Giant Dead Eel Tossing Contest Canceled

Associated Press ^ | LONDON Jul 30, 2006 | KATIE FRETLAND (AP)

[pyx]

Purported Animal Activist Forces English Fishing Village to End Annual Dead Eel Tossing Contest

By KATIE FRETLAND

LONDON Jul 30, 2006 (AP)— For more than 30 years, crowds have flocked to the small English fishing village of Lyme Regis to watch an annual tradition two teams of fishermen standing on wooden platforms as human bowling pins, hurling a dead giant eel at each other. But the ritual was abruptly abandoned after an animal rights activist threatened to draw negative publicity to the latest tournament, organizers said Saturday.

The practice, known as conger cuddling, is the annual highlight in the small coastal town about 155 miles southwest of London. The object of the game is to knock the opposing team off the platform by swinging a 25-pound eel at them.

Crowds have flocked to Lyme Regis since 1974 to watch rival teams of nine men swing the giant conger eel suspended in the harbor by a rope and local residents said they are dismayed at the demise of their historic event.

Andrew Kaye, a resident and spokesman for the Lyme Regis lifeboat crews who raise money through the tournament, said an anonymous e-mailer had called the practice disrespectful to the dead eel.

The lone activist threatened to film the contest to attract adverse media attention, Kaye said.

[pyx]

The lone activist threatened to film the contest to attract adverse media attention, Kaye said.

WTF ?!? Disrespectful to a dead eel ?!?

Go ahead and film ! Many of us would pay per view !

[sushiman]

" The practice, known as conger cuddling, is the annual highlight "

Highlight ? Geez , what do they do the rest of the year ???

[GretchenM]

Breaking news? You've gotta be kidding.

[Caipirabob]

"Then the contest shall proceed using a Herring!"

[pyx]

LOL !

[raygun]

Maybe they could establish a new annual event, where they hurl midgets at each other.

[sd-joe]

Boy those English sure know how to party.

LOL

[pyx]

Maybe they could establish a new annual event, where they hurl midgets at each other.

Nah ! Vomiting up little people is so, 1990's ! ;9

[Begin]

But the ritual was abruptly abandoned after an animal rights activist threatened to draw negative publicity to the latest tournament, organizers said Saturday.

Too bad. I plan to mourn the loss of this ritual by taking my girlfriend out for some unagi.

[Begin]

Maybe they could establish a new annual event, where they hurl midgets at each other.

That sounds disrespectful to midgets, no? I propose hurling animal rights activists instead :)

[Troublemaker]

Maybe they could establish a new annual event, where they hurl midgets at each other

...been done.

[pyx]

unagi

Grilled eel in teriyaki sauce on fresh hot Jasmine rice with fresh cold sliced English cucumber on the side with glass or three of ice cold beer is one of many summer favorites around here.

[docbnj]

Lyme Regis is not a "tiny fishing village." It is a well known vacation resort.

People eat eels. From the eel's point of view, if an eel had a point of view, that is in itself pretty disrespectful. Anyway, what do eels eat? (Hint: They are not vegetarians.)

[MadJack]

Not much imagination in that village. That video could have been the key to larger crowds = more pints consumed at the local pubs = more baccudas for the local economy. Of course, some of the anonymous eel lover's friends could also show up. Then the locals could chastize them from the village by beating them with dead eels. Now THAT would be one hell of a video.

[ovrtaxt]

That sucks. I've been practicing my giant deal eel tossing for months now!

[FreedomPoster]

Sign me up. Sounds good.

[sushiman]

" plan to mourn the loss of this ritual by taking my girlfriend out for some unagi. "

Now you're talking my language !

The Sushiman ! ; )

[Solamente]

[nathanbedford]

When they came for the fox hunters, we did nothing...

When they came for the eel throwers, we did nothing...

[Clock King]

Mmmmm!!!! Un-na-gi!!