Punkin Chunkin

Pumpkin chucking, or for rhyming purposes Punkin Chunkin and Pumpkin Chunking, is the sport of hurling or 'chucking' a pumpkin solely by mechanical means for distance. The devices used include slingshots, catapults, centrifugals, trebuchets, and pneumatic cannons.

Pumpkin chucking competitions, formal and informal, exist throughout the United States in the autumn, and often occur when pumpkins are harvested. World Championship Punkin Chunkin, held annually in November in Delaware by the World Championship Punkin Chunkin Association (WCPCA), was the first and largest annual competition. The event began in 1986, and in 2010 featured over 100 teams, but in 2014 and 2015 it was not held due to logistical problems and its future is uncertain. A European Championship has been held in Bikschote, Belgium each year since 2004.

The Guinness world record shot is held by a pneumatic cannon dubbed "Big 10 Inch", at 5,545.43 feet (1,690.25 m), on September 9, 2010 in Moab, Utah. The shot received certification from Guinness World Records in early February 2011. It has also competed many times at the WCPC event in Delaware. The WCPCA World Record, which includes only shots made at the annual World Championship event, is held by Team American Chunker, captained by Brian Labrie of New Hampshire, at 4,694.68 feet (1,430.94 m) on November 1, 2013, in Bridgeville, Delaware, the longest shot in event history. The difference in results between Delaware and Utah could be due to the higher, thinner, drier air found in Utah providing less resistance and drag, thus greater range.

The range achieved by devices greatly depends on their mass, shape, and size; the yield limits, stiffness, pitch, and elevation of the hurler; and the weather. The pumpkin is another important variable since sabots are often prohibited in competitions. The most common pumpkin varieties used are Caspers, Luminas, and La Estrellas – these varieties typically have thicker rinds and can better withstand the forces of launch. One of the core rules for competition is that the pumpkin must remain whole after leaving the device until hitting the ground for the chunk to count. Pumpkins that burst after leaving the barrel or sling — resulting in the "shot" being disqualified in the WCPC rules — are referred to as "pie" (short for "pumpkin pie in the sky").

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Wikipedia