The Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships
The Finnish town of Savonlinna becomes every year the capital of the newest sport to come from the land of mobile phones: Mobile Phone Throwing

The latest invention from the Land of Mobile Phones

Finland, the land of mobile phones (you may call them 'cell phones' if you are in north America). It was in Finland where in the early 80's practically everyone had already a mobile phone -outside Scandinavia, the world was still back in the age of those heavy and bulky, brick-like primitive models. It was in Finland where a paper company called 'Nokia' started manufacturing plastic boots, and because the business didn't do very well, then they tried making small mobile phones -that ended up working much better for them... Now, get ready for the latest invention from the country of mobile phones: Mobile Phone Throwing.

Today, the mobile phone is an essential part of our life. It connects us to the world, but when you most need it the battery runs out or your sweetheart doesn't answer or some one doesn’t return your call. Hope, anticipation, passion and frustration concentrates on a mobile phone. If you know what I'm talking about, this new sport is for you. Mobile Phone Throwing is a light and modern Finnish sport that suits for people of all ages and, most importantly, it is the only sport where you can pay back all the frustrations and disappointments caused by these modern equipments.


The Mobile Phone World Championships, Savolinna, Finland

Every year, during the last week of August, hundreds of people from all around the world gather at the small Finnish town of Savonlinna for the annual Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships. The Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships are just that: "throw them away, as far as you can!"

The Savonlinna World Championships are a true meeting of mobile phone throwers of many nationalities and also international media who come to this small Finnish town to cover and report from the Championships. Humour connects people globally and that is also part of this sport.

Participants can compete in several categories: Original, which is the traditional "over the shoulder" throw, where only the length of the throw counts; Freestyle, with no age limits, on individual or team series, based on length of the throw, aesthetics, style and creative choreographics; and Juniors, which is the traditional "over the shoulder" throw, only for children 12 years and under. Usually, the children are thrilled to be allowed to throw away those expensive phones.

As in every sport, there are also certain rules to observe. The contest organiser provides the official World Championships' mobile phones. All mobile phones are original and fitted with batteries, and there are all kinds of brands and models available to choose from. The weight of the phones varies from 220 grams to over 400 grams. Competitors can choose the phone that fits best to his/her hand or looks the nicest. Some competitors have wanted to throw their own phones as far as possible but that's against the rules. During the throw the competitor must stay within the throwing area and the phone must land within the marked throwing sector. The competition's honorable jury will accept or disqualify the throw and their decisions cannot be protested.


An increasingly popular sport

The Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships have been celebrated every year since the year 2000. The first prize was of course a new mobile phone. Since then, the number of throwers has increased every year and that has led to several official national championships being organised all over Europe.

The first national championships was organised in Trondheim, Norway in June 2004. The first prize was a trip to the World Championships in Finland. In February 2005 there was the first Swiss winter championships in Stoos, Switzerland, and the winners won also trips to the World Championships in Finland. The first German championships were arranged in June 2005 in Germany. The winners won win trips to the World Championships in Finland as well. All those nationalities -and many more others- will come to Savolinna this summer to challenge the world record.


A pioneering technology: The Nordic Mobile Telephony System

In Finland, direct dial car phones were introduced in 1971. In 1981 the Nordic Mobile Telephony System (NMT) was launched for the general public in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Most people in the world did not realise it at the time, but the Nordics were at the forefront of the world's mobile phone technology, a technology that was was going to change our lives.

The British company Vodafone -the world's largest mobile operator- only launched their network some three years later, in 1985. By that time, mobile phones were already widely used in the Nordic countries.


Matthias Berndt, July 2005

Do you want to know more about the Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships? Savonlinna Festivals - the official website of the Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships. Traveling to Finland? - Nordic Directory > Tourism - Tourist information, brochures and tourist literature. - Scandinavica.com > Travel - book your flights and accommodation here. - The Scandinavian Shop > Travel - Finland - tourist guides, where to go, what to do, maps and language manuals.