World Finger Jousting Championships at World Alternative Games 2014

Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales, UK, 10 August 2014 - Competitors from five countries competed in the World Finger Jousting Championships at the World Alternative Games in Wales. Sara Galvao of Portugal and Denis Taylor of Russia crowned as new world champions.

The 2014 World Finger Jousting Championship competitors

On Sunday, 10 August 2014 the official World Finger Jousting Championships were hosted by the World Alternative Games 2014 and sanctioned by the sport's governing body, the World Finger Jousting Federation (WFJF). The tournament took place in Britain's smallest town, Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales.

Split into two categories - Male and Female – the competition was once again a truly international affair with competitors hailing from Russia, Portugal, New Zealand, Wales, and England. Players competed in a round-robin format played to a six-point victory, or a time-limit, over three quick-fire, 30-second rounds of finger jousting action.

Finger jousting – known as Ymwan Bys in the Welsh language – is a sport where two consenting players square off in an attempt to prod their opponent with their lancing (right) index finger before the opposing player can. The competitors must keep their right hands locked in an arm wrestling fashion and not use their legs or latent (left) arm in an offensive manner. The competitors are known as jousters, and the act of touching the other person's body with the index finger is known as lancing.

Tazzy Cadman (ENG) and Jasmine Reah (WAL) Finger Jousting in Llanwrtyd Wells

The day of the tournament saw ex-Hurricane Bertha land on the British Isles, but that didn't put off the hardy competitors at the World Alternative Games, with outdoor events including worm charming, a space hopper race, and egg throwing taking place outside.

During the morning a number of exhibition matches and preliminary contests took place to whet the appetite for the afternoon's major tournament. A number of local competitors lined-up to take on the tournament referee and the WFJF's British Consul, "Squire" Richard Gottfried, in a mixture of Quick Play and Point Play Rules matches.

Rhodri Haines (WAL) vs Marc Broughton (ENG) at the World Alternative Games 2014

The afternoon saw competitors able to head indoors to the Victoria Hall (Neuadd Fictoria) which was home to the World of Grip, the Portaputt Crazy Golf course and the stage for the World Finger Jousting Championships.

To read the full tournament results, report and to see more photos of the event please visit the World Finger Jousting Federation website.