Report on the Midsummer Throwers meeting 2006 in Pottenstein

For the sixth time, the Midsummer Throwers Meeting took place in Pottenstein (Germany). The meeting was scheduled on short notice for Saturday, June 24, 2006. The weather showed such a friendly face that some throwers had a rather red back in the evening. The 11 participants came from as far as Göttingen in northern Germany to the meeting in Bavaria in the south, and often brought family members with them for moral support. They must be regarded highly for foregoing their chance to watch the pre-quarterfinal in the soccer world cup, Germany against Sweden (2:0).

After a relaxed lunch with cake, coffee and beer the competitions started. In Norberts ever-growing stack of tree rounds, three were painted as targets (each counting 3,2 or 1 points), and in each event you had to throw in 6 passes at each of the three targets. The rules did not allow for a trial throw, which visibly lowered the results. The events were knives 3m and 5m, and axes 4m. Not unexpectedly, the first three places (total score over all events) went to Dieter, Gregor and Michael (100, 96 and 83 points respectively). A junior and the two female participants had also a decent performance. All adult throwers received a mini-switchblade knife as prize (provided by Norbert).

After the contests, some indefatigable throwers continued to train long axe distances (7m, 10m and further), while the others gathered at the barbecue, which Brigitte was in charge of. The ecologically produced mustard was generally approved. Until long after nightfall, all sat together on the beer benches in a very social atmosphere. Because of the many women present, the topics were not all throwing related this time.

Many thanks go to Norbert for again organising the meeting, especially for providing the environment where all could visibly enjoy themselves.

A typical scene in the competitions: highly concentrated throwing, while the arbiter takes down the points and the other throwers try to glimpse some tricks, discuss, and take photographs.
There are all kinds of throwers:
Men,
	women
and youngsters.
	All in all, we have some quite different throwers, who throw together and have fun.
Its an open question, if the sport of knife throwing is mainly for men	or mainly for women.
Behind the throwing targets there is a big safety zone roped off where nobody must enter.
	You don't want to mess with this knife throwing couple...