Intro:

The annual Shin-kicking World Championships took place in Chipping Campden, UK on Saturday.

Script:

One weekend every year for the last four centuries the rural English town of Chipping Campden has been taken over by the Cotswold Olimpicks - a collection of largely harmless and fun activities for the community to take part in.

Events include sack racing, wheelbarrow racing and tug of war, but the headline event are the Shin-kicking World Championships.

Despite the name, shin-kicking didn't used to be a brutal as it now is, says event chairman Graham Greenall.

SOUNDBITE: (English) Graham Greenall, event chairman:
(On the history of the sport)

"Shin kicking started out as Cotswold wrestling where, almost like Judo, you hold your opponent by the shoulders and you attempt to trip or kick. The under play as it's called. Unfortunately over the years the Cotswold boys thought it needed to be a little bit more vigourous and it gradually developed into something incredibly brutal. They used steel toe caps, they'd harden their shins with coal hammers and broken bones were quite common, It was very brutal."

Shin-kicking is one of the most popular events as part of the local festivities, but that brutality means few are brave enough to turn up for a second helping.

Two-time defending champion Zak Warren, a 24-year-old Stonemason from Pershaw is one of the few familiar faces in the field and he managed to make his way to the final once more.

Warren's opponent in the final was a 24-year-old from Vancouver, Canada - Ross Langill.

The Canadian came across to England specifically to take part in the shin-kicking championships - as well as the famous cheese rolling.

He'll now be taking the shin-kicking crown back home to Canada after defeating Warren in two straight bouts.