Most of us think of doping or game-rigging when it comes to cheating in sports. In Scotland this week, it meant a handful of competitors showed up to the World Stone Skimming Championships with suspiciously polished rocks.
The annual event takes place on the island of Easdale, where the rules are simple. Every stone must come straight from the quarry, no bigger than three inches across, and able to bounce at least twice before sinking. But some contestants brought stones that looked oddly perfect, and some had tell-tale signs of a cheater. Judges spotted edges too smooth to be natural and tiny marks that suggested sanding or shaping.
“I got calls from concerned competitors. They were worried people might think that’s how things are done here,” Toss Master Kyle Mathews, who runs the event, told The Scottish Mail. He confirmed the culprits admitted what they had done, apologized, and accepted disqualification.
Multiple Stone Skimmers Caught Cheating at World Championship Event
The incident drew unwanted attention for a contest better known for its eccentricity than controversy. Over 2,000 people traveled to the Hebrides this year to skim slate across the flooded quarry. No one competes here for cash.
The prize is a trophy and a little bit of glory. That’s why the doctored stones struck such a nerve. Easdale’s appeal is in the challenge itself—making the most of whatever uneven shard the quarry gives you.
Organizers are already talking about new safeguards. One option would be to force everyone to pick from stones collected by officials, cutting out the temptation to bring in outside gear. Mathews said the priority now is keeping the event as fair as it is strange.
Despite the disqualifications, the weekend still produced champions. Jonathan Jennings of Kentucky became the first American man to win, while Lucy Woods collected her sixth women’s title. The contest’s format hasn’t changed much since it was revived in 1997—early rounds narrow the field, and a final “toss-off” decides who carries the crown.
Easdale itself is tiny, with only about 60 residents, and the championship helps fund community projects that keep the island going. The pebble tampering still left a mark, though. Even in a sport built on something as simple as skipping rocks…someone had to be an a**hole.
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