The world’s quirkiest faces have been showcased at this year’s World Gurning Championships in Egremont, Cumbria, with 19-time champion Tommy Mattinson finally dethroned. Ryan Barton, a 42-year-old father of two, claimed the men’s title after Mattinson was unable to compete due to ill health.
In the women’s category, last year’s champion Claire Lister was narrowly beaten by Lynn Kelly in a dramatic finish.
Gurning, a rural English tradition, challenges contestants to pull the strangest facial expressions, framed by a part of a horse harness called the collar. The two-day event, part of the historic Egremont Crab Fair and Sports dating back to 1267, also features wheelbarrow races and horn-blowing contests.
Organisers said Barton dedicated his win to his late uncle, Peter Jackman, a gurning legend. They also wished Mattinson a speedy recovery. Meanwhile, Lister’s daughter Kendall claimed victory in the junior category, continuing the family’s gurning legacy.
