Welly wanging just got more wonderful

I wasn't familiar with welly wanging before coming across this BBC News article, but I'm nonetheless heartened to know technology is benefitting this eccentric British sport.

Welly wanging, I'll have my fellow Americans know, refers to the freestyle sport of hurling wellington boots, those big waterproof shoes one might want to wear when trudging through a swamp. The goal of the practice, as the title suggests, is to wang the welly as far as possible.

Now, scientists at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, have given the sport a kick by building a machine capable of propelling a welly up to 262 feet. The device, which runs on an engine from a concrete mixer and a gearbox from a Citroen 2CV, according to the BBC, fires the wellington boots from a computer-controlled disc 6-1/2 feet in diameter that rotates at up to 250 times per minute.

A second computer monitors wind speed and direction and relays the information via a third computer and a radio link to a laptop, where team members can monitor the device's progress.

Next week, the Aberystwyth team's creation will line up against 15 other similar machines for a televised challenge. Gentlemen, start wanging your wellies!