Metal nut? Cheating scandal rocks World Conker Championships

The World Conker Championships said that it was investigating allegations of cheating after this year’s men’s winner was found to have a steel chestnut in his pocket.

For those who aren’t aware of this childhood game, conker fights – or simply ‘conkers’ – involves using the seeds of horse chestnut trees and threading them onto a piece of string or a shoelace. Each player takes turns in striking each other’s conker until one breaks. The first recorded game was on the Isle of Wight in 1848 and the World Conker Championships were set up in 1965.

More than 200 enthusiasts of the game entered the annual competition last weekend in the small village of Southwick in central England, with veteran player Dave Jakins, 82, winning the men’s tournament.

However, organizers said they launched an investigation after claims that Jenkins – AKA King Conker, a name he got after competing since 1977 – may have used a steel chestnut.

The allegations were raised by Alastair Johnson-Ferguson, who lost in the men’s final against Jakins after his conker “disintegrated in one hit,” The Telegraph newspaper reported.

Organizers confirmed a steel conker was found in Jakins’ pocket. Investigations were ongoing, but they said that it appeared unlikely that he was able to cheat under the scrutiny of judges.

Jakins has denied the allegations.

St John Burkett, a spokesperson for the World Conker Championships, said: “Allegations of foul play have been received that somehow King Conker swapped his real conker for the metal one later found in his pocket.” 

“He was very closely watched by four judges. It looks like it was absolutely impossible for him to cheat,” he added. “We are investigating.” 

The title of World Conker Champion went this year to Kelci Banschbach, originally from Indianapolis. The 34-year-old was crowned “queen conker” after beating Jakins in the final. She became the first American to win the World Conker Championships title. 

Additional sources • The Telegraph, AP