Grasmere Sports to Stage Under-10s Cumberland and Westmorland Wrestling World Championships

The Grasmere Sports and Lakeland Show, returning during the August Bank Holiday weekend after a two-year absence due to Covid, has a very special pull for the young wrestling stars of the future.

The show has just announced that it has been awarded the right to stage the prestigious Under-10s Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling World Championship and will be handing the best young exponent of this traditional sport both a world title and trophy.

The competition for under-10 wrestlers will take place on August 28, 2022, featuring both boys and girls, in one mixed-gender competition.  This contest will take place alongside others, which will crown their own Grasmere Sports champions in both male and female categories.

Young Cumberland and Westmorland wrestlers could come from families boasting past champions or fierce competitors, but they could equally be trailblazers, or children taking up the ancient sport as brand-new competitors.

Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling has been part of the cultural tradition of the Lake District for centuries and has been well-documented in newspapers and books for over two hundred years.  Its appeal for young wrestlers will be partly rooted in this heritage, but youngsters may also relish the chance to potentially one day become the next ‘Rock’ or Hulk Hogan.

All young wrestlers will need to abide by the specific rules governing Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling and understand the ins and outs of ‘backhold’ wrestling.  They will also need to master the hipes (lifting throws),  ‘buttocks’ (twisting throws) and trips, including inside clicks, cross clicks, back heels and outside strokes, that make the sport such a spectacle.

Whilst the wearing of the traditional costume is encouraged, it does not have to be the full regalia of the Cumberland and Westmorland wrestler.  Grasmere Sports likes to see competitors wearing a pair of socks long johns or tightly fitted leggings, an elasticated centrepiece around the waist and a singlet vest or tee-shirt.  Wrestling kit must not be muddy or torn prior to competing and can be of any colour.  Girls can wrestle in a kilt, shorts or tracksuit bottoms.

“In the past, the formality of the costume has deterred young wrestlers from getting involved,” says Grasmere Sports and Lakeland Show’s Sports and Field Manager, Deborah Black.  “With some relaxation of the rules on dress and the chance to scoop a world championship title, which could then potentially help start a journey towards becoming the next big name in wrestling, we expect concerns about apparel to evaporate somewhat.

“We cannot wait to welcome many keen young Cumberland and Westmorland wrestlers to Grasmere and to award the World Championship trophy and title to the most successful on the day. The young wrestlers who compete in 2022, could well be our future male and female champions in future years and there’s every opportunity for visitors to watch and enjoy their progress.”

Youngsters wanting to take up the sport over the next few months, can take advantage of tutorial videos at The Cumberland & Westmorland Wrestling Association (CWWA) website, or join one of three clubs in Cumbria currently teaching the sport at present. These can be found in Carlisle, Kendal and Waberthwaite.

Further details about Grasmere Sports and Lakeland Show, first organised in 1868, can be found at www.grasmeresports.com

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Editors notes

Grasmere Lakeland Sports and Show is an iconic event taking place in the heart of the English Lake District on the August Bank Holiday weekend. Its long historic roots date back to 1868 and it is renowned for its fell running, hound trails and Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling competitions, as well as being a fantastic family day out.