Hundreds Take Part in World Cup of Stone Skimming
In the Scottish sun, a group of people in sunglasses and hats — some in shorts, others with cold drinks — are standing by the water.
But these people aren't on holiday. They're here for something very serious: the World Stone Skimming Championships.
Many of us have thrown stones into water. But these men, women and children take stone throwing to another level.
On the first Saturday of September, people from all over the world arrived on the Scottish island of Easdale.
The population of this small island is usually about 60. But once a year, many hundreds more come to skim stones and to watch the events.
Anyone can enter the competitions, although the 350 places in this year's event were taken less than 30 minutes after entry opened.
The sport is quite simple, but there are some important rules. Throwers take turns to skim stones from a standing position on one side of a waterlogged quarry.
The goal is to skim your stone farther than everyone else — but it must stay inside two lines about 10 meters apart.
It also has to bounce at least twice on the water.
Some people skim their stones so far they hit the rock on the other side of the quarry — about 63 meters away!
To make sure it's fair, everyone has to use slate stones found on the island, and they can't be bigger than 7.6 centimeters in diameter.
Everyone has three throws, and the people who throw the farthest go into the final.
At the end, there were prizes for the best local thrower, the best older thrower and the best team, as well as winners in the competitions for men, women and children.
They might never get to the Olympics, but it's a world championship anyone can take part in!
