This year’s ‘World Puddle Jumping Championships’ is under threat due to the upcoming UK mini heatwave, as temperatures are set to soar to above 20C this weekend.
Spring sunshine is forecast across much of the UK with high pressure bringing above-average temperatures towards the end of the week, with some regions expected to be as warm as Ibiza, according to the Met Office.
Forecasters are predicting strong sunshine and highs of 20C across the country on Thursday, with the warm weather set to stretch into the weekend.
But this is bad news for the organisers of the World Puddle Jumping Championships, who have raised concerns that no rain could stop play at the annual event at Wicksteed Park in Northamptonshire.
The forecast has prompted theme park bosses to change the rules for the first time in 13 years, allowing competitors to jump into paddling pools instead.
Each year, hundreds of children from across the world enter the bizarre competition, which has previously received unlikely backing from Jacob Rees-Mogg in the House of Commons.
Children are urged to channel their inner Peppa Pig – and judges give scores based on the height of the jump, enthusiasm, distance of splash and stickability -the amount of mud which clings to each competitor.
But with a lack of muddy puddles this year, organisers have had to think outside the box to keep the competition going.
Forecasters are predicting strong sunshine and highs of 20C across the country on Thursday, with the warm weather set to stretch into the weekend
Luna Rudd from Northampton, former winner of the World Puddle Jumping Championships
Wicksteed Park director Kelly Richardson said: ‘Because of the mini heatwave which is due, we’ve had to think outside the box and allow paddling pool entries this year – we refuse to let no rain stop play and the event will go ahead as usual.’
She added: ‘As the saying goes, March winds and April showers. We thought it would be relatively warm and there would be plenty of rain.’
Zoe Rudd, 31, is the mother of 2023 winner Luna and is re-entering her daughter, now seven, as well as her two-year-old sister Willow, this year.
She said: ‘They both love Peppa Pig, and if they see a puddle, they have to jump in it.
‘But with the weather coming up, I don’t think there’s going to be any puddles anyway, so we might have to do a paddling pool entry.
‘We definitely won’t be put off, it’s the British way to keep on going whatever the weather, which ironically is usually rain.
‘Willow is mad about Bluey too, so maybe the Australian climate might be a bit more fitting this year anyway.
‘Hopefully Luna can retain her crown, or it’s passed down to her little sister this year.’
Competitors are being urged to submit video entries this week, and the winner of the World Puddle Jumping Championships will be announced at the end of next week.
The competition was traditionally held during October half-term, but was moved to prevent children from getting too cold while recording entries.
Should event organizers change traditions to adapt to unexpected weather, or hold out for real puddles?
The annual World Puddle Jumping Championships are held at Wicksteed Park
Luna, now seven, is re-entering the competition this year
In the early years of the annual event, participants competed for the title using man-made puddles in Wicksteed Park.
The event has attracted thousands of entries over the years, with previous winners including a nine-year-old girl from Kettering, Northamptonshire, and a three-year-old boy from Monmouthshire in Wales – with entries coming from as far away as Australia.
Last year, three toddlers from the same family were crowned joint world champions after their entry left them covered head to toe in mud.
Competitors can submit their video entries by posting them in the comments on the Puddle Jumping posts on the Wicksteed Park Facebook page.
