Finnish skittles
Encyclopedia
Finnish skittles is a centuries old game of Karelia
n origin. The aim in Finnish skittles
is to throw wooden skittle bats at skittles, trying to remove them from the play square using as few throws as possible. Skittles can be played with four-man teams, in pairs or as an individual game.
people knew about the game in Suojarvi
and Salmi
, but even there it was only played in remote villages. The game was also known in Karelian Isthmus
and Ingria
areas.
After the kinship wars
the people that had migrated into Finland
played skittles during their Karelian summer festivals.
In 1951 there was a movement to revitalise Finnish skittles with the approval of President Urho Kekkonen
. A set of rules and a scoring system were created, taking into account the traditional Karelian skittles terms and rules.
Karelian Skittles Association was registered in 1986. Later on, the name was changed to Finnish Skittles Association in 1993.
Finnish Skittles Association is a member of Finnish Sports Federation SLU (Suomen Liikunta ja Urheilu), a non-governmental sports federation for over one million Finns.
The chairman of Finnish Skittles Association is the former 3000 m steeplechase world record holder Pentti Karvonen
.
. During 1951–1961 the Finnish championships for men's team event were held in Seurasaari
, Helsinki. Since 1961 the games have been held together with the Karelian summer festivals around Finland. Men's individual event was added to the curriculum in 1954, but the first championship medals were given in 1964, when the sport was officially given a championship status. In 1971, the first Finnish championship medals for veterans individual event were given. At the end of the 1980s, a new form of play was introduced, as the first Finnish Championship for individual pentathlon was held. The latest addition in Finnish Skittles is men's pairs event in 2005.
The first individual championships for women were held in 1973 and women's pairs event in 1980.
As for skittles Finnish championships, there are tournaments for men's team event and women's pairs event, individual pentathlon, men's and men's veterans (aged 60 or older) pairs event, as well as for individual event for men, women, veterans and juniors. Moreover, there are indoor championships during the winter for men's team event, women's pairs event and individual games.
In order to be able to compete on the top level for Finnish Championship medals, players need to achieve at least two championship scores during the previous season (+23 for men, +15 for women).
Every year there are also Nordic Championships held either in Finland
or Sweden
, including e.g. a national match between Sweden
and Finland
. Finnish Skittles is mainly played in Finland
, although there are half a dozen Swedish skittles clubs, one strong club in Estonia
and some activity in Russia
. The third world championships in Finnish Skittles were held in Karlsruhe
, Germany
in 2006. The fourth world championships were held in Molodechno, Belarus
July 31 – August 6, 2009. In addition to Finnish skittles, two versions of Russian Gorodki
were also played in the championships. Finland stroke gold in men's team event, women's pairs and in mixed pairs. In men's individual game Finns filled all podium places and women took gold and silver. In 2011 the world championships were held in St. Peterburg, Russia.
During summertime skittles is being played on a hard gravel field. During wintertime the games are held indoors on gravel, but the game can also be played outside on packed snow or ice (e.g. on parking lots or on frozen lakes).
There is lots of activity outside Finnish Skittles Association during wintertime, especially in universities. In February, one of the biggest student tournaments in Finland, Academic Skittles World Championships, is held on the parking lots of Tampere University of Technology. Winter skittles is also played a lot in Lappeenranta University of Technology
, as well as in Oulu University.
Priest = a skittle worth one point on the back- or sideline of the playing square.
Intruder = a skittle worth two points, that has moved into the front of the playing square.
Kona = a line of skittles on the front line, formed by building two skittles tall towers.
There are also some unofficial terms, such as:
Pike (fish) = Student slang for a throw that totally misses all the skittles.
Tower = a pair of skittles in a form of a tower, where one skittle is on top of another.
Women: +28
Outdoor skittles is played on a gravel surface which should be as even as possible. The playing field, including fringes, measures about 7 by 22 m (23 by 72.2 ). The field is composed of two playing squares and an area dividing the field into two. The home team's throwing square is the playing square of the opponent. The playing square measures 5 by 5 m (16.4 by 16.4 ) and the area between the squares is 10 metres (32.8 ft). Playing squares for children under 10 years measure 3 by 3 m (9.8 by 9.8 ) and the area between the squares is 6 metres (19.7 ft).
SKITTLES
The skittles are wooden cylinders rounded at the corners, with a height of 100 millimetres (3.9 in) and a diameter of 70–75 mm (2.8–3 ). At the beginning of the game, pairs of skittles are placed on the front line of the playing square. In team games, 20 pairs of skittles are placed at intervals, with 10 centimetres (3.9 in) margins. In individual games, 10 pairs of skittles are similarly placed, with 125 centimetres (49.2 in) margins. On a small playing field, the distance from the side line is 25 centimetres (9.8 in).
BATS
The bats are made of wood, rounded and equipped with handles. The maximum length of the bat is 850 millimetres (33.5 in) and its maximum thickness is 80 millimetres (3.1 in). There are no limitations for its weight.
THROWING DISTANCES
Boys and girls under 8 years make their opening and continuing throws in the playing square from a 4 metres (13.1 ft) distance (field 3 × 3 m, intermediate area 6 m). Boys and girls under 10 years make their opening throw from 6 m and continue throwing from 4 m. Boys and girls under 12 years make their opening throw from 8 m (field 5 × 5 m, intermediate area 10 m) and continue throwing from 6 m. Boys and girls under 15 years make their opening throw from 10 m and continue throwing from 8 metres (26.2 ft).
Women make their opening throw in the playing square from a 10-m distance and continue throwing from 8 m. Veteran women over 70 years make their opening and continuing throws from 8 m.
Men make their opening throw in the playing square from a 15 metres (49.2 ft) distance and continue throwing from 10 m. Veteran men over 70 years make their opening and continuing throws from 10 m. In team and pair games, 70-year-olds may open the play from the sides only when the other team members have not been able to knock any skittles out of the playing square.
PROGRESS OF THE GAME
Skittles can be played with four-man teams, in pairs or as an individual game. In team and pair games, the players have two bats at their disposal. In individual games, four bats can be used per turn.
Each player in his turn steps up to the throwing square and by throwing the bat tries to knock the skittles out of the playing square. Skittles thrown out or unused bats yield points; skittles remaining in the playing square or between the playing squares yield minus points.
Skittles remaining in the playing square (crones) yield two minus points; skittles remaining on the lines (priests) yield one minus point, and unused bats yield one point.
The first half ends when either team or pair clears its playing square from skittles. The opponent may throw the same number of bats per half. After this, sides are changed, and the second half is played like the first one. The team with the highest total score is the winner. The winner is awarded two points for the victory. When the play ends in a tie, both teams receive one point. A defeat gives 0 points.
In individual games, 20 bats per half may be used. The first player throws four bats, whereafter the turn goes to the opponent, and after four bats, back again. The result of the player equals the number of unused bats (1 point per bat). When there are no skittles on the field, sides are changed and the second half is played like the first one. The final score of the player is the total result of both halves.
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
n origin. The aim in Finnish skittles
Skittles (sport)
Skittles is an old European lawn game, a variety of bowling, from which ten-pin bowling, duckpin bowling, and candlepin bowling in the United States, and five-pin bowling in Canada are descended. In the United Kingdom, the game remains a popular pub game in England and Wales, though it tends to be...
is to throw wooden skittle bats at skittles, trying to remove them from the play square using as few throws as possible. Skittles can be played with four-man teams, in pairs or as an individual game.
History
In 1894, a Finnish author and photographer I. K. Inha wrote in his diaries concerning his journey to White Karelia, that the game he had discovered was almost extinct and it was only played in remote villages. In Karelia around lake LadogaLake Ladoga
Lake Ladoga is a freshwater lake located in the Republic of Karelia and Leningrad Oblast in northwestern Russia, not far from Saint Petersburg. It is the largest lake in Europe, and the 14th largest lake by area in the world.-Geography:...
people knew about the game in Suojarvi
Suoyarvi
Suoyarvi is a town and the administrative center of Suoyarvsky District of the Republic of Karelia, Russia, located northwest of Petrozavodsk. Population:...
and Salmi
Salmi
Salmi is a rural settlement and town near Pitkäranta in Republic of Karelia ....
, but even there it was only played in remote villages. The game was also known in Karelian Isthmus
Karelian Isthmus
The Karelian Isthmus is the approximately 45–110 km wide stretch of land, situated between the Gulf of Finland and Lake Ladoga in northwestern Russia, to the north of the River Neva . Its northwestern boundary is the relatively narrow area between the Bay of Vyborg and Lake Ladoga...
and Ingria
Ingria
Ingria is a historical region in the eastern Baltic, now part of Russia, comprising the southern bank of the river Neva, between the Gulf of Finland, the Narva River, Lake Peipus in the west, and Lake Ladoga and the western bank of the Volkhov river in the east...
areas.
After the kinship wars
Heimosodat
The term in Finnish historiography heimosodat in English literally "Kindred Nations Wars", "Wars for kindred peoples" or "Kinship Wars" for Finnic kinship. It is often erroneously translated as "Tribal Wars"...
the people that had migrated into Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
played skittles during their Karelian summer festivals.
In 1951 there was a movement to revitalise Finnish skittles with the approval of President Urho Kekkonen
Urho Kekkonen
Urho Kaleva Kekkonen , was a Finnish politician who served as Prime Minister of Finland and later as the eighth President of Finland . Kekkonen continued the “active neutrality” policy of his predecessor President Juho Kusti Paasikivi, a doctrine which came to be known as the “Paasikivi–Kekkonen...
. A set of rules and a scoring system were created, taking into account the traditional Karelian skittles terms and rules.
Karelian Skittles Association was registered in 1986. Later on, the name was changed to Finnish Skittles Association in 1993.
Finnish Skittles Association is a member of Finnish Sports Federation SLU (Suomen Liikunta ja Urheilu), a non-governmental sports federation for over one million Finns.
The chairman of Finnish Skittles Association is the former 3000 m steeplechase world record holder Pentti Karvonen
Steeplechase (athletics)
The steeplechase is an obstacle race in athletics, which derives its name from the steeplechase in horse racing.-Rules:The length of the race is usually 3000 m; junior events are 2000 m, as women's events formerly were. The circuit has four ordinary barriers and one water jump. Over 3000 m, each...
.
Competition history
Men's team event was the first form of competitive skittles in FinlandFinland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. During 1951–1961 the Finnish championships for men's team event were held in Seurasaari
Seurasaari
Seurasaari is an island and a district in Helsinki, Finland, known mostly as the location of the Seurasaari Open-Air Museum, which consists of old, mainly wooden buildings transplanted from elsewhere in Finland and placed in the dense forest landscape of the island.Every summer, many Helsinkians...
, Helsinki. Since 1961 the games have been held together with the Karelian summer festivals around Finland. Men's individual event was added to the curriculum in 1954, but the first championship medals were given in 1964, when the sport was officially given a championship status. In 1971, the first Finnish championship medals for veterans individual event were given. At the end of the 1980s, a new form of play was introduced, as the first Finnish Championship for individual pentathlon was held. The latest addition in Finnish Skittles is men's pairs event in 2005.
The first individual championships for women were held in 1973 and women's pairs event in 1980.
Finnish skittles today
From May till October, the member clubs of the Finnish Skittles Association hold national tournaments (around 20–30 tournaments), regional championship tournaments and local club tournaments around Finland.As for skittles Finnish championships, there are tournaments for men's team event and women's pairs event, individual pentathlon, men's and men's veterans (aged 60 or older) pairs event, as well as for individual event for men, women, veterans and juniors. Moreover, there are indoor championships during the winter for men's team event, women's pairs event and individual games.
In order to be able to compete on the top level for Finnish Championship medals, players need to achieve at least two championship scores during the previous season (+23 for men, +15 for women).
Every year there are also Nordic Championships held either in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
or Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, including e.g. a national match between Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Finnish Skittles is mainly played in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, although there are half a dozen Swedish skittles clubs, one strong club in Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
and some activity in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. The third world championships in Finnish Skittles were held in Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe
The City of Karlsruhe is a city in the southwest of Germany, in the state of Baden-Württemberg, located near the French-German border.Karlsruhe was founded in 1715 as Karlsruhe Palace, when Germany was a series of principalities and city states...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 2006. The fourth world championships were held in Molodechno, Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
July 31 – August 6, 2009. In addition to Finnish skittles, two versions of Russian Gorodki
Gorodki
Gorodki is an ancient Russian folk sport whose popularity has spread to Karelia, Finland, Sweden, Ingria, Lithuania, and Estonia. Similar in concept to bowling and also somewhat to horseshoes, the aim of the game is to knock out groups of skittles arranged in various patterns by throwing a bat at...
were also played in the championships. Finland stroke gold in men's team event, women's pairs and in mixed pairs. In men's individual game Finns filled all podium places and women took gold and silver. In 2011 the world championships were held in St. Peterburg, Russia.
During summertime skittles is being played on a hard gravel field. During wintertime the games are held indoors on gravel, but the game can also be played outside on packed snow or ice (e.g. on parking lots or on frozen lakes).
There is lots of activity outside Finnish Skittles Association during wintertime, especially in universities. In February, one of the biggest student tournaments in Finland, Academic Skittles World Championships, is held on the parking lots of Tampere University of Technology. Winter skittles is also played a lot in Lappeenranta University of Technology
Lappeenranta University of Technology
The Lappeenranta University of Technology was established in 1969. The university campus is situated on the shore of lake Saimaa, about 7 kilometres away from the city center...
, as well as in Oulu University.
Skittles terms
Crone = a skittle worth two points inside the playing square or on the front line of the playing square.Priest = a skittle worth one point on the back- or sideline of the playing square.
Intruder = a skittle worth two points, that has moved into the front of the playing square.
Kona = a line of skittles on the front line, formed by building two skittles tall towers.
There are also some unofficial terms, such as:
Pike (fish) = Student slang for a throw that totally misses all the skittles.
Tower = a pair of skittles in a form of a tower, where one skittle is on top of another.
Skittles individual game records
Men: +30- Harri Kanto, Janakkala Skittles Club (1991, 1993)
- Harri Aaltonen, Janakkala Skittles Club (1992)
- Esko Rautiainen, Kuopio Skittles Club (2000)
- Veli-Pekka Juvonen, Imatra Skittles (2003)
- Marko Peiponen, Nurmes Skittles Club (2009)
- Veli-Pekka Ehoniemi, Helsinki Suojärvi Club (2011)
Women: +28
- Päivi Ruotsalainen, Orivesi Karelia Club (2011)
Skittles short rules
PLAYING FIELDOutdoor skittles is played on a gravel surface which should be as even as possible. The playing field, including fringes, measures about 7 by 22 m (23 by 72.2 ). The field is composed of two playing squares and an area dividing the field into two. The home team's throwing square is the playing square of the opponent. The playing square measures 5 by 5 m (16.4 by 16.4 ) and the area between the squares is 10 metres (32.8 ft). Playing squares for children under 10 years measure 3 by 3 m (9.8 by 9.8 ) and the area between the squares is 6 metres (19.7 ft).
SKITTLES
The skittles are wooden cylinders rounded at the corners, with a height of 100 millimetres (3.9 in) and a diameter of 70–75 mm (2.8–3 ). At the beginning of the game, pairs of skittles are placed on the front line of the playing square. In team games, 20 pairs of skittles are placed at intervals, with 10 centimetres (3.9 in) margins. In individual games, 10 pairs of skittles are similarly placed, with 125 centimetres (49.2 in) margins. On a small playing field, the distance from the side line is 25 centimetres (9.8 in).
BATS
The bats are made of wood, rounded and equipped with handles. The maximum length of the bat is 850 millimetres (33.5 in) and its maximum thickness is 80 millimetres (3.1 in). There are no limitations for its weight.
THROWING DISTANCES
Boys and girls under 8 years make their opening and continuing throws in the playing square from a 4 metres (13.1 ft) distance (field 3 × 3 m, intermediate area 6 m). Boys and girls under 10 years make their opening throw from 6 m and continue throwing from 4 m. Boys and girls under 12 years make their opening throw from 8 m (field 5 × 5 m, intermediate area 10 m) and continue throwing from 6 m. Boys and girls under 15 years make their opening throw from 10 m and continue throwing from 8 metres (26.2 ft).
Women make their opening throw in the playing square from a 10-m distance and continue throwing from 8 m. Veteran women over 70 years make their opening and continuing throws from 8 m.
Men make their opening throw in the playing square from a 15 metres (49.2 ft) distance and continue throwing from 10 m. Veteran men over 70 years make their opening and continuing throws from 10 m. In team and pair games, 70-year-olds may open the play from the sides only when the other team members have not been able to knock any skittles out of the playing square.
PROGRESS OF THE GAME
Skittles can be played with four-man teams, in pairs or as an individual game. In team and pair games, the players have two bats at their disposal. In individual games, four bats can be used per turn.
Each player in his turn steps up to the throwing square and by throwing the bat tries to knock the skittles out of the playing square. Skittles thrown out or unused bats yield points; skittles remaining in the playing square or between the playing squares yield minus points.
Skittles remaining in the playing square (crones) yield two minus points; skittles remaining on the lines (priests) yield one minus point, and unused bats yield one point.
The first half ends when either team or pair clears its playing square from skittles. The opponent may throw the same number of bats per half. After this, sides are changed, and the second half is played like the first one. The team with the highest total score is the winner. The winner is awarded two points for the victory. When the play ends in a tie, both teams receive one point. A defeat gives 0 points.
In individual games, 20 bats per half may be used. The first player throws four bats, whereafter the turn goes to the opponent, and after four bats, back again. The result of the player equals the number of unused bats (1 point per bat). When there are no skittles on the field, sides are changed and the second half is played like the first one. The final score of the player is the total result of both halves.
See also
- Skittles (sport)Skittles (sport)Skittles is an old European lawn game, a variety of bowling, from which ten-pin bowling, duckpin bowling, and candlepin bowling in the United States, and five-pin bowling in Canada are descended. In the United Kingdom, the game remains a popular pub game in England and Wales, though it tends to be...
- GorodkiGorodkiGorodki is an ancient Russian folk sport whose popularity has spread to Karelia, Finland, Sweden, Ingria, Lithuania, and Estonia. Similar in concept to bowling and also somewhat to horseshoes, the aim of the game is to knock out groups of skittles arranged in various patterns by throwing a bat at...
, Russian skittles, originating from the same game as Finnish Skittles - WashersWasher pitchingWashers is a game, similar to horseshoes, that involves two teams of two players that take turns tossing washers towards the washer box. In order to score, one must place a washer into the box, into the can that is within the box, or within one foot of the box...
- KubbKubbKubb is a lawn game where the object is to knock over wooden blocks by throwing wooden sticks at them. Kubb can be simply described as a combination of bowling and horseshoes...
- MolkkyMölkkyMölkky is a Finnish throwing game invented by Tuoterengas company in 1996. It is reminiscent of kyykkä, a centuries old throwing game with Karelian roots. However, mölkky does not require as much physical strength as kyykkä, and is more suitable for everyone regardless of age and condition...