Frankie Hooper, dressed as a tiger, beats Simon Griffiths to win the World Conker Championships in Southwick

A competitor in a tiger costume is the new world conker champion. Frankie Hooper, 28, from Oundle, beat men's winner Simon Griffiths in the overall final of the World Conker Championships in Southwick, Northamptonshire, on Sunday, 11 October, the BBC reported. This follows our pre-event story on the championships going ahead despite worries about the size of this year's conkers.

Tiger tames the field

Hooper, who entered as "Frankie the Tiger", came through the women's competition before meeting Griffiths, 35, from Stamford, for the overall title. Griffiths was crowned King Conker as the men's winner, but finished as overall runner-up.

Hooper told the BBC she was feeling pretty ecstatic after her win. Griffiths joked that his wife would be hearing about his success for a long time.

They take over from the 2025 champions, Matt Cross and Mags Blake, according to the organisers.

How the championship works

The rules are simple. Two players face each other with a conker threaded on a string. They take turns to strike, with up to three strikes per turn, and the player whose conker survives wins.

Matches were played outside the Shuckburgh Arms, a 17th-century pub in the village near Oundle. The BBC said more than 250 people took part, including entrants from Japan, the Netherlands and Germany. The organisers had billed this as the 59th edition and expected about 256 competitors and around 2,000 spectators.

Costumes, celebrities and a steel detector

Fancy dress is part of the appeal. Gary Ward, dressed as a tree, was knocked out in the first round by a player dressed as a sheep. Two chickens, Amy Smart and Will Fern, met in the second round, with Smart going through. Orlando Bridgeman, dressed as "William the Conkeror", also went out in round two.

There were famous faces too. Broadcaster Mark Pougatch and former UK government minister Penny Mordaunt played against each other. Japan's Nana Hirayama was competing at her 12th championships, while Paula Bendiek from Berlin lost in the opening round.

The event has had cheating rows in the past, including claims that a metal conker was swapped for a real one. A tongue-in-cheek "steel conker detector" introduced last year returned, and the BBC reported no repeat of the controversy this time.

Raising money for sight-loss charities

Behind the fun, the championships have a serious purpose. According to the organisers, the event has raised nearly £500,000 since 1965 for charities that support people living with sight loss.

Key takeaways

• Frankie Hooper, 28, from Oundle, won the 2026 World Conker Championships in Southwick on 11 October.
• She beat men's champion Simon Griffiths, 35, from Stamford, in the overall final.
• More than 250 people competed, including players from Japan, the Netherlands and Germany.
• The event has raised nearly £500,000 for sight-loss charities since 1965.

FAQ

Who won the World Conker Championships 2026? Frankie Hooper, who competed as "Frankie the Tiger" and beat Simon Griffiths in the overall final on 11 October 2026.

Where are the World Conker Championships held? Outside the Shuckburgh Arms pub in Southwick, near Oundle in Northamptonshire, England.

How do you play conkers? Two players take turns hitting each other's conker, which hangs on a string, with up to three strikes per turn. The last conker intact wins.

Sources: BBC, World Conker Championships, Dull Men's Club