This year’s World Stone Skimming Championships has been cancelled due to Covid.
The popular event takes place on Easdale, one of Argyll’s former slate quarrying islands, near Oban.
Organisers Eilean Eisdeal, the island’s community development group, had hoped to hold the championships on September 25.
But Samantha Payn, a member of the group, posted the bad news on social media.
She wrote: “It is with great regret that we have to tell you that due to the continuous and continuing impact of Covid on the organisation, we have had to cancel the World Stone Skimming Championship 2022 and are sorry for any inconvenience this has caused.”
The championships, which bring visitors from all over the world, last took place in 2019 – the year before Covid struck.
Decades of stone skimming
The event was started in 1983 by the late Bertie Baker, then lay fallow until the event was resurrected in 1997 by the island community development group.
Islanders Donald Melville and Keren Cafferty, previous owner of the Puffer Bar and Restaurant on Easdale, were the main organisers for many years.
Keren moved off the island after selling the bar and Donald decided to retire after 24 years of hard work.
Easdale has a year-round population of around 60. The stone skimming brings between 600-900 visitors to the island during the last holiday weekend of September.
As well as raising funds for local causes, it has helped to shine a spotlight on Easdale, with vast media attention and visits from TV and film crews.
Donald Melville said: “The last time it was held was in 2019. Because it takes so long to organise, we really need to start in the January/February to get everything ready on time. We decided to put it off another year as we weren’t sure if it would be able to go ahead.
“I decided, after being involved every year that it went ahead for 24 years, it was time to stand down.
Disappointing
“It is disappointing to see that the event is not going ahead. I was looking forward to going along and not having to organise it.
“It is just a bit sad. Who knows what the future may bring? They are not saying it is finished forever, hopefully it will be on again in the future.
“I know people who have already booked accommodation for this year. I’m sure they will still come and have fun, there just won’t be any stone skimming.
“It would be a big loss to the island and wider economy if it was to stop permanently.”
The competition is staged in a flooded quarry. Rules are fairly simple – all stones must be of naturally formed Easdale slate and be no more than three inches in diameter.
Anyone of any age or ability can enter.
The rules
Every contestant gets three skims per session and the stone must bounce on the surface of the water no less than twice before being considered a valid skim.
The length of the skim will be judged to the point where the stone sinks into the water. The longest skim in each category is deemed the winner.
Are you interested in more exclusive and breaking Highland and Islands news from the P&J? If so, why not join our dedicated Facebook page HERE
Conversation