#ThisIsPlay
THIS IS PLAY

A year of alternative sport

Discover your new favourite sport...

Every year, all across the United Kingdom, competitors take part in a
wealth of events only known about by the truest, most dedicated of sports enthusiasts.

Adrenaline, raw human power, brains, tactical edge, sheer willing and bloody-mindedness...This magical combination of human conditions enables those select athletes to take an egg to the face, to fall in the muddy water without a care in the world, and to build a pram so aerodynamic it breaks the sound barrier. It allows true warriors of boxing to stop for a quick game of chess despite not being able to see straight, and it enables peas to travel further and faster than scientific logic tells us is possible. It creates a game of football the size of a town, and it enables certain wily individuals to decide whether rock, paper, or scissors wins, even though nobody would ever have a rock by their desk, and paper crafting isn’t actually that competitive.

Join us in celebrating these exemplary athletes.
Learn how it feels to be alive.

JANUARY '15

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
The Kirkwall Ba’ Game
The Great Mathern
Mud Run
 2 3
4
Brutal Bear
Cold Swims
 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16
17
Cambridge University Tiddlywinks Club Diamond Jubilee
18
Cambridge University Tiddlywinks Club Diamond Jubilee
 19 20 21 22 23
21
Cold Water Swimming Championship 2015
Rabbit Grand National
31
Rabbit Grand
National
 26 27 28 29 30
31
Poole’s Bath
Tub Race
THIS IS PLAY

SHROVETIDE FOOTBALL

2 x 8hr halves,
a 3-mile pitch
& 1 ball

Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide Football is a game played in the Derbyshire town of Ashbourne every Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday.

Unlike a conventional football match this game is played over two eight-hour periods, the goals are 3 miles apart and there are very few rules. As you may have already guessed, the game is in fact nothing like a standard football match.

www.shrovetide.net

ASHBOURNE SHROVETIDE FOOTBALL 2015 2.00PM, TUESDAY 17TH FEBRUARY ASHBOURNE, DERBY

FEBRUARY '15

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8
9
St Ives Hurling of
the Silver Ball
 10 11 12 13 14
15 16
17
Shrovetide Football
Olney Pancake Race
Scarborough
Skipping Day
18
Shrovetide Football
 19 20
21
UK Indoor Tug of War Championships
22
UK Indoor Tug of War Championships
 23 24 25 26 27
28
World Pasty Championships
THIS IS PLAY

INTERNATIONAL CHESS BOXING

Brain
& Brawn

This is the exciting curtain-raiser to the chessboxing season, renowned worldwide as one of the best shows of the year. We’ll bring you the greatest chessboxers on the planet, new faces, old favourites and this time we’ll be kicking the year off with a World Title.

Commentary from the incomparable IM Malcolm Pein and giant digital screens mean you won’t miss a move. Main room DJ Bushman mans the decks all night, plus there’s an after-party in the Balcony Bar to look forward to alongside some sensational live Cabaret, special guests, speed chess, and other surprises.

You can savour the clash between Terry Marsh (UK) and Fillipo Gubbini (IT) – a world title eliminator in the light-middleweight division featuring former undefeated IBF world champion, and former London schools chess champion, the Fighting Fireman, Terry Marsh. His opponent boasts 49 amateur bouts in Italy and at 28 years of age is developing into a fine young chess player.

This is a battle of youth versus experience, where we’ll discover if the wily old champion has what it takes to preserve his career's unbeaten record.

www.londonchessboxing.com

INTERNATIONAL CHESS BOXING 6.30PM, SATURDAY 14TH MARCH THE SCALA, LONDON

MARCH '15

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2
3
Mighty Deerstalker
 4 5 6
7
British Quidditch Cup
8
The 8th UK Wife
Carrying Race
British Quidditch Cup
 9 10 11 12 13
14
International Chess Boxing Season Opener
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30 31
THIS IS PLAY

THE MALDON MUD RACE

"I dare you..."

The ‘Race’ originated in 1973, with a dare given by a local resident to the landlord of the ‘Queens Head’ public house, which stands on the Hythe Quay in Maldon, Essex, challenging him to serve a meal on the saltings of the River Blackwater dressed in a dinner jacket. The challenge was duly accepted and carried out, resulting next year in a bar being opened on the saltings. About 20 people made a mad dash across the riverbed, drank a pint of beer and dashed back. This was the beginningof the Maldon Mud Race.

Now in its 37th year, the Maldon Mud Race regularly attracts crowds of tens of thousands of people to watch hundreds of entrants battle through the mud to raise big money for local charities.

www.maldonmudrace.com

THE MALDON MUD RACE 11.00AM, SUNDAY 26TH APRIL PROMENADE PARK, MALDON

APRIL '15

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2
3
British
& World Marbles Championship 2015
 4
5
Peterlee World
Egg Jarping Championships
6
World Coal Carrying Championship
Bank Holiday
 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26
Maldon Mud Race Mascot Gold Cup 2015
 27 28 29 30
THIS IS PLAY

WORLD WATER BOMBING

Making a (massive) splash for charity

The World Water Bombing Championship celebrates its eleventh year and will be back with a splash on Wednesday 6 May 2015.

Bombers will be getting creative with fancy dress and team names for this wet and wonderful wayof raising money for people affected by cancer. Last year’s costumes ranged from a team of Spartans complete with chariot, the Dudes of Hazard, to elves, crash test dummies, and rock stars!

Teams are graded based on style, splash and presentation by a judging panel which includes two Macmillan nurses and a mystery guest! But if you don’t fancy getting wet you can come down and lend your support for this fantastic event.

facebook.com/pages/World-
Water-Bombing-Championships

WORLD WATER BOMBING CHAMPIONSHIP 6.30PM WEDNESDAY 6TH MAY PONDS FORGE, SHEFFIELD

MAY '15

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
Maldon Mud Race Mascot Gold Cup 2015
2
Maldon Mud Race Mascot Gold Cup 2015
3
Blackawton Festival of Wormcharming / World Pilot Gig Champ...
4
Stilton Cheese Rolling Championship
5
Stilton Cheese Rolling Championship
6
World Water Bombing Championship
 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22
23
Hunting of the
Earl of Rone
24
Hunting of the
Earl of Rone
25
Tetbury Woolsack Races
 26 27 28
29
Robert Dover’s Cotswolds Olimpicks
 30
31
THIS IS PLAY

WORLD EGG THROWING CHAMPIONSHIP

The delight of failing to catch an egg

Egg throwing has been a sport enjoyed by millions of people since early humans discovered the delight of watching the failure of another to catch a tossed egg. Nowadays Egg Throwing is a serious sport played all over the world.

The organised sport of Egg Throwing is thought to date back to at least 1322 when the newly appointed Abbot took possession of the Parish of Swaton by royal decree. It is said that he was the only person to own chickens and ensured the attendance at church of his peasants by providing them with alms of one egg for each attendee. However, when the River Eau flooded, preventing people getting to church, the monks would hurl the eggs over to the waiting peasants.

The 1st World Championship was held in 2006 at its home venue of Swaton, England. This has spawned the All England, The Dutch, Belgium, German, Scottish, Australian, New Zealand and Irish Open Egg Throwing Championships.

www.eggthrowing.com

WORLD EGG THROWING CHAMPIONSHIP SUNDAY 28TH JUNE THE PARK, THORPE LATIMER

JUNE '15

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10
11
World Toe Wrestling Championship
 12
13
Man vs Horse Marathon
Knaresboro’ Bed Race
14
Great British
Duck Race
 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26
27
Swamp Soccer
World Cup
28
World Egg Throwing Championship
Swamp Soccer
World Cup
 29 30
THIS IS PLAY

WORLD PEA SHOOTING CHAMPIONSHIP

Like all good stories, the ‘Peashoot’ has a curious and amusing origin

The village schoolmaster, Mr Tyson, caught some mischievous pupils amusing themselves by pinging their unfortunate schoolmates with peas and he confiscated the offending weapons.

At the time the village had identified a need for a village hall and was seeking ways to raise funds. Mr Tyson came up with the idea of a World Peashooting Championship. The idea was an instant success and was central to each year’s fund-raising activities.

The Championship is run in conjunction with the Village Fair. There are village games on the green, stalls, a barbecue, cream teas and other traditional features all of which bring the community together in a way that is unusual in this day and age.

www.witcham.org.uk

WORLD PEA SHOOTING CHAMPIONSHIP 1.00PM, SATURDAY 11TH JULY THE GREEN, WITCHAM

JULY '15

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4
5
Skipton Sheep Day -
Sheep & Lamb Racing
 6 7 8 9 10
11
World Pea Shooting
Championship
12 13 14 15 16 17
18
World Snail Racing
Championships
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31
THIS IS PLAY

WORLD GRAVY WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP

Placed in the top ten of the weirdest ‘sports’ and pastimes, the World Gravy Wrestling Championship will again be held at the Rose ‘n Bowl, Stacksteads, Rossendale, Lancashire.

Hundreds will gather at the famous Lancashire venue, on the August Bank Holiday, to watch competitors get down and dirty in a pool of gravy.

All the contestants have to do is defeat their opponents in a 2-minute long wrestling match in the Gravy. Points are scored for fancy dress, comedy effect, and entertainment value.

The World Gravy Wrestling Championship is a fun event that aims to raise money for charity and is a great day out with Face Painting, Cake and Sweet Stalls, Raffles, a Bouncy Castle and fine food and drink being served all day.

www.worldgravywrestling.com

WORLD GRAVY WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP 12.30PM, MONDAY 31ST AUGUST ROSE N BOWL, LANCASHIRE

AUGUST '15

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
Lowestoft Thumb Wrestling Champs
Dogget’s Coat
& Badge Race
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14
15
International
Worthing Birdman
Race The Train
16
International
Worthing Birdman
 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26
27
World Bog
Snorkelling
Championships
 28 29
30
31
World Gravy Wrestling
Football at the River
Bank Holiday
THIS IS PLAY

GREAT GORILLA RUN

Planet of
the Japes

Hundreds of people dressed as gorillas will run, jog or walk 8km through the City of London in the 12th annual Great Gorilla Run to help save a species on the edge of extinction.

Since the first Great Gorilla Run in 2003, thousands of people have donned their gorilla suits and joined the 8k fun run route starting at Mincing Court in the City and passing some of London’s most iconic landmarks, including the Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral.

Now in its 12th year, this incredible event has raised more than £2 million for biodiversity conservation and poverty reduction projects in central Africa.

www.greatgorillarun.org

GREAT GORILLA RUN 10.30AM, SATURDAY 19TH SEPTEMBER MINSTER COURT, LONDON

SEPTEMBER '15

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11
12
Newent Onion Fayre Onion Eating Contest
13
World Black
Pudding Throwing
Championship
 14 15 16 17 18
19
Great Gorilla Run
Egremont Crab Fair World Gurning Contest
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27
World Stone Skimming Championships
 28 29 30
THIS IS PLAY

TOUGH GUY MUD BATTLES

Muddy Hell

The only course in the world designed to remove your bravado and hand it to the person behind you!

Tough Guy is a window of opportunity within which to test oneself, on every discipline in life, in one day. The whole point of the Tough Guy experience is to revel in the addiction of fear.

Tough Guy has the ambition to build a course “on the doorstep” of every man, woman, and child. To achieve this, we go back to the roots of Tough Guy to 1986-1991, when the first sods were dug up and the very name Tough Guy was placed upon an old-fashioned cross country run, with an addled bundle of man-made and natural obstacles.

With a pledge to build up to 10 new obstacles at every new event, today there are over 250 to tackle.

www.toughguy.co.uk

TOUGH GUY MUD BATTLES 10.30AM, SUNDAY 4TH OCTOBER TOUGH GUY HQ, WOLVERHAMPTON

OCTOBER '15

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
2
British Musical Fireworks Championships
3
British Musical Fireworks Championships
4
Tough Guy Mud Battles
British Musical Fireworks Championships
 5 6 7
8
Falmouth Oyster Festival Oyster Shucking Competition
9
Falmouth Oyster Festival Oyster Shucking Competition
10
World Porridge Making Championships
Oyster Shucking
11
Falmouth Oyster Festival Oyster Shucking Competition
 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31
THIS IS PLAY

UK ROCK PAPER SCISSORS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Pure, raw, adrenaline

Three hours of pure excitement, adrenaline and tension as 250 competitors battle through seven knockout rounds of rock paper scissors until only one winner remains – the UK champion! Could it be you?

The grand prize is a cool £100, the UK trophy and a bucketload of respect. The event was created after the organiser watched his brother and all his friends make all their decisions at university, such as who buys the next pint, by playing rock paper scissors.

www.wackynation.com/currentevents/ukrps

UK ROCK PAPER SCISSORS CHAMPIONSHIPS SATURDAY 21ST NOVEMBER GREEN MAN PUB, LONDON

NOVEMBER '15

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4
5
Ottery St Mary's Tar Barrel Carrying
 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19
20
World’s Biggest Liar
21
UK Rock Paper Scissors Championships
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30
THIS IS PLAY

PAGHAM PRAM RACE

The oldest pram race in the world...

The Pagham Pram Race has a 60-year history. In 1946, a group of demobbed servicemen decided they would race, one pushing the pram and another dressed as a baby inside it. Of course, they made sure they drank a pint each at all of the village pubs along the way.

Since then the Pagham Pram Race has been run every year on Boxing Day, whatever the weather, starting at the mill on Pagham Road and passing The Bear, The Lamb, The Kings Beach, along a course of approximately three miles that finishes at The Lamb's car park.

Lately there have been as many as 60 Pram entrants. Some of these are fantastically designed floats usually accompanied by topical fancy dress costumes.

The Pagham Pram Race is the oldest continually run pram race in the world and in 2015 it will be celebrating its 70th birthday.

www.paghampramrace.com

PAGHAM PRAM RACE 2.00PM, BOXING DAY THE MILL, PAGHAM ROAD, PAGHAM

DECEMBER '15

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24
25
Christmas Day
26
Pagham Pram Race
Boxing Day
27
Matlock Raft Race
 28 29 30 31