Ever gone for a wholesome bushwalk, spotted a serene little lake, and immediately decided it was time to test your stone-skimming prowess?
One perfect flick, seven bounces, mild shoulder strain — surely world-championship material.
Well, steady on. Because at the World Stone Skimming Championships, things have taken a rather rocky turn.
Last week in Scotland, the famously peaceful event was shaken (yes, rocked) by scandal when several competitors were caught sneaking in suspiciously polished stones. Polished. At a stone-skimming competition. Honestly.
Held annually on the island of Easdale, the contest has delightfully simple rules: stones must come straight from the local quarry, be no larger than three inches, and bounce at least twice before sinking into the watery abyss. No cash prizes, no sponsorships — just a trophy and bragging rights you’ll dine out on forever.
But judges noticed something fishy. Some stones were far too smooth, with edges that screamed “DIY sanding project” rather than “honest lump of slate”. Toss Master Kyle Mathews confirmed the cheaters owned up, apologised, and were promptly disqualified — presumably sent home to think about what they’d done.
Over 2,000 people still flocked to the Hebrides to fling rocks for glory. Champions were crowned, traditions upheld, and organisers are now considering tighter controls — possibly issuing official stones to avoid any future… pebble tampering.
Moral of the story? In stone skimming, as in life, cheating is a slippery slope.