Pumpkin Chunking

Pumpkin Chunking

Pumpkin Chucking, or for rhyming purposes Punkin Chunkin 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.

A pneumatic cannon named 'Big 10 Inch' holds the current world record by firing a pumpkin 5,545.43 feet (1,690.25 m). The world record shot took place September 9, 2010 in Moab, Utah. The shot received certification from Guinness World Records in early January, 2011. Pumpkin chunking competitions, formal and informal, exist throughout the United States in the autumn, and often occur when pumpkins are harvested. World Championship Punkin Chunkin, held in Delaware, is the oldest and largest annual competition. The event began in 1986 and featured over 100 teams in 2010. A European Championship is held in Bikschote, Belgium, and has been held there each year since 2004.

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. A usual rule is that the pumpkin must remain whole after leaving the device for the chunk to count. Pumpkins that burst after leaving the barrel or sling are referred to as "pie" (short for "pumpkin pie in the sky").