Finn takes world mobile phone throwing title

AFP/Yahoo ^ | 8/26/06

[martin_fierro]

Finn takes world mobile phone throwing title

1 hour, 43 minutes ago

HELSINKI (AFP) - Lassi Etelaetalo of Finland beat out a slew of competitors to win the World Mobile Phone Throwing Championships title in Savonlinna, Finland, tossing his handset 89 meters (97 yards), organisers said.

Etelaetalo, who competed in the original "over-the-shoulder-throw" event being held for the seventh straight year, fell short of the world record of 94.97 meters set in 2005.

"It was a really fast throw with lots of power," one of the organisers, Juha Lukkonen, told AFP.

Second place went to last year's champion, fellow Finn Mikko Lampi, who tossed a distance of 87.17 meters.

The games include events for individuals or teams.

Phone throwers can compete in the "original" category, a straight over-arm pitch where length is the main factor, and in "freestyle," where points are also given for style, costume and character, as well as general sobriety.

Organisers say the event is "the only sport where you can pay back all the frustration and disappointments caused by this modern equipment."

Numerous countries now organise national events but at this year's world championship the large majority of competitors were Finns, apart from a few from Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden.

[martin_fierro]

A young competitor throws a moble phone at the annual Mobile Phone Throwing World Championship in Savonlinna, Eastern Finland in 2004. Lassi Etelaetalo of Finland beat out a slew of competitors to win the World Mobile Phone Throwing Championships title in Savonlinna, Finland, tossing his handset 89 meters (97 yards), organizers said.(AFP/LEHTIKUVA/File)

[martin_fierro]

They should've held this competition in Nokia, Finland.

[Issaquahking]

America should pony-up with a baseball version of far a cell phone can fly from a bat!

[butternut_squash_bisque]

I once threw my 6-year old Nokia into the garbage can, across my office. 14ft! Ricocheted off the wall, table leg and into the can. Bada-boom!

I really like my new Nokia/Cingular 6061 clamshell unit!

[G8 Diplomat]

There is a mobile phone throwing competition?!

Though, on the subject, there was also a slurpee-drinking competition at a 7/11 in Canada, a swamp soccer tournament in Finland, and an air guitar contest in Europe. There is also a town in England where it is a tradition for 2 people to get on barges and hurl giant dead eels at each other. What a strange world we live in....

[coconutt2000]

For the free throw event, attach a cell phone to a very large firework, then point it and light it, and take home the trophy.

[Charles Henrickson]

Lassi Etelaetalo of Finland beat out a slew of competitors to win the World Mobile Phone Throwing Championships title in Savonlinna, Finland, tossing his handset 89 meters (97 yards). . . .

I guess Lassi can no longer be a callee.

[Charles Henrickson]

More like the Lassi Projectile.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

For some reason, NO, I CAN'T HEAR YOU NOW and thankyouverymuch....

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

Lassi did receive the Blue Ribbon and a large cut veggie bouquet commonly called the cauliflower. The bouquet is much different here than in Brussels....

[Charles Henrickson]

"freestyle," where points are also given for style, costume and character, as well as general sobriety.

The general sobriety event was canceled when they couldn't find any Finns to compete.

[mikrofon]

Lassi Etelaetalo of Finland beat out a slew of competitors to win the World Mobile Phone Throwing Championships

I was kinda rooting for the 3rd-place finisher, Tossi Etelaefono...

[1rudeboy]

That is a great photo.

[Charles Henrickson]

Lassi did receive the Blue Ribbon. . . .

I'm sure the Finn was very pleased.

[Joe 6-pack]

I heard there was a wonderful reception for all of the winners, although the event was toned down a bit from last year...

[decal]

You're a cingular punster, and not at all phoney...

[Joe 6-pack]

"You're a cingular punster, and not at all phoney..."

I just get a real charge from roaming these threads.

[Charles Henrickson]

It was a Sprint to the Finnish line.

[Joe 6-pack]

"It was a Sprint to the Finnish line."

You must have missed the Victory Lapp.

[Charles Henrickson]

a slew of competitors

But not as many as last year.

Wireless competing this year?

[Joe 6-pack]

"Wireless competing this year?"

Because so very few ever feel the call.

[Charles Henrickson]

All those reindeer up there come in handy. First prize:

venizon
Can you deer meat now?

[mikrofon]

How things have changed in Scandinavia...

2006 AD: "slew of competitors"

1006 AD: Slew THE competitors

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

"All those reindeer up there come in handy."


Yes, and when it comes to their moose-ic, Abba clips are the most popular reintones.

[Charles Henrickson]

Savonlinna

You can Savonlinna lot by shopping around.

[mikrofon]

Second place went to last year's champion, fellow Finn Mikko Lampi

Didn't quite light the Lampi this year, did he?

[speedy]

I hate to Tampere with such a well-done thread, but Vaasa matter with those Finns and their phones? Wire they trying to cell this idea anyway?

[hispanarepublicana]

the event was toned down a bit from last year...

I wonder what that is a signal of? Did they not cell enough tickets? I'd love to have had a peak at the event budget.

[The Spirit Of Allegiance]

We have phones our way, girls just want to have fun, mikrofon has fon his way and Leif Ericsson has phones in Norway.

Unless we're not on the same wavelength here, watt's the big dial?