Yes – your eyes may firmly be fixed on the Premier League table between the months of August and May, but there’s a different sort of competition where the true winners seek to rise to the top in October. It’s a competition that comes with a hefty dose of nostalgia, but just as much fighting spirit as a game of football – although you might come out of this one with more bruised knuckles, as the Peckham Conker Championships return to South London this weekend – on Saturday, October 12.
Conkers is a game that we may associate with a simpler time, but there’s probably nothing innocent about hundreds of people getting together to fight for the prized title of true Peckham Conker Champion. Which is exactly what’s set to happen this weekend in London…
Peckham Conker Championships take place at Peckham Rye station arches on October 12 this year, and you can still grab a ticket to compete. (You can also just turn up and watch… but where’s the fun in that? Plus, if it gets too busy they may restrict entrance to only those with tickets.)
The game of conkers
Never played conkers before? Well, you have missed out but it’s not too late, comrades! Here’s how it works: Grab your conker – the seeds of a horse chestnut you’ll start seeing scattered around London parks at this time of year – and hook it up to some string. Once you’ve made your fighter, you take it into battle. You and your opponent take turns exchanging blows (hitting each other’s conkers) until only one conker remains. Whoever holds the unshattered conker is the victor. It’s the kind of deranged and innocent fun that we all loved as children, and playing in a competition is sure to reignite that feeling.
As always, two competitions will take place at Peckham Conker Championships: a Junior and a Senior competition. Within the Junior competition, there will be two groups so everyone can atke part: one for Under 9’s, and one for Under 15’s. The Senior competition will be for all entrants over 16.
And the prize? Well, you’ll have your name permanently marked in Conker history. But you’ll also receive the famed ‘golden nut’ 22-carat gold trophy. Take it home and reap the eternal glory of the conk over at Peckham Rye next month.
One last thing – they go by the Battle Royale rules, where you must win at all costs… This means that ‘nut-pimping, stampsies and any kind of cheating’ is not just allowed – it’s encouraged.
Peckham Conker Championships take place under the arches of Peckham Rye train station on October 12, and you can find out more or sign up to take part here!