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 Exotic Events > Spitting and pulling!
 Prune-stone spitting
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Prune-stone spitting
( :Virginie Traversier) |
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For the last 4 years, Sainte Livrade has been putting on a world championship prune-stone spitting competition each summer, with some 140 contestants from 12 different countries (2002 entries).
Each entrant is kitted out with a special tee-shirt and cap and, of course, competition size prunes. The elimination rounds are judged by a jury of locals and the contest can be very close, with prolongations and « golden prune-stone » play-offs to decide the grand winner.
Last year saw Stéphane Ferret winning with a 10m 95cm launch, just 2 cm ahead of his nearest rival. For the record, runner up was Sister Theresa…
Melon-pip spitting
Not far from Nérac, visitors to the village of Fréchou (pop. 259) have a good laugh with the « revived ancient custom » of spitting melon pips across a square called a « melodrome ».
The world record here is the 10m 46 cm achieved in 2001, while the 2002 winner was a certain Angela Almeda with a mouth-propelled melon pip launch of 7m 53cm. Any takers ? All comers are welcome…and the melons are absolutely delicious.
World record : 48 bottles in 5 minutes
The Buzet wine area stages the world championship wine bottle uncorking competition during the village of Lavardac’s annual fête. Contestants train hard all year then test their skills at the fête, after much ‘wrist warming’ ( !?). The contestants are easy to spopt in the crowd, flexing their knees, bottles firmly trapped betwwen their legs, with facial expressions of deep concentration. The world record, held since 1997 by local cork-puller Gérard Alaux, is 48 bottles in 5 minutes, a pop every 6.25 seconds. The whole thing is taken ever so not too seriously, with other wine-based prowesses such as barrel rolling, part of the show too.
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