Now that’s aura,” one younger spectator whispered.

Jennings needed to hit the again wall if he was going to retain the title. His first try was excellent, delighting the gang, however the stone disappeared into the water simply earlier than it may produce a satisfying “clink” with the again wall. The second skewed left, caught by the wind. He waited for the gust to die down for his closing try. Bending his knees, the champion unleashed the throw with all his may. But it was quick once more: 2026 would have a brand new males’s champion.

By late afternoon, Liam Knight from North Carolina was nonetheless the one competitor to hit the again wall. Nobody may beat him. “I came here two years ago and I got the bug. I had to use a technique that nobody else was using to get it out past the wind. It was brutal. It ruined everyone’s day,” mentioned the 32-year-old. “It was kind of a trick shot really. But it worked.”

At the award ceremony, Jennings needed to watch from the gang as Knight lifted the trophy. He would return to the mainland empty-handed. But he could be again subsequent 12 months to strive once more.