http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pumpkin_chunking
Pumpkin chunking
"Big 10 Inch" takes a world record shot in Moab, Utah, September 9, 2010 


Pumpkin Chucking, or for rhyming purposes 
Pumpkin Chunking (also called Punkin' Chunkin', 
Pumpkin Chunkin', and Punkin Chuckin') is the 
sport of hurling or 'chucking' a pumpkin by 
mechanical means for distance. The devices 
used include slingshots, catapults, centrifugals, 
trebuchets, and pneumatic cannons.
 
A pneumatic cannon named 'Big 10 Inch' holds 
the current world record by firing a pumpkin 
5,545.43 feet (1,690.25 m).[1] The world 
record shot took place September 9, 2010 in 
Moab, Utah. The shot received certification 
from Guinness World Records in early January, 
2011.[2] Pumpkin chunking competitions, formal 
and informal, exist throughout the United States 
in the autumn, and often occur when pumpkins 
are harvested.[3] World Championship Punkin 
Chunkin, held in Delaware, is the oldest and 
largest annual competition. The event began 
in 1986 and featured over 100 teams in 2010. 
A European Championship is held in Bikschote, 
Belgium, and has been held there each year 
since 2004.
 
The range achieved by devices greatly depends 
on their mass, shape, and size; the yield 
limits, stiffness, pitch, and elevation of 
the hurler; and the weather. The pumpkin is 
another important variable since sabots are 
often prohibited in competitions. The most 
common pumpkin varieties used are Caspers, 
Luminas, and La Estrellas - these varieties 
typically have thicker rinds and can better 
withstand the forces of launch. A usual rule 
is that the pumpkin must remain whole after 
leaving the device for the chunk to count. 
Pumpkins that burst after leaving the barrel 
or sling are referred to as "pie" (short for 
"pumpkin pie in the sky").

World Championship Punkin Chunkin

"Yankee Siege" trebuchet, from New Hampshire, 
at 2008 Punkin' Chunkin' 
World Championship Punkin Chunkin (WCPC) is 
the name of an annual pumpkin chunkin contest 
held the first full weekend after Halloween 
in Sussex County, Delaware. It is governed by 
the World Championship Punkin Chunkin Association (WCPCA).
 
Teams compete in the following divisions: 
Air Cannon, Female Air Cannon, Centrifugal, 
Catapult, Torsion, Trebuchet, Human Powered, 
Youth Air Cannon, Youth Catapult, Youth Trebuchet, 
Youth Human Powered, Youth 10 & Under, and 
Theatrical. Each division competes strictly 
for distance except for the Theatrical division 
which relies on a fan vote. The teams get three 
shots, one taken on each of three consecutive 
days. Only the teams' farthest shot is scored 
for official results. Spotters riding on ATVs 
find the impact point, and then a professional
surveyor calculates the distance based on GPS 
coordinates of the impact and the machine. The 
impact point is marked with color coded spray 
paint to avoid confusion with future shots.
 
For the entertainment of spectators, the event 
also features amusement rides, food vendors, 
fireworks, live concerts, a pumpkin cooking 
contest, a chili cook-off, the Miss Punkin 
Chunkin pageant, et al.
 
Safety has remained the number one priority 
of the WCPCA. The sole fatality was a duck 
hit by a pumpkin that had been shot out of 
an air cannon.
 
The event originated in 1986. One of the 
event's early locations was in Lewes just 
off of DE Rte 1 - at the end of the field 
was a church that was thought to be out of 
reach. Due to increasing space requirements 
(distance of shots, number of teams, and 
number of spectators) the field was moved 
elsewhere in Sussex County.
 
In 2005, the first ever UK team, "The Scrapheap 
All-Stars" took part in the Centrifugal class 
representing UK TV show, Scrapheap Challenge
where they finished 2nd.[4] This was the 
first time the "World Championships" featured 
international competition.
 
In 2007, WCPC moved to its current location 
in Bridgeville, near the intersection of 
Seashore Highway (DE Rte 404) and Chaplains 
Chapel Road. About 75 teams competed, the 
event drew more than 20,000 people, and 
grossed more than $100,000 in ticket sales 
and associated revenues. More than 70% of 
that money will be donated to a variety of 
community organizations.[5]