St. Peter's Aldborough Hatch
38th St. Peter's Flower Festival and Craft Market
The First-ever Aldborough Hatch Extreme Ironing Championships will be held on Sunday 24th June 2018 on The Green
38th St. Peter's Flower Festival and Craft Market
The First-ever Aldborough Hatch Extreme Ironing Championships will be held on Sunday 24th June 2018 on The Green
Historical background
Extreme ironing (also called EI) is an extreme sport in which people take ironing boards to remote locations and iron items of clothing. According to the Extreme Ironing Bureau, extreme ironing is "the latest danger sport that combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well-pressed shirt."
Some locations where such performances have taken place include a mountainside of a difficult climb; a forest; in canoe; while skiing or snowboarding; on top of large bronze statues; in the middle of a street; underwater; in the middle of the M1 motorway; whilst parachuting; and under the ice sheet of a frozen lake. The performances have been conducted solo or by groups.
Phil Shaw invented the sport. He arrived home in 1997 in Leicester after a hard day's work in a knitwear factory to a mountain of ironing and decided it was too dull to iron indoors, so he took it into his garden. When his housemate came home he asked what Phil what he was doing, and Phil said, "Extreme Ironing".
There is a German branch of the Extreme Ironing Bureau and the first World Championships were held in 2002, with eighty teams from ten countries who navigated an obstacle course, pressing boxer shorts and blouses while scaling a climbing wall, hanging from a moss-covered tree branch and squeezing through the bonnet of a car. When judging the ironing counts for 60 points, style for 40 and speed for 20.
There are now some 1,500 extreme ironists practising worldwide and some teams have received corporate backing. Calls are now being made for the sport's inclusion in the Olympics. "If you can have synchronised swimming and curling, I think extreme ironing has as much to offer," Phil has said. And I am with him all the way, especially up that climbing wall!
Ben Fogle - the TV presenter, explorer and toff, whose book I have just read entitled 'English, Marmite, Queuing and Weather' - holds the view - to which I would fully subscribe - that whilst EI is not as physically challenging as some sports, the difficulty lies 'in the extreme embarrassment of ironing in a street in front of large crowds'.
A branch of ironing has been developed that includes both bungee jumping and well-pressed clothing. Bungee ironing is what some would call the ultimate in the thrill of extreme ironing. The sport gained international attention after a documentary entitled Extreme Ironing: Pressing for Victory, was produced for Channel 4 by Wag TV. The programme followed the British team's efforts and eventual Bronze and Gold placings in the 1st Extreme Ironing World Championships in Germany. A side-story looked at the rivalry between the EIB (Extreme Ironing Bureau) and a breakaway group called Urban Housework who were trying to establish their own extreme sport based around vacuum-cleaning.
Ron Jeffries, Chief Judge 6th February 2018
Rules and Entry Form below
Final date for Application: 31st March 2018
38th St. Peter's Flower Festival and Craft Market
The First-ever Aldborough Hatch Extreme Ironing Championships will be held on Sunday 24th June 2018 on The Green
Contestants are invited to apply to enter the above Championships. Closing date: 31st March 2018
Rules
The Championships be divided into two stages:
Stage One: Stationary Ironing in which the Contestants are required to iron two tea towels and two handkerchiefs to a high standard over a 10-minute period, points being awarded for ironing (60 points) and style (40).
Stage Two: Ironing on the Obstacle Course. Along the pathways in the churchyard where three 'ironing points' would be marked where contestants would be required to iron one tea towel and one handkerchief to a high standard at each 'ironing point'. A series of simple obstacles would litter the course (but no climbing ladders, onto roof tops or up church towers for we want to encourage both the young and the not so young to participate). Points would be awarded as follows: ironing (40 points), overcoming obstacles with style and grace (40) and speed (20 to the winner, 15 to the second and 10 to the third). Those coming in after an hour would be referred to the paramedics on hand that day.
Stage One: Stationary Ironing in which the Contestants are required to iron two tea towels and two handkerchiefs to a high standard over a 10-minute period, points being awarded for ironing (60 points) and style (40).
Stage Two: Ironing on the Obstacle Course. Along the pathways in the churchyard where three 'ironing points' would be marked where contestants would be required to iron one tea towel and one handkerchief to a high standard at each 'ironing point'. A series of simple obstacles would litter the course (but no climbing ladders, onto roof tops or up church towers for we want to encourage both the young and the not so young to participate). Points would be awarded as follows: ironing (40 points), overcoming obstacles with style and grace (40) and speed (20 to the winner, 15 to the second and 10 to the third). Those coming in after an hour would be referred to the paramedics on hand that day.
In view of the undoubted fact that some of our more mature - and highly experienced - ironers may be somewhat daunted by the idea of dashing round the churchyard with their ironing boards, contestants may enter for either Stage One or Stage Two - or both.
Suitably inscribed cups would be presented to the winner of each Stage with a further cup for the overall winner of both Stages - to be retained until the date of the next Championships. The winners' names would be inscribed on the cups. Certificates will be awarded to all, including those who need paramedic attention. National and international fame would follow
Maximum sizes: Ironing Board - 56" long by 36" high; tea towels - 30" x 15"; handkerchiefs - 15" x 15"
Attire should be appropriate for the time of year (no mini-skirts or pyjamas, please; we do not want anyone flaunting themselves in unseemly fashion).
Entry fee: a punnet of fresh strawberries from each contestant (for sale in the Refreshment Bar at the Festival).
The Championships would be widely advertised in the media - local press, TV and radio to encourage maximum crowds and TV, radio and press coverage. Paramedics would be invited to be in attendance. Stewards will control the crowds. Fighting, biting, sabotaging ironing boards, swearing, uncouth language and other unruly behaviour will be frowned upon - miscreants to be ceremoniously tossed over the hedge!
Ron Jeffries CSM, Chief Judge
(CSM: Certified of Sound Mind
(CSM: Certified of Sound Mind
Entry Form - please complete and return not later than 31st March 2018 to:
Ron Jeffries, 37 Spearpoint Gardens, Aldborough Road North, Aldborough Hatch IG2 7SX
Ron Jeffries, 37 Spearpoint Gardens, Aldborough Road North, Aldborough Hatch IG2 7SX
Name: …………………………………………………………………………….. Mr/Mrs/Ms (please delete)
Address: ………………...…………………………………………………………
……………………………………………….. Post Code: ……………………….
Telephone: ………………………………………………
I wish to enter for Stage One/Stage Two (please delete if only one stage) and confirm that I have the support of my parents/ partner/wife/husband/GP/ grandparents/children/carer/neighbours
Signed: …………………………………………………………
Date: ………………………………………….
Applicants will be advised whether or not the Championships will be staged, depending on a minimum number of entrants making application by 31st March 2018
