The World Gurning Championships has two new champions for 2025.
Reigning champion Tommy Mattinson – who has won 19 times since 1986 – was unable to make the grand finale of the historic fair due to illness, so the title was truly up for grabs.
The championships are the climax of the 757-year-old Egremont Crab Fair.
Its history is unclear – the first records date back to 1852 when it was described as an ‘ancient tradition’.
To gurn means to snarl like a dog, look savage and distort the face and the championship sees people go head to head to pull the ugliest facial expression they can through a horse collar, known as a braffin.
But the actual origin of gurning is obscure – with the first ever official World Gurning Championships taking place in the 20th century.
Initially, the championship was a combined men’s and women’s competition, but in 1978, a separate women’s category was properly introduced.
Marie Quinn, reported to be the USA Champion, is the only woman in history to gain a place in the top three, coming in second place in 1974.
The first junior gurning contest then took place a year later in 1979.
Ryan Barton is the 2025 World Gurning Champion.
Ryan dedicated his win to his uncle, Peter Jackman – another gurning legend. Peter died a few years ago, but crab fair organisers said his memory still lived on.
In the Women’s Gurning Championship, multiple-champion Claire Lister was pipped at the post by Lynn Kelly.
However, Claire’s daughter Kendall took home bragging rights for the Lister clan by becoming junior champion.
Earlier in the day, Cumbria Crack caught up with two gurners who were going for the title.
Ady Zivelonghi and Ged Eccles have been competing for years.
Ged has been coming since he was a child and has been gurning since then too.
He was trained by Ron Looney, the original ‘Popeye’ gurner.
He said Ron used to sit him down as a child and help him practice in front of a mirror.
Ged was planning to reveal a new gurn for last night.
He said he swore by ice cubes and water and once the apple parade is over he heads home all afternoon to practise!
Both said they fel very passionate about coming and keeping the tradition and fair alive.
Ady has been coming since around 2000 and is from Coventry. He said it was the people and tradition that kept him coming back.
On his first year he bottled doing the gurning, but after he did it he never looked back.
He also said for him his gurn is like muscle memory and riding a bike.
Both also said Egremont really got behind them when they were up on stage.
Dot Swinburn was also honoured for raising £30,000 for the crab fair over the last 20-plus years by holding prize bingos.
Neil Brady won the adult’s horn blowing class and also the hunting song contest, and organisers said it was a close run thing with Shona Tate, who penned her own track about her challenges cycling to work between Egremont and St Bees.
Ollie won the junior talent contest.
Crab Fair Queen for 2025 was Nova Proctor.
You can see the World Gurning Championships hall of fame here.
Here are our photos from Dancing in the Street, which kicked off the crab fair on Friday night.
