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Cornhill tug o’ war team coach hopes for ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ for future of sport

The club has set an historic Scottish record. Image: Cornhill Tug o' war team.
The club has set an historic Scottish record. Image: Cornhill Tug o' war team.

David Mckenzie has been pulling with Cornhill tug o’ war team since he was 14 years old.

Now 51 and a coach on the team, he said it has been forced to look beyond Scotland’s borders to find hope for the sport’s future.

The Banffshire team is now one of only a few left in the country and its numbers – 14 men and 14 women – are considered very healthy.

Mr Mckenzie has “pulled” all across the world from Europe to Asia and has found that interest in other countries is growing, while numbers in Scotland are “dwindling”.

The team has moved its focus from the Highland Games, instead favouring national and international competitions where there is a better chance of teams turning up.

In the coming months, they will take part in the British & Irish Championship in Wales and the world championship in the Netherlands.

Pulling to a ‘grand old age’

Mr Mckenzie said tug o’ war is a unique sport in the fact that it is ageless compared to many others.

“With a lot of sports people do them until they’re in their late 20s, but this you can do until you’re a grand old age because it’s a non contact sport, not like football or rugby,” he said.

Cornhill women’s tug o’ war team.

“If you do it with the right technique injuries are quite uncommon, a lot of the power is through the hands.

“So, if you’ve got good grip and you’re strong for your weight it’s a sport you can do until quite an age, to a high standard.”

The team is training together three times per week in preparation for the upcoming competitions, but Mr Mckenzie said most of the team will be training themselves another two nights as well.

‘True team sport’

Cornhill tug o’ war team is keen to get more people trying the sport, with Mr Mckenzie going around local schools to try and spark interest.

He said he was hopeful the sport will live on in Scotland, despite falling numbers: “There’s always light at the end of the tunnel if you just keep working away.”

At the recent national championships in Stonehaven, he saw the “most teams in years”, with Cornhill men’s team coming away victorious after winning all five weight categories and not losing any ends.

Back to Stonehaven highland games for the Scottish national championships today,a good day for the lads as we won all 5…

Posted by Cornhill Tug o war team on Sunday, 17 July 2022

Explaining why he keeps taking part, he said it was down to the teamwork required to succeed in tug o’ war.

“It’s a true team sport,” he said.

“It must be one of the only sports where you’re all together and connected by the rope. The other team is connected too, and you have to pull together.”

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