Odd championships & world titles.

A world title can come down to a well-aimed pea, a hard-wearing conker or a stone that keeps skipping across water. This collection gathers contests whose kit is often wonderfully ordinary and whose competitors take it all very seriously. Worm charming, peashooting, conkers and Easdale’s stone skimming each reward a different skill. Much of the pleasure is watching someone do a seemingly simple thing exceptionally well, even if you came expecting only a comic afternoon.

Not every championship happens in a field. Carrbridge’s Golden Spurtle makes porridge the centre of competition, while bog snorkelling sends entrants into a place most people would happily walk around. Gravy wrestling and custard pie throwing produce their own very visible results. Decide whether you want to follow technique, enjoy the spectacle or have a go yourself. An event can be funny without the entrants, organisers or rules being a joke.

Read the entry conditions before deciding a strange title must be easy to win. Organisers may split age groups, cap places, supply particular equipment or set qualifying requirements. Each guide explains what's known and links to the latest information. If you'd rather watch, look at the wider programme too: Egremont’s gurning championship is part of its Crab Fair, so there's more to the day than the face that ends up in the photograph.

Use the map to find a contest somewhere you'd enjoy visiting, then build the day around the real programme. Check whether watching and entering are charged separately, and whether you need to apply in advance. The usual month is handy for looking ahead, but it doesn't confirm an unannounced edition. You don't have to enter to make the trip worthwhile. You can be a splendid audience for a championship while keeping your own conkers, porridge and dignity safely out of contention.