It’s here! The moment East Mercians look forward to every year… The Championships!
Held annually in Nottingham, East Mercia during the second week of May, the Championships are a time-honoured tradition celebrating different kinds of martial prowess. Athletes compete in any of five categories: Marksman (archery), Fleetfoot (obstacle courses), Swordsman (armed combat), Gunner (ballistic weapons), and Warrior (strategy). Each category has five bouts, so there is a full week of amazing events to watch both inside and outside of the Champions Arena. The overall winner becomes the Champion, a title held a record 7 times by Robyn Loxley.
In addition to watching the events both live and through broadcasts, the people of East Mercia also celebrate the time leading up to the Championships with special amateur and in-school competitions. The best amateur competitor in each category is also eligible to participate in the main games.
To kick off the festivities today, competitors will visit the statues of past champions to pay their respects. Afterward, people gather in Champions Square for a communal potluck and fireworks display. (As you can imagine, it’s the best meal many people in the Outer Circle get all year…)
Want to know more about the different categories? Visit the new Championships wiki page!
And get up to date with this year’s featured competitors (not to mention scandals!) on Nottingham News, with a very special episode coming this Thursday.
