Area Camping and Welly Throwing

Ashbourne camp

This year’s Area Camping weekend took place on the weekend of 19th/21st June near Ashbourne in Derbyshire. Brilliantly organised by Derby Merlin, over 100 Tablers and their families enjoyed a great few days.

Attending Tables were Derby Merlin, Hucknall, Beeston, City of Derby (who brought along some international guests from the Continent – Bristad 150 Roundtable), Loughborough, and finally Long Eaton. Area Chairman George was of course also being a bit camp. Catering services were provided by Hucknall Roundtable. Events included football, rounders, a climb up Thorpe Cloud, bike riding on the Tissington Train, swimming, running (for one mad fool), eating, BBQ’ing and general merriment.

Golden Welly Trophy. Fuelled by Magners, rather than sponsored by.

But without a doubt the sporting highlight of the weekend was the Area Welly Wanging Challenge, organised by Area Sporting Officer Mike Richardson from Beeston. This also was the first time the recently relaunched Geoff Hine Challenge Trophy was contested. Throwing techniques varied almost as widely as distance achieved, but the eventual winner was Chris Lightbody from Hucknall 578 with an impressive 28.89m wang.

Wanging very close behind Chris was Rob Welsh, also of Hucknall, a mere 3cm short, and 6cm behind him was Simon McCarthor – Hucknall again – with 26.8m. With 5th place Martin Birch, all that split the Hucknall clean sweep were our friends from Bristad whose Par Bonnestig managed 4th with 24.98m. Something tells us that Hucknall had been practicing.

Chairman George impressing the crowd

Fortunately for the Area Sporting Trophy league, scoring is by club, and not individual. So the points went to Hucknall 1st, then Loughborough (22.56m), Beeston (22.27), Long Eaton (21.7) and Derby Merlin (21.67). Honourable mention must go to Broughy from Hucknall who managed to achieve minus 3.28 metres!

A variety of wanging styles were on show

Thanks to John Mad Dog MacManley for supplying the details of the weekend for this article. And for those of you wondering where the heck Bristad is, keep wondering as I’m afraid I have not got a clue either!

(As per normal, click on any of the images for bigger versions).

Oi! Cinders! You forgot your welly!

Wellies away!