Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships

In the land of Nokia, the cellphone has been a sought-after accessory since the mid-eighties. Two decades later, Finns have piles of outdated handsets lying around, not to mention pent-up frustration from years of dead batteries and inflated airtime charges. In 2000, Fennolingua, a translation company, organized a championship designed to let Finns “[throw] away their frustrations along with the mobile phones.” In the traditional category, competitors toss old phones as far as possible overhand, while in the freestyle competition, throwers are scored for æsthetics and creative choreography. The winners customarily receive—what else—Brand-new mobile phones.