Petri Valta of Finland bested over 90 contestants from seven countries Saturday when he hurled a Nokia 5510 handset over 66m, setting a new world record at the Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships here.
"I was just thinking about throwing it as far as possible and it was easy to throw it, because it wasn't my own phone," Valta told reporters after lobbing the handset exactly 66.72m.
Contrary to the concerns of many mobile users, Valta disregarded all thoughts of busy lines, poor signals and failing batteries when building up mental toughness for the meet, instead focussed solely on trajectory.
The 31-year-old dairy worker from the town of Lapinlahti in central Finland, prepared for months for the event by lifting weights and playing a Finnish variant of baseball.
In addition to Finns, competitors came from Albania, Britain, Australia, Germany, Italy and the US to compete in the third-ever event, hosted by a translation agency in Savonlinna, a northeast town close to the Russian border.
The games, which traditionally begin with a beer toast to the contestants sponsored by the local brewery, include events for individuals or teams. There are no separate men's and women's events.
Phone throwers can compete in the "original" category, a straight over-arm pitch where length is the main factor, and in "freestyle," where points are also given for style, costume and character, as well as general soberness.
Valta's compatriots Janne Mielikaeinen and Erno Riihelae took second and third place in the original category, tossing their phones 59.29m and 54.52m respectively.
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