Irish Tug of War

We have uploaded some videos from the open club competitions at the recent World Championships in Sweden. Thanks to Pat Lee for the footage

Click here to see the first two ends of the men’s 680kg final between Boley and Bosley

Click here to see the third and deciding end of the 680kg final between Boley and Bosley

Click here to see the men’s 640kg semi finals; Lakehill versus OKIA and Engelberg versus Bollen

Click here to see the men’s 640kg final between Lakehill and Engelberg

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Click here to see photos from Day 1 (note there are four pages of photos)

Click here to see photos from Day 2 (note there are three pages of photos)

Click here to see photos from Day 3 (note there are two pages of photos)

Click here to see photos from Day 4 (note there are three pages of photos)

If anyone has any photos from the World Championship please email them to us and we will add them to the Gallery contactus@irishtugofwar.net

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Ireland 720kg team

Weather conditions improved for the last day of the World Tug of War championships in Stenungsund Sweden although the underfoot conditions had deteriorated due to yesterday’s heavy rain. Ireland entered the 720kg competition with a light team weighing no more than 680kg. There were 11 countries in the competition. They met a strong Swiss team in their first pull and lost two straight. They then recovered very well and produced some fine pressure pulling to pick up maximum points from eight matches loosing only to Sweden. They qualified for the semi finals in third position. Ireland were drawn against Sweden in the semi final. Sweden dropped in with huge pressure as the Irish weight disadvantage was evident as they failed to breakdown the Swedish attack in both ends. Ireland then faced the Netherlands for the bronze medal. The Dutch produced a fine performance winning the pull in straight ends to deny the brave Irish team of a medal. Switzerland defeated Sweden to win the gold medal.

Ireland 640kg team

Boley represented Ireland at 640kg in the afternoon. They were drawn in the easier of the two groups which included England, Scotland and Wales. The Irish picked up maximum points in all of their contests except for the English who proved too strong for the men from the south east. They qualified for the semi finals in second place in the group behind England. Switzerland were very strong in the other group winning it without loosing a single end. They were joined in the semi by Germany. Ireland faced Switzerland in the semi final but the Swss were too strong for the Irish team. Ireland then faced Germany for the bronze medal but they could not handle the power of the the German team and had to settle for fourth place. Switzerland defeated England to win the gold.

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Ireland 560kg team

The world International championship began today following the completion of the club championship which saw Boley win gold at 680kg, Lakehill win silver at 640kg and Killylough win bronze at 560kg. Ireland were represented by Killylough at 560kg which got underway in the morning in very wet conditions in Stenungsund. Eight countries took part in the competition which saw the Irish loosing to the Swiss in the first pull of the day. The Monaghan men rcovered well to defeat Wales and South Africa to get 6 points on the board. They then faced Northern Ireland who were represented by Ban Cran who won silver in Minehead last year. This was a very exciting contest which saw the two Irish teams share the points. The Irish then defeated Belgium in straight ends to put them on course for a semi final spot. However Ireland failed to take any points off Sweden or England and were tied for the last semi final spot with Northern Ireland on 10 points, however Ireland were denied the semi final spot as they received more cautions than their Irish neighbours. Nothern Ireland pulled very well to defeat England to win the bronze medal. Sweden defeated Switzerland in the final to win the gold medals.

Ireland 680kg team

Ireland were represented in the mens 680 by pullers from Lakehill, Killylough, Boley and Gortletteragh. 13 countries entered and it was run in two groups. Ireland’s group included England, Netherlands, China, Latvia and USA. They started off well defeating China in two straight ends. They then faced a very powerful Latvia team who did not let the Irish settle in either end to take the points. Ireland recovered to take full points from the USA. The Irish then faced England who were represented by Bosley. They pulled very well in this contest breaking down the English in both ends to take the 3 points. However the Netherland proved too strong for Ireland in the last pull winning it in straight ends. Netherland topped the group with maximum points. Latvia, England and Ireland were tied for second place on 9 points. They all won an equal number of matches and all recived three cautions each. The placings for 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the group were then decided by team weight. The Irish who weighed 680 bang on not only lost out on a semi final place but also lost their place in next year’s world games as both Latvia and England weighed 676 and 679 respectely.

The Irish will be hoping to recover from todays disappointing results on the final day of the championships. Irish hopes turn to Boley tomorrow who are representing in the men’s 640kg.

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Lakehill, world silver medallsts at 640 kilo

40 clubs entered the senior men’s 640kg which was run in eight groups of five teams. Lakehill and Harps were the only Irish teams taking part. Harps pulled well but failed to make any impact in their group. Lakehill had a very difficult group which included Engleberg from Switzerland (reigning European 640kg champions), Heure from the Netherlands (2005 European 640kg champions) and Bluewater from Canada. Lakehill pulled very well taking 9 points from a possible 12 to qualify for the last 16 in second place. In the last 16 they faced Sandhurst B who topped their group. This was a difficuly pull but they managed to overcome them in two straight ends. The Mayo men faced Jaggersrust from the Netherlands in the quarter finals, this was a tuff pull but Lakehill broke them down in both ends to qualify for the semi finals. The semi finals saw Lakehill facing OKIA from the Netherlands. There was a huge Irish support in the arena and Lakehill produced an outstaning performance with some fine pressure pulling to pull the Dutch team over the line in both ends to secure the silver medal.

Lakehill, world silver medallsts at 640 kilo

Lakehill faced Engleberg in the final, both teams having previously faced each other in the group stages. Both teams dropped in hard but the Swiss team were too strong for Lakehill winning the first end in three and a half minutes. Lakehill broke down the Swiss in the second end but Engleberg were again too strong and won the gold medals in a time of around three minutes. Lakehill were very happy with their silver medal and the title of the second best 640 team in the world!

Slaneysiders from Wexford competed in the under 23 competition in the morning. They pulled very well picking up 5 points against very strong opposition but just fell short of qualifing for the knockout stages. The Grove from Co. Mayo pulled well in the mens 720kg but fell short of qualifing for the knockout stages.

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Boley, World Champions at 680kilo

39 teams entered the mens 680kg which was run in four groups. Four Irish teams entered the competition, Boley, Lakehill, Gortletteagh and the Grove. The Grove were making their International debut pulled very well taking 12 points in their group. Gortletteragh also pulled well finishing third in their group. Lakehill entered the 680kg with heir 640kg team but desipte the weight disadvantage pulled well to finish third in their group just missing out on a last eight position. Boley lost a few ends along the way but managed to win their group. In the quarter final they faced Heure from the Netherlands and beat them two straight to make the semi final. They faced TTV Bison another Dutch team in the semi, this was a tuff pull. Boley won the first end and also won the second despite a blow-out. Bosley from England faced SINS from Switzerland in the second semi. Bosley won easily to set-up a repeat of last year European 680kg final in Minehead. Bosley were very strong and won the first end quite easily. Boley used their sub before the second end and the crafty men from the South East managed to wear down the strong English team. Bosley were disqualified in the second end. Boley lost the toss for the deciding end but nonetheless showed a huge amount of determination to pull the rope over the line and win the gold medals and the title of World 680kilo champions.

Killylough, bronze medallists at 560kilo

16 teams entered the men’s 560kg which was run in  two group of 8. The young under 23 team of Slaneysiders from Co. Wexford performed well in their group. Despite having the more dificult group they got 6 point beating an English team two straight and also took ends off Jagersrust from the Netherlands, Hay-on-Wye from Wales and SINS from Switzerland. Goiherri from Spain and Sandhurst from England qualified from that group. Killylough got an easier group and managed to top it, Garvagh from Northern Ireland got second. Sandhurst were too strong for Killylough in the semi final. The final was between Sandhurst and Goiherri and was won by Goiherri. Killylough recovered well to defeat Garvagh two straight to win the bronze medals.

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