May 1
2025

Stone Skipping at Haast River valley, Westcoast New Zealand. Photo: Wikimedia Commons / Steward Nimmo

Children know it and can do it because it requires very little skill or technology: just a ripple-free body of water and a flat stone. Everyone has experienced at a young age that a round rock, even if available in endless quantities on the lakeshore as a test object, is not really suitable for skimming and skipping. Because, even if thrown with great force, it sinks too easily.

There are competitions for the professionals, and eliminations are becoming increasingly popular, that is our impression: In today’s world of toys, amusements, and endless media entertainment, simple amusement is becoming great fun again for some people.

Stone skipping championships now exist in several European countries, and in the USA, even in several states. The organizers cooperate internationally, so winning a national qualifying round qualifies for participation in the World Championships.

These are held annually on Easdale Island in Scotland. This corner of the world is an unusual venue in itself, without really having anything special about it.

What was that again? Right-handed players take the stone in their right hand, turn slightly to the side, bend their knees, and then hurl the stone from their forehand onto the water in front of them. It’s important to find the right launch position so that the stone lands flat on the surface and can touch down as often as possible.

In skimming, the number of touches with the water is counted; in skipping, the distance traveled before the stone sinks counts.

The web pages on the subject, which we have linked to below, discuss the topic in detail, including a physical perspective: The stone probably compresses the water upon impact, which immediately stretches back like rubber, thus giving the stone the energy it needs for its next bounce.

We have read in many explanations that the surface tension of the water doesn’t play a role. However, a certain rotation during the launch is important, which stabilizes the stone in flight and upon impact.

Webpage Atlas Obscura

World Stone Skimming Championships, Scotland, Easdale Island, near Oban in Argyll, September 06, 2025

Stone Skipping, USA Events

Berlin Titschermasters, Strandbad Plötzensee, October 04, 2025

Stone Skipping Lake Hawea, New Zealand