Giving it some welly

HERM'S New Year Challenge celebrated its 10th anniversary this month with a spirited bout of welly wanging.

The first challenge took place in late 2001, when young islanders Barnaby and Oliver Stacey challenged the gardeners to a go-kart race down Fisherman's Field. The challenge was taken seriously and hours of work and thought went into designing and building the karts.

On the day, the children won and a plaque was created to commemorate the event. The plaque has ever since had pride of place in the Mermaid next to the bar and the names of each year's winners have been added to it.

Over the years, challenges have included designing and building catapults and rafts and beach Olympics.

This year we went back to basics, with the 'wanging' of a fireman's boot.

First up were the children, who to make it fair threw a child's wellie.

Ages ranged from toddlers up to high school students. Winner in the boy's category was 12-year-old Charlie Knight. Leading the girls was nine-year-old Maya George.

For the women, first place went to Lucy Dobson Jones, wife of hotel manager Sion. Second and third places went to Yolandi Moore and Jos Knight, with only centimetres between them.

Unsurprisingly, the main category - and the most competitive - was the men's. Several hugely impressive throws made the frontrunners clear from the start. In the end, third place went to James Hastings and second to Edwin Dyer.

Overall winner - and the one whose name will join others on the plaque - was Will Janse Van Vuuren with an impressive distance of almost 30m. Will also gets to choose the challenge for next year.