There are at least two rival "World Championship" tournaments, one based in the UK and one in Germany.
The German one, centred on districts in the Ruhr valley, has been running annually since 1984. Some 200 competitors have taken part over that period. The venue varies, as it is customary for the winner of each event to host the next year's in their home town, and players come from all over the country. When I attended the one held in Ratingen in 2011 there was an entry list of forty-eight. (My excuse for coming 46th is that the group was then still using the 1978 Ravensburger board, to which I am no longer accustomed.) The whole event was a wonderful social occasion, the play sessions being interspersed with entertainments including talks, songs and general merry-making. A prominent young member of the play group is the multi-talented musician Tobias Krüger, who performs under the name MrTobiTill, and some of whose videos can be seen on YouTube - see, for example, "Beatsteaks".

Egoitz Egoitz, from the Pays Basque, tells me that a Basque Country Hare & Tortoise championship is due to be held in March or April 2023. They will, of necessity, be using the Spanish edition first published by Devir Iberia, and I look forward to posting the results when they arrive.;

Mind Sports Olympiad 2022 Tournament

The UK tournament is held annually as part of the Mind Sports Olympiad, initiated in 1997. There was a tournament in its first year, followed by a gap of nine years. The XVIth Mind Sports Olympiad took place again at JW3 in London from August 21 to 29 and the XVIth Hare & Tortoise World Championship from 6.45pm on Thursday 25th. Conveniently, there were 16 contestants, although 19 had registered, so there were exactly four tables of four. My old friend Dario de Toffoli (Italy - where else?) had pulled out at the last moment complaining of brain strain contracted during the morning session of Sid Sackson's Acquire but then he always does push himself to the limit! Turnaround between sessions was barely a minute or two, thanks to results and pairings being computerised and operated by Mike Dixon (who came fourth). I'm glad I don't have to do it by hand any more.

The 15 recorded winners are:
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