Fixtures 2023

There are no fixtures scheduled in January
FWA Training League
For details on the FWA training league, contact Nick Major for further details on 01364 652984 or 07931 756321. The weigh in for each competition commences at 10.30am, and the first pull will commence at 11.00am
Sun 26th February - Honiton YFC, Offwell Village, Devon, EX4 9SB - Weights - 600, 640, 680, ladies 580 and 600, mixed 620kg
FWA Training League
For details on the FWA training league, contact Nick Major for further details on 01364 652984 or 07931 756321. The weigh in for each competition commences at 10.30am, and the first pull will commence at 11.00am
Sun 12th March - St Enoder YFC, Penhale Farm, Fraddon, Cornwall, TR9 6NA - Weights - 600, 640, 680, ladies 580 and 600, mixed 620kg
Sun 26th March - Anstey YFC, Anchor Inn, Exebridge, Dulverton, Devon, TA22 9AZ - Weights - 600, 640, 680, ladies 580 and 600, mixed 620kg
Sun 2nd - Glebe Farm, Peel Lane, Astbury, Congleton, Cheshire, CW12 4RQ - Weigh In - 10am - First Pull - 11am - Weights - Men - 600, 640, 680, Catchweight, Mixed 580 4+4 and Ladies and Youth - 520kg, 540kg, and 560kg. YFC Competition - men 8 a side catchweight and ladies 6 a side catchweight - Contact Alan Knott for further details on 07976 591222 (National League 1 - Men, Mixed, Ladies and Juniors)
Sun 2nd - FWA Training League - Haldon YFC, Prickly Ball Farm, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 4RQ - Weigh In - 10.00am - First Pull - 11am - Weights - 600, 640, 680, ladies 580 and 600, mixed 620kg - contact Nick Major for further details on 01364 652984 or 07931 756321.
Sun 9th - East of England Championships - Kempston Hammer Sports Club, Kempston, Bedford MK42 7BN - Weigh In - 10am - First Pull - 11am - Weights Men - 600, 640, 680, Catchweight, Ladies and Youth - 520kg, 540kg and 560kg - Contact Dave Kitchener for further information on 01234 378825
Sat 15th - Cumbria Saturday Night League / Upper Eden TOWC - Carlisle Rugby Club, Warwick Road, Carlise, Cumbria,CA1 1LW - Weigh In - 4pm - First Pull - 5pm - Weights - Men - 680kg and Catchweight - Ladies/Junior - 560kg - Mixed - 600kg - Contact Zoe Glendinning for further information on 07342 678219
Sun 16th - Lincoln TOWC - Harby Village Hall, School Lane, Harby, Nr. Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire, LE14 4BZ - Weigh In - 10am - First Pull - 11am - Weights - Men - 600, 640, 680, Catchweight, Ladies and Youth - 520 and 560 - Mixed - 580kg - Contact Tim Lee for further details on 07774 734674 (National League 2 - Men, Mixed, Ladies and Juniors)
Sat 22nd - Sheen Farmers - The Manifold Inn, Hulme End, near Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 0EX - Weigh In - 10am - First Pull - 11am - Weights - Men - 600, 640, 680, and catchweight - Ladies - 520, 540, 560 - Senior Mixed - 580 - Under 23 Mixed - 560 - Contact Victoria Astle for further information on 07939 914638
EVENT POSTPONED - Sun 30th - Oxney Vines Cross - Capel Village Hall, Falmouth Place, Five Oak Green, Tunbridge, Kent, TN12 6RD - Weigh In - 10am - First Pull - 11am - Weights - Men - 600, 640, 680 - Ladies/Youth - 520, 540, 560 - Mixed - 600 - Contact Mike Hutchinson for further details and to confirm attendance on 07850 382619 - THIS EVENT HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE ON SUNDAY 21 MAY

Free entry tickets to the show must be obtained from Pete Dyer at least 2 weeks prior to the date of the show.

Sat 20th - Devon County Show, West Point Exeter - Register from 12.00 - First Pull 13.00 - Weights - men - catchweight - ladies - catchweight - Contact Nick Major for further details and entry tickets on 01364 652984 or 07931 756321.
Sun 21st - Oxney Vines Cross - Capel Primary School, Five Oak Green Road, Five Oak Green, Tonbridge, TN12 6RP - Weigh In - 10am - First Pull - 11am - Weights - Men - 600, 640, 680 - Ladies/Youth - 520, 540, 560 - Mixed - 600 - Contact Mike Hutchinson for further details and to confirm attendance on 07850 382619

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Sat 17th - NATIONAL OUTDOOR TUG OF WAR CHAMPIONSHIPS - YORKSHIRE
Bridlington RUFC, Dukes Park Queensgate, Bridlington YO16 7LN
Registration Cards Required
Weigh In - Friday 16th June - 3.30pm - 7.30pm at Bridlington Rugby Club
Stamping - Saturday 17th June - from 8am
First Pull - 09.30am
Weights (in pulling order) - please note that the pulling order for the mens competition and the mixed was changed at the 2023 AGM. All weights to be pulled under TWIF rules, with the option for the 720kg and catchweight to be run on a knock-out basis if time is running short to towards the end of the day.
* | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
Senior Men | 560kg* | 640kg* | 600kg* | 680kg* | 720kg | Catchweight | |
Senior Ladies | 500kg* | 540kg* | 520kg* | 560kg* | |||
Senior Mixed | 580kg* | ||||||
Junior Men | 560kg* | ||||||
Junior Ladies | 520kg* | 480kg* | |||||
Junior Mixed | 560kg* |
ALL Registered Clubs are eligible to compete at the National Championships, as long as all pullers are registered with your club by 17 May 2023. There are no pre-qualification events. It is only teams who wish to be eligible to represent England that are required to attend a specified number of events prior to the championships.
* denotes weight categories that are representative weights at the World Outdoor Championships and World Junior Championships and British and Irish Outdoor Championships. To be eligible to be invited to represent England, teams must have competed in a least 6 outdoor permitted tug of war competitions from the fixtures listed above or as many ToWA permitted, organised outdoor competitions in a 200mile radius from the clubs training ground (as the crow flies) that are available, if less than 6 (excluding any training leagues, early pulls, limited events (such as Young Farmers only events) or other similar type of non TOWA event). If a club chooses to compete at an international club tournament outside of England, then attendance at one such tournament would count to one of your 6 events. Junior teams must have also competed in junior weight classes at 4 competitions to be eligible to be invited to represent England. These rules are as per the latest amendment voted in by the membership at the 2022 AGM in January.
If in doubt check with your Area Rep or other member of the General Committee.
Please note that for your attendance at a permitted competition to count towards the England qualifying/selection criteria, competing at an event means weighing in, having your team stamped by a judge, fully completing the entry sheet, and paying the entry fee prior to the start of the competition in at least one weight class borrowing a maximum of 2 pullers from other clubs. The other participating members of your team must be registered pullers for your club. For clarification, you may enter a weight class with 7 pullers in a TOWA open competition (as allowed by the rules) and borrow two pullers, so the minimum number of registered pullers from your club that attend in order to qualify is 5. If competing in a weight class with 8 members, then the minimum number of registered pullers required to qualify is 6.
Please note otherwise, that competing at the TOWA national championships is open to any club registered to the Tug of War Association, and there is no set number of events that teams have to attend to qualify to compete. The qualifying criteria referred to above only applies to those teams wishing to qualify to represent England.
Otherwise, please refer to rule 2.3 of the TOWA rules contained within the TOWA Handbook regarding eligibility to compete at the TOWA National Championships and eligibility to represent England.
Contact the Championships Secretary Mick Grimston for further details on 01205 369753.
For further details about how to enter the championships, please visit the National Championships 2023 page of this web site.
Sun 2nd - Bedford Ladies Open Competition (National League 5) - Kempston Hammer Sports Club, Kempston, Bedford, MK42 7BN - Weigh In - 10am - First Pull - 11am - Weights - Men - 600, 640, 680, catchweight - Ladies and Youth - 500, 520, 540 and 560 - Mixed - 580kg - Contact Emma Stone for further details on 07904 899622 (National League 5)
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Sun 9th - Inter County Championships and Area 7 Championships and National League 6
Memorial Ground, Sandhurst, Berkshire, GU47 9BJ
Weigh In - 10am - First Pull - 11am
INTER COUNTY COMPETITION:
Men 640kg and Men 680kg (registration cards required)
OPEN COMPETITION
(no registration cards required - open weights open to ALL teams):
Men - 600kg, 640kg and 680kg (national league)
Inter County Rules
- Every member of the team has been a member of the Club from the start of the current season on the day of the Competition, or has a birth or residential qualification for the county concerned.
- A team may borrow a maximum of two pullers (including any substitute) which must be declared at the scales. the borrowed pullers must be registered with their own club.
- No member of the team has competed in the County Championships, or represented another County, in the nine months immediately prior to the day of the competition.
- Each county may enter up to 2 teams in each weight class
- Teams entering the Men’s weight classes be able to weigh in and participate with up to two female pullers (as long as those pullers are registered with the relevant club in the usual way or eligible to participate for the relevant county by birth or residential qualification
Contact Peter Craft for further details on 01494 783057
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Sun 16th - South West Area Open and National League 7 - Wrington Sports & Social Club, The Recreation Ground, Silver Street, Wrington, BS40 5QN - Weigh In - 10am - First Pull - 11am - Weights - Men - 600, 640, 680 and Catchweight - Ladies/Youth - 520, 540, 560 - Mixed - 580kg - Contact
Sun 23rd - FWA Championships - Anchor Inn, Exebridge, Dulverton, Devon, TA22 9AZ - Weigh In - 10am - First Pull - 11am - Weights - Men - 600, 640, 680, 720 - Ladies - 580 - Mixed - 600kg - Contact Nick Major for further details and entry tickets on 01364 652984 or 07931 756321.
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Sun 30th July - TUG OF WAR ASSOCIATION TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT DAY
The Tug of War Association will be holding a tug of war training and development day at Holland Sports Club, Potters Way, Efflinch Lane, Barton Under Needwood, Staffordshire, DE13 8BB
The event is open to ALL teams, pullers and coaches from all levels and abilities in England, members and non-members, military/services/regimental teams, cadet teams, and young farmers teams, etc. (men, ladies, under 23s and juniors/GENSB) as well as new teams and anyone looking to get into coaching. The event is also an ideal opportunity for those YFC teams preparing for the national finals at Tenbury Show in August, any teams just starting out ready for 2024 and for military teams preparing for the Braemar Games in September, etc.
Attendance at the training and development day is free of charge.
You don’t have to have a full team available to attend so all teams are encouraged to send available personnel along. Everyone will get plenty of training, so come along, even if you are just a small group or an individual.
Those taking part in the training day will be required to come along with tug of war kit, however please note that for those teams that wish to use the training rig, rubber sole leather boots will be required as the hard sole plastic boots will not be permitted for use on the training slats.
Teams are to assemble at 10.30am to get kitted up and the day will start at 11am sharp. Please ensure a prompt arrival so that training can start on time.
In order to give us an idea of numbers attending so that we can finalise the arrangements and equipment needed for the day, please contact Martin Collins on 07974 918675 or email martinleecollins@hotmail.co.uk with an indication of numbers that are likely to be attending.
Junior pullers – please contact Martin Collins on 07974 918675, or email: martinleecollins@hotmail.co.uk
Under 23 ladies pullers – please contact Dave Kitchener on 01234 378825 or email: Kitchenerdavid56@gmail.com
Under 23 male pullers – please contact Dave Knott on 07779852610 or email: bigknotty720@gmail.com
We hope to see lots of people attending this event!
Sat 5th - NFYFC National Tug of War Finals - Tenbury Agricultural Show, Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, WR15 8AR - Weigh In - 9am - First Pull - 11.30 - Weights - Junior GENSB, Men 680, Ladies 560 - Closed competition for YFC qualifying teams only who have won their previous county and area finals as per NFYFC Competition Rules.
Sun 6th - National League Finals
Cheshire Game and Angling Fair - Peover Hall, Peover Park, Near Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 9HW
Weigh In - 10am - First Pull - 11am
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12 - 13 August - BRITISH AND IRISH OUTDOOR TUG OF WAR CHAMPIONSHIPS
Scotland
Friday 11th - Evening weigh in (further details to be confirmed)
Sat 12th - International Competition- Men - 600 and 680 - Ladies - 520 and 560 - Mixed 4+4 580 – Junior Men - 560 kilos – Junior Ladies 520kg
Sat 13th - Open Club Competition
Further details to be published in due course
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Saturday 19th August - GENSB Youth International Tournament
Germany
560 kilos GENSB Rules Competition for junior tug of war teams - open to junior boys and girls aged between 12 and 18 inclusive. All teams eligible to take part and there are no pre-qualification events.
Visit www.gensb.eu for details on competition rules and to book accommodation and complete your entry forms.
Registrations to take part in this event should be completed by the date stipulated on the GENSB web site
Thursday 31st August - Sunday 3rd September 2023
2023 WORLD OUTDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS AND WORLD JUNIOR AND UNDER 23 CHAMPIONSHIPS
Sursee, Switzerland
Weigh In - Wednesday 30th August (individual weigh in). Tumings to be confirmed
Thursday 31st - TWIF Open Club Competition - Morning - 680 Senior Men - Under23 Men 600 - Under23 Women 500 - Afternoon - 560 Senior Men - 500 Senior Women - Junior Mix 520.
Friday 1st - TWIF Open Club Competition - Morning - Senior Mix 580 - Under 23 Mix 560 - Junior Men 560 - Afternoon - 640 Senior Men - 540 Senior Women - Junior Women 480
Saturday 2nd - World Championships / World Junior & Under 23 - Morning - 680 Senior Men - Under23 Men 600 - Under23 Women 500 - Afternoon - 560 Senior Men - 500 Senior Women - Junior Mix 520.
Sunday 3rd - World Championships / World Junior & Under 23 - Morning - Senior Mix 580 - Under 23 Mix 560 - Junior Men 560 - Afternoon - 640 Senior Men - 540 Senior Women - Junior Women 480
Visit https://tow2023.ch/ for further information
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Tuesday 12th September - Widecombe Fair, Widecombe-on-the-Moor, Devon - Weigh In - 6.30pm - First Pull - 7pm - Weights - Men - Catchweight - Ladies - Catchweight - Mixed - 600kg
Event open to all teams and any individual pullers who want to go along and pull with other clubs for the weekend. Kessingland Beach, Nr Lowestoft, Suffolk
Weigh In on each day 10.00, First Pull on each day 11.00
weights
Saturday - 600, 640, 680, 600 4+4
Sunday - 620, 660, 720, 660 4+4
Accommodation
Park Resorts -

Contact Dave Kitchener for further information on 01234 378825
INDOOR TUG OF WAR
The indoor season is run as a league. Annual team trophies (donated by Len Hall) are awarded for each weight class at the final indoor competition before the national championships for the teams that have accumulated the most points over the course of the season in each weight class.
PLEASE NOTE - All teams are required to notify the Hon General Secretary Mick Copper of their intention to attend each competition in advance so that the sports hall can be booked for the appropriate length of time.
Sun 29th October - Bakewell Showground, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1AQ - Weights - Men 600, 620, 640, 680, catchweight, Ladies and youth 520 and 560 - Weigh In - 10am - First Pull - 11am
Sun 5th November - Bakewell Showground, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1AQ - Weights - Men 600, 620, 640, 680, catchweight, 6 a side weight class, Ladies and youth 520 and 560 - Weigh In - 10am - First Pull - 11am
Sun 12th November - AAA's Indoor Championships
Bakewell Showground, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1AQ
Weights
Closed - Men - 640 and Catchweight - Ladies and Youth - 520
Open - Men 600, 620 680, Ladies and youth 520 and 560
Registration cards required for closed weights. No registration cards required for open weights
Weigh In - 10am - First Pull - 11am
Sun 19th November - Bakewell Showground, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1AQ - Weights - Men 580, 600, 640, 680, Catchweight, 6 a side weight class, Ladies and youth - 520 and 560 - Weigh In - 10am - First Pull - 11am
Sat 2nd - National Indoor Championships
Bakewell Showground, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1AQ
Weigh In – Friday 2nd December – further details to be confirmed
Registration cards required
Saturday morning – stamping of teams – further details to be confirmed
First Pull 10am
Weights (in pulling order)
Men – Catchweight, 640, 560, 720, 600* and 680* (please note that the pulling order for the indoor championships reverted back to the original pulling order by rule change at the January 2016 AGM)
Ladies 520* and 560*
Mixed 580 4+4*
Youth and Under 23
* denotes weight categories that are representative weights at the British and Irish indoor Championships. Winners of those weights may be invited to represent England. To be eligible to be invited to represent England, senior teams must have competed in at least 5 indoor tug of war competitions (excluding the national championships) from the fixtures listed above. Please note that for your attendance at a permitted competition to count towards the England qualifying/selection criteria, competing at an event means weighing in, having your team stamped by a judge, fully completing the entry sheet, and paying the entry fee prior to the start of the competition in at least one weight class borrowing a maximum of 2 pullers from other clubs. The other participating members of your team must be registered pullers for your club. For clarification, you may enter a weight class with 7 pullers in a TOWA open competition (as allowed by the rules) and borrow two pullers, so the minimum number of registered pullers from your club that attend in order to qualify is 5. If competing in a weight class with 8 members, then the minimum number of registered pullers required to qualify is 6.
As per the ruling voted in at the 2018 AGM, there will be a 6 a side weight class held at each indoor event (open competitions only). The nominated weight classes will be 510kg and 480kg. Teams may weigh into these weight classes with 6 pullers or 5 pullers. This weight class will not count towards the criteria for qualifying to represent England. If teams attend an indoor event with 5 pullers to compete in the 6 a side weight class, and wish for the event to count towards the qualification criteria for representing England, then they may borrow two pullers to compete in an 8 a side weight class with 7 pullers as a maximum of two pullers may be borrowed to be eligible to meet the criteria, as set out in the paragraph above.
Please note otherwise, that competing at the TOWA national championships is open to any club registered to the Tug of War Association, and there is no set number of events that teams have to attend to qualify to compete. The qualifying criteria referred to above only applies to those teams wishing to qualify to represent England.
Otherwise, please refer to rule 2.3 of the TOWA rules contained within the TOWA Handbook regarding eligibility to compete at the TOWA National Championships and eligibility to represent England.
Contact the Championships Secretary Mick Grimston for entry forms and further details on 01205 369753.