World Alternative Games 2021

The countdown is on until the 2021 World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells.

The World Alternative Games were due to take place in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales this month. The fifth edition of the Games have been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and are now scheduled for August 2021.

The festival of strange, obscure and interesting sports takes place over three weeks and sees thousands of athletes and spectators descend on the town to compete in, and marvel at, the sporting action.

The first edition of the World Alternative Games were held in 2012 to celebrate the huge year of sport and offer an alternative to elite sport with an open-to-all event. The second edition took place in 2014 and every two years thereafter. There were 35 events in 2012 and 60 titles up for grabs in 2014.

The competitors from the first-ever Finger Jousting Championships held on UK soil back at the 2012 World Alternative Games

The Games are a superb mass participation multi-sport event and really do encourage everyone to get involved. Many spectators end up as competitors and the serious obscure sports enthusiasts very often take up a new sport after visiting.

The medalists from the 2014 Finger Jousting World Championships

Some of the sports included at previous editions include wife carrying, chariot racing, cheese rolling, pooh sticks, underwater hockey, archery, office chair racing, hay bale tossing, finger jousting, stone skimming, underwater rugby, space hopper racing, horseshoe throwing, bog snorkelling, crazy golf, worm charming, conkers, world of grip, zombie fun runs, plank racing, rock paper scissors, hide n seek and toe wrestling. There have been many many more contests and the 2021 event will be packed with a wide range of different sports and games to play.

World of Grip was a tough challenge!

I have been a competitor, volunteer, organiser, advocate and promoter of the World Alternative Games since the first event in 2012.

With my Corinthian medal from competing in the World of Grip events

I organised the World Finger Jousting Federation Championships at the first Games in 2012. Prior to that tournament I took part in the Egg Throwing Championships with my team-mate Jas Kukielka and we ended up winning the World Title!

On the World Alternative Games podium

It just goes to show that anything can happen when you're at the World Alternative Games!

The champions cooling down after the event

Spot the egg...

Visit the World Alternative Games website to find out more.

As well as being the UK's smallest town Llanwrtyd Wells is famous for being the host venue for a number of quirky and unusual sports and games, including the World Bog Snorkelling Championships and the annual Man versus Horse Marathon.

See more of my blog posts about the World Alternative Games.

Medals from the Oswestry Games

A look at medals from the Oswestry Games in 2012.

These are some of the best medals I've ever won playing minigolf. They came from competing in tournaments at the 2012 Oswestry Games in Shropshire.

The Gold was from the BMGA & Putterfingers Oswestry Games Minigolf Championship and the Bronze medal was from the BMGA Oswestry Games Pro-Am Minigolf Classic. The silver medal was won by Emily in the Pro-Am team competition.

The Oswestry Games were a superb multi-sports event and festival of sport. They tapped into the Olympic spirit of London 2012.

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The British Transplant Games

A look ahead to the 2021 British Transplant Games in Leeds.

We were due to be heading down to Coventry this week to support our friend (and minigolf rival) John Moore in the British Transplant Games. Unfortunately the 2020 Games in Coventry have been postponed to 2023 due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

However, plans are well underway for the 2021 British Transplant Games that will be taking place in Leeds next August. We love visiting Leeds and are really looking forward to the event.

Transplant Sport’s flagship event aims to raise awareness of the life-saving benefits of transplantation.

The Westfield Health British Transplant Games have been running for over 40 years. Each year the games sees teams from hospitals across the UK come together to compete in a number of sports. The four-day event attracts around 1,000 transplant athletes and more than 1,500 supporters.

Find out more on the British Transplant Games and Transplant Sport websites.

We've attended the British Transplant Games in Newcastle Gateshead (2015), Liverpool (2016) and Birmingham (2018).

Last summer we were at the 2019 World Transplant Games in Newcastle Gateshead. They were the 22nd edition and the first held in the UK since the Manchester Games in 1995.

I've run in two races at the transplant games - The Gift of Life Run last year was my second 5k, after the Donor Run at the 2018 British Transplant Games in Birmingham.

The Westfield Health British Transplant Games, organised on behalf of the charity Transplant Sport, will take place in venues across Leeds from the 5th to 8th August 2021.

Visit the NHS website to join the NHS Organ Donor Register.

The 2019 World Transplant Games in Newcastle Gateshead

We had a brilliant time in Newcastle and Gateshead at the weekend. We were visiting to cheer on our friend, minigolf rival and GB international athlete John Moore in the 2019 World Transplant Games.

The World Transplant Games is a multi-sports event with thousands of athletes from 53 countries competing in 16 sports. Sporting events range from Archery and Athletics to Darts, Football and Golf to Tenpin Bowling, Squash, Swimming and Volleyball.

It was brilliant to see all of the World Transplant Games signs, banners and activity around Newcastle and Gateshead

The 2019 World Transplant Games are the 22nd edition and the first in the UK since the Manchester Games in 1995.

We've previously been to the British Transplant Games in Newcastle, Liverpool and Birmingham.

The Games were created to be a celebration of a second chance of life, and to demonstrate the success of transplant surgery while also promoting the need to raise public awareness of organ and tissue donation.

I got some very nice pins for my sporting badge collection at the Games

There are currently around 6,080 people on the transplant waiting list including around 150 children and teenagers. On average three people die every day who could have benefited from an organ transplant.

If you want to save lives through organ donation and join the NHS Organ Donor Register it only takes a few minutes to sign up. Do ask your family and friends whether they want to be donors too.

After a healthy walk it was nice to get to heart of the city to see the Athlete's Parade through Newcastle on Saturday afternoon.

A snap with the Games mascot Hope at the Athlete's Parade

With the athletics getting underway on Sunday John got off to a winning start, with victory in the 5k Road Race in both the individual and team categories.

Emily and I also took part in the Gift of Life 5k Run at Exhibition Park and the Town Moor on Sunday.

After the 5k run

The Gift of Life Run was my second 5k, after the Donor Run at last year's British Transplant Games in Birmingham. I felt a lot better this time and really need to run some more

Another day and another photo with Hope the mascot

While having a lovely walk around Newcastle and Gateshead on Saturday we found the Petanque Boulodrome and watched a bit of the practice.

The upper terrain

Petanque players practicing on the middle terrain

We enjoy playing petanque and it was superb to see the game being played at the World Transplant Games.

Australian players practicing on the third terrain

The petanque terrains had been created on a car park and the approach to the Sage Gateshead music centre. It looked like it had been turned into a really good spot to play the tournament. A great use of a car park.

Our friend Kay, John's sister, is a volunteer at the Games and one of the sports she has been assigned is Petanque.

A view of the two lower terrains

Events are taking place across Newcastle, Gateshead and Sunderland until Friday 23rd August. For more information visit the World Transplant Games website.

Links:
- World Transplant Games 2019
- Join the NHS Organ Donor Register

Minigolf to feature in the CSIT World Sports Games 2019

Speed minigolf to feature in the CSIT World Sports Games 2019 in Tortosa, Spain.

A new version of minigolf will feature in the CSIT World Sports Games 2019 in Tortosa, Spain this July.

The CSIT World Sports Games are organised by the International Workers & Amateurs in Sports Confederation, and are recognised by the International Olympic Committee.

The WMF International Minigolf Speed Championships 2019 will take place over three competition days, with medals awarded each day in six age categories in three different speed disciplines on a version of a miniaturegolf (eternit) course.

In action on an Eternit Miniature Golf course at the Nations Cup in Tampere, Finland

The event will be played with one official championship ball to keep the conditions equal for everybody. The draft course layout can be viewed on the WMF website. The 12 hole course has been developed with a miniaturegolf (eternit) style, but the lanes will be slightly smaller than normal to allow easier hole-in-ones reflective of the fast-paced nature of the event.

You can find out more about the WMF International Minigolf Speed Championships 2019 and the event format on the World Minigolf Sport Federation website.

The CSIT World Sports Games is an international event with thousands of participants that takes place every two years in a different city. It is based on the idea of the International Workers’ Olympiad of the 1920s/30s and celebrated in an environment of tolerance, respect and sustainability.

One of the main aims of CSIT is the idea of Sport for All and the organising of Games for amateurs & workers, competitive & non-competitive, for young & old, men & women from all over the world.

The CSIT World Sports Games 2019 will feature 19 CSIT Championships including events in Athletics, Football, Judo, Tennis, Table-Tennis, Para-Sport, Petanque, Wrestling and more.

In addition to these events there will be 15 CSIT Partner Championships including Cheerleading, Powerlifting, American Football, the intriguing Fireball(!) and more.

As well as Minigolf the CSIT World Sports Games will also feature Pitch & Putt and Golf tournaments.

The CSIT and the WMF are both members of GAISF, the Global Association of International Sports Federations.

The World Minigolf Sport Federation is the umbrella organisation of 63 Minigolf sports associations worldwide with continental associations in Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania. There are more than 38,000 competitive minigolf players registered with the WMF via the 63 member nations, with 900-plus clubs between them. Over 1,000 courses are approved for official competitions and over 1,500 minigolf tournaments are held each year.

Emily and I have competed in a number of international WMF events, including the Nations Cup in Finland and Sweden and the World Adventure Golf Masters in England.

Emily holds the British women's record score on the miniaturegolf (eternit) format of the game after scoring a round of 24 (-12) on an 18-hole course at the 2011 WMF Nations Cup in Sweden.

Emily playing hole 1 on her way to a British women's record round on the Eternit format of the sport at the WMF Nations Cup 2011 in Stockholm, Sweden

We were both in the sport's international rankings from 2008 to 2016 following our debut for the Great Britain team at the 2008 Nations Cup championships in Tampere, Finland.

Links:
- CSIT World Sports Games 2019
- World Minigolf Sport Federation
- International Workers & Amateurs in Sports Confederation
- Global Association of International Sports Federations

Related blog posts:
- WMF
- Spain
- Eternit
- World Minigolf Sport Federation

2018 World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales

The World Alternative Games, the multi-sport event for quirky, odd and obscure games, is back for its fourth-edition.

As ever, the festival of sport will be taking place in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales and competitors will be flocking to the town between the 11th and 27th August 2018 to take part in an action packed calendar of events for people of all ages and abilities.

Sports include egg throwing, worm charming, 4 Square, finger jousting, backward running, pea shooting, bog snorkeling, wheelbarrow racing and much much more.

We had a superb time at the inaugural event in 2012 and the follow-up in 2014.

Alongside Jas Kukielka I captured the 2012 World Egg Throwing Championships!

Check out the World Alternative Games website for more details and the event schedule.

The World Alternative Games in Llanwrtyd Wells

I recently found out about The World Alternative Games 2012 that are taking place in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales from the 17th of August and the 2nd of September. It sounds brilliant.

The multi-sport event features a number of weird and wacky, bizarre, odd and obscure, fringe sports - some of which I have participated in over the years!

Looking at the website there will be a total of 49 events during the fortnight, including an opening & closing ceremony.

As an avid fan of alternative sports and games I've heard of a fair few of them, but others, like Underwater Rugby, The Mad Shopper and Welsh Crempog Race are new to me!

Some of the sports/championships on offer include the World Bathtubbing Championships, Gravy Wrestling, the International Under Water Hockey Championships, Conkers, Barrel Rolling and a Ditch Race! Of those sports I've heard of there will be events in Worm Charming, Rock Paper Scissors, Pea Shooting and Pooh Sticks.

The World Alternative Games is planned to become a bi-annual event, so if you can't make 2012, there's always 2014. Fingers crossed that Crazy Golf, Thumb Wrestling and Finger Jousting make the schedule in two years time...

Link:

- The World Alternative Games - Brochure

Related Blog Posts:

- Rock Paper Scissors

- Worm Charming

- Behold...

Minigolf Report - Gottfrieds win at the Oswestry Games in Shropshire

17th July 2012

Press Information

For Immediate Release

Minigolf Report from the Oswestry Games ‘Oslympics’ in Shropshire

Luton Minigolfers Richard and Emily Gottfried competed in two Minigolf tournaments as part of the Oswestry Games multi-sport event on the 14th and 15th July. Richard won the BMGA & Putterfingers Oswestry Games Minigolf Championship on Sunday, while Emily collected a silver medal in the BMGA Oswestry Games Pro-Am Minigolf Classic team event on Saturday.

The Podium at the BMGA & Putterfingers Oswestry Games Minigolf Championship - Richard Gottfried (Gold), John Moore (Silver), Marc Chapman (Bronze)

The Saturday BMGA Oswestry Games Pro-Am Minigolf Classic team competition was contested at the 18-hole Eternit-style Miniature Golf course in Oswestry’s Cae Glas Park and saw Emily and her team mates Ruth Burke and Christian Urbano end as runners-up to the team of Marc Chapman, Steve Sturdy and Chris Powell. Richard teamed up with John Moore and Ed Odametey and finished in third place.

The field of players at the BMGA Oswestry Games Pro-Am Minigolf Classic at Cae Glas Park

BMGA Oswestry Games Pro-Am Minigolf Classic Silver Medallist - Emily Gottfried

Richard Gottfried practicing the 'Middle Hill' obstacle at Cae Glas Park's Minigolf Course

In the elite player competition on Sunday seven players competed over 36-holes on a Putterfingers 9-hole portable Crazy Golf course at Oswestry Leisure Centre. Richard won the BMGA & Putterfingers Oswestry Games Minigolf Championship with a total of 73(+1) after rounds of 40(+4) and a course record 33(-3). Newcastle’s John Moore was runner-up with a total of 77(+5) and Canterbury’s Marc Chapman was third with 78(+6). Emily finished in 6th place with a score of 89(+17).

Richard Gottfried playing hole 1 of the Putterfingers Mini Golf course

Richard said “We had a wonderful three days in Oswestry and two great days of coaching events and competitions. I’m incredibly happy to have won an Oslympics gold medal in the BMGA and Putterfingers elite player contest. John Moore and Marc Chapman had a good lead over me heading into the second round but I was able to score nice and consistently on the tricky layout to set the course record and pick up a BMGA Tour victory. I’d like to thank the Oswestry Games organisers for including Minigolf in the programme of events at the Oslympics."

Richard Gottfried playing hole 2 of the Putterfingers Mini Golf course

Emily said “The Oswestry Games was a fantastic event and I’m really happy that I was able to take part, as well as to come away with a couple of medals! The games, the park, the courses and the people in Oswestry were all very nice and welcoming and I enjoyed the whole weekend. The Minigolf tournaments were well organised and great fun, and it was nice to meet, advise and play Minigolf with local players and novices.”

Richard Gottfried playing hole 4 of the Putterfingers Mini Golf course

The Minigolf competitions were part of a ten-day festival of sports and culture which saw over fifty events in 33 sports take place at the Oswestry Games. Richard and Emily were part of the coaching team delivering Minigolf training sessions with the British Minigolf Association. On Friday 13th July the BMGA team also took part in the Oslympics Open Quiz and won the bronze medal in a 14-team contest.

Ends