JENNY Little’s perennial thong-throwing competition at the Pindimar Markets continued its proud tradition on Saturday, 26 October.

Known far and wide, the Thong Throw has been a staple at the Markets since 2009, and the simplicity of the event is, perhaps, only part of the charm and attraction that keeps bringing throngs of thong-throwers back every year.

“It is a free event, and always has been,” Jenny told NOTA.

“We have been throwing the same thong since it began back in 2009, and every throw has to be with the same thong.”

A visit to the Thong Throw is mandatory at the Pindimar Markets, and every competitor must toe the line, being allowed a few free ‘practice’ throws before their best attempts are measured.

The most practical, yet least visible, challenge always turns out to be the sheer lack of aerodynamic quality of the free-thrown footwear – it has little weight to carry momentum, and it can flip-flop around through the air unpredictably.

Power is hardly the most important aspect of the endeavour, as many an adult contestant has learnt, to their great chagrin.

Every once in a while, however, a competitor strikes the ideal balance of umph, grace, and spin, and the thong will magically sail through the air, arcing up and rotating on its axis like a boomerang in full flight, then come landing up to 20 metres away.

Jenny organises the tossers by generation, covering the gamut from the Gents and Dames of the ‘Builder Generation’ (born 1929-44), to the Blokes and Sheilas of the Baby Boomers.

Generations X, Y, and Z are all represented, and even the Alphas, aged three and under, will take their turn to achieve everlasting glory at this prestigious local event, which, in 2024, had a record 130 competitors.

By Thomas O’KEEFE