By Sara Odeen-Isbister
Copyright metro
A man takes part in the 2023 World Stone Skimming Championships (Picture: Alamy Stock Photo)
The World Stone Skimming Championship, held on a small island in Scotland, have been rocked by a cheating scandal.
Some of those taking part in the contest – which draws contestants from around the world – admitted to ‘doctoring’ their stones to make them skim better.
The competition, held every September on Easdale off the west coast of Scotland, sees competitors throw pieces of natural slate – that are plentiful on the island – into an old water-filled slate mine quarry.
There are no cash prices, just a trophy and the glory of been named top tosser.
The stones must be no more 3in in diameter and can not be altered, but some participants were found to have used stones that had had their rough edges filed.
It’s thought machines were used to create almost perfect, circular circumferences, smooth surfaces and ideal sizes at some point before entering the tournament.
Some of the stones also appeared to have had small notches cut into them to make them easier to throw.
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The cheats were uncovered by volunteers working at the event and by other competitors and after being questioned by organisers, they confessed to breaking the rules and were disqualified.
Kyle Mathews, a local GP who runs the event as is known as the ‘Toss Master’, told The Scottish Mail on Sunday: ‘I got calls from concerned competitors. They were worried people might think that’s how things are done here.
‘I contacted the individuals, who admitted their transgressions and I had to disqualify them.
‘To give them their credit, they deeply apologised for bringing the sport into disrepute and accepted disqualification and we accept that’s the end of the matter.’
Around 70 people live year-round on Easdale, which lies the Inner Hebrides.
The island was once a major part of Scotland’s slate mining industry in the 18th and 19th centuries, and home to several large working quarries.
TV star Daisuke Miyagawa taking part in the World Stone Skimming Championships in 2023 (Picture: Getty)
The stones are bits of natural slate, which are abundant on the island (Picture: Alamy Stock Photo)
But several were permanently destroyed by tidal surge flooding in the 1880s and those that remained closed down in the early 20th century as the industry declined.
Many remain full of water, including the one that has been used for the stone skimming championships, since the the contest was launched in 1997.
The championships has seven categories, including ones for children and ‘Old Tossers’, basically anyone aged 60 and over.
The overall winner this year was Jonathan Jennings from Kentucky in the US.
The organisers say if the cheating continues next year, they may have to supply participants with pre-approved stones instead of letting them choose their own.
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