Championship Punkin Chunkin

United States, Delaware, Bridgeville / November

Ever see a pumpkin shot from a cannon over 4000 feet, or a flung by a Trebuchet ovr 2000 feet? It is possible and can be seen at the World Championship Punkin Chunkin competition. The WCPCA host a signature pumpkin-launching event each year in the month of November, to fuel innovative engineering and science-based ideas that draw spectators from all over. They believe that Punkin Chunkin cultivates the odd, challenging, and competitive quest for distance that inspires creativity, ingenuity, teamwork, and passion. It is this very dedication that drives teams to compete using science and engineering skills and brings spectators to the gate which allows us to continue our never ending thirst to support our scholarship and charitable programs.

There are 6 divisions that make up the competition:

Trebuchet - Is a kind of catapult that gets its energy from a raised counterweight. That heavy weight is attached to one end of the axle. On the other end is the sling holding the intended ammo. When the counterweight is dropped, the force the other end of the axle to shoot upwards into a vertical position. The sling then releases the ammo, launching it towards the target.
Theatrical division - Theatrical machines have the most lenient restrictions of any category. The goal of these machines is not distance, it's style! No theatrical machine is allowed to chunk a pumpkin any further than 1,000 feet. Instead, judging is based on an Academy Aware-winning performance. Whether it's putting on a play for the audience before the pumpkin is launched or creating a wacky contraption that's a show in itself to entertain the audience.
Air Cannon - These machines use compressed air to fire pumpkins without demolishing or destroying the punkin in the process.
Centrifugals - According to the Punkin Chunkin rules, these machines must have devices that spin at least one revolution to fire the gourd.
Catapults - These machines must be composed of springs, cords, rubber, dead weights or other mechanical means to create and store energy to blast the pumpkins onto the field. They can have motorized winches and/or cranking devices to get them moving.
Torsion - Similar to a slingshot, Torsion machines have springs or cords that once wraped around the axels -- the pivot points -- will create energy. Motorized winches and/or other cranking devices may cock the machines.

See the Discovery Channel website for more information and the TV show based on the competition.