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A challenge to all Canadian Spinners

There is an International Back to Back Wool Challenge spinning competition held every year around the world in countries such as New Zealand, Australia, Scotland, Japan, USA and Canada. The event may be held in a public location of the team's choice, during the months of May and June, and the rules are the same for everyone. A team consists of 7 handspinners and knitters and 1 blade shearer. The objective is to complete a sweater following the same pattern within 8 hours. Some teams use the event to raise funds for charity, and all teams are interested in promoting the wool industry locally and in establishing a world wide network among the participants.

Teams from across Canada have participated in this challenge and have had various degrees of success completing a sweater. Congratulations go to the Toronto Spiders Team from Greater Toronto area for having the best Canadian time in 2005, 2006 & 2009 and best international time in 2007, 2008 & 2010. Their names have been added to the trophy donated by the Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers Limited.

Every year the challenge is taken up by International & Canadian teams, and hopefully even more will enter in the coming year!

It is a lot of fun, as well as being a great way to promote the wool industry and to raise money for Cancer Research. The following Facebook page will provide the original story, rules, past results and entry forms.

International Back to Back Wool Challenge      www.facebook.com/woolbacktoback
P.O. Box 34, Birregurra Victoria 3242 Australia 
Annual Challenge (June)
Promoting Wool World Wide & Fund Raising for Cancer Research
Wendy Dennis cell +61 409 001 899   [email protected]   www.tarndie.com/back-to-back 

Huge congratulations to our 2022 teams!

FIRST: PolyWesters, Lethbridge, Alberta, CANADA
10hr  55min 00sec (previous best time 7hr 47min 00sec, 2016)
The PolyWesters also set a new IWC record for competing for 18 years in the Back to Back!

SECOND: The Mainely Spinners, Milford, Maine, USA
11hr 49min 55sec (previous best time 15hr 58min 54sec) 

Honorable mentions:
– San Diego County Spinners, Bonita, California, USA. After 10hr 48mins of effort, the team's Romney sheep, Gretel, ran out of fleece only 5 rows short on both sleeves. San Diego hold the current USA record time of 7hr 52min 00sec (2019).                                     
– New team on the block, the Granite Web Makers, from New Hampshire, USA, put in a valiant 10-hour effort. Unfortunately, when the day cooled the lanolin in the fleece of the their Jacob sheep became extremely difficult to spin and knit.

2019 Results from the 25th International Back to Back Wool Challenge

Congratulations everyone! 

1. San Diego County Spinners - Bonita California USA - 7hrs  52mins 00sec – a new USA record!

2. PolyWesters - Lethbridge AB Canada - 10 hrs 10mins 00sec - record for most years competing, congratulations on 18 years! Top Canadian Team

3. For Sheep Sake -  Ashhurst, Manawatu, New Zealand - 14hrs  55mins 10sec – a tremendous return to the competition!

2018 Results from the 24th International Back to Back Wool Challenge

1. Spinning Knitwits - Paterson NSW, Australia - 6hr 08min 37sec

2. San Diego County Spinners - Bonita California USA - 8hr 15min 31sec

3. Poly Westers - Lethbridge AB Canada - 9hr 36min 00sec Top Canadian Team

4. Shabby Sheep - Sault Ste Marie ON Canada - 12hr 54min 04sec

2017 Results from the 23rd International Back to Back Wool Challenge

NEW GUINNESS WORLD RECORD!

1. Groenewond Netherlands/Germany Swalmen, The Netherlands - 4 hr 45 min 53 sec  NEW MAINLAND EUROPE RECORD ~ NEW THE NETHERLANDS RECORD
2. Spinning Knitwits Newcastle - Tocal via Patterson, NSW, Australia - 6 hr 24 min 27 sec
3. San Diego County Spinners - Bonita, California, USA -  9 hr 9 min 37 sec USA RECORD
4. Poly Westers - Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada - 10 hr 37 min 00sec Top Canadian Team
5. Shabby Sheep - Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada - 13 hr 02 mm 23 sec - New Team
6. Fibre Frenzy - Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada - unfinished - New Team

 
2016 Results from the International Back to Back Wool Challenge

1. Groenewond Netherlands/Germany Swalmen, The Netherlands - 5 hr 01 min 07 sec  NEW MAINLAND EUROPE RECORD ~ NEW THE NETHERLANDS RECORD
2. Spinning Knitwits Newcastle - Tocal via Patterson, NSW, Australia - 6hr 31min 19sec
3. Poly Westers - Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada - 7hr 47min 00sec Top Canadian Team
4. San Diego County Spinners - Bonita, California, USA - 8hr 41min 00sec USA RECORD
5. Maritime Gimmers - Gaspereau Valley, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada - 9hr 53min 48sec
6. Shear Luck - Bloomfield, New Brunswick, Canada -  10hr 32min 00sec

 
2015 Results from the International Back to Back Wool Challenge

1. Groenewond Netherlands/Germany Swalmen, The Netherlands - 5 hr 01 min 28 sec  - NEW MAINLAND EUROPE RECORD ~ NEW THE NETHERLANDS RECORD
2. Spinning Knitwits-Newcastle, Patterson, NSW, Australia - 6 hr 11 min 38 sec 
3. Hitsujikouboh Masako, Chibaken, Japan - 7hr 34min 43sec 
4.Kurrajong Handspun Crafts, NSW, Australia - 8 hr 1 min 55 sec 
5. San Diego County SpinnersBonita, California, USA - 8 hr 9 min 5 sec 
6. Maritime Gimmers Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia, Canada - 9hr 11min 49.54sec Top Canadian Team
7. Poly Westers, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada - 10 hr 40 min 00sec 
8.  Shear Luck, Bloomfield, New Brunswick, Canada - 11hr 58min 31sec
 

2014 Results from the International Back to Back Wool Challenge

1. Groenewond  Netherlands/Germany  Swalmen, The Netherlands  ~ 5 hours 26 minutes 31 seconds
NEW MAINLAND EUROPE RECORD ~ NEW THE NETHERLANDS RECORD
2. Spinning Knitwits, Newcastle, Patterson, NSW, Australia  ~ 6 hours 6 minutes 37 seconds
3. Kurrajong Handspun Crafts, Mt. Tomah NSW, Australia ~ 8 hours 5 minutes 45 seconds
4. Poly Westers, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada ~ 8 hours 40 minutes 0 seconds Top Canadian Team
5. Toodyay Spinners Incorporated, Toodyay, Western Australia ~ 8 hours 49 minutes 4 seconds
6. Gumeracha Gumknutters, Lobethal, South Australia  ~ 8 hours 56 minutes 13 seconds
7. San Diego County Spinners, Bonita, California, USA ~ 10 hours 22 minutes 0 seconds
8. Maritime Gimmers, Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia, Canada ~ 10 hours 37 minutes 25 seconds
9. Sheep Thrills, Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia, Canada ~ 13 hours 30 minutes 0 seconds
10.  Shear Luck, Bloomfield, New Brunswick, Canada ~ 13 hours 36 minutes 45 seconds
11. Shear Delights, Lawrencetown,  Nova Scotia Canada  ~ 15 hours 19 minutes 54 seconds 
 

2013 Results from the International Back to Back Wool Challenge

1. Groenewoud  Netherlands/Germay  Swalmen, The Netherlands ~ 5 hours  32 minutes   37 seconds. - NEW MAINLAND EUROPE RECORD ~ NEW THE NETHERLANDS RECORD.

2. Knitwits, Tocal Agricultural College, Paterson, NSW, Australia ~ 6 hours  37 minutes  37 seconds
3. Hitsujikouboh Masako, Chiba-ken, Japan ~ 7 hours  47 minutes  53 seconds. JAPANESE   RECORD      
4.  Spinthrift Scotsville Cape Brenton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada ~ 8hr 33 min 09 sec Top Canadian Team
5.  Poly Westers, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada ~ 8hr 35min 27sec
6.  Sheep Thrills, Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia, Canada ~ 9hr 8min 22sec
7.  Toodyay Spinners Incorporated, Toodyay, Western Australia, Australia ~ 9hrs 16min 59.3sec
8.  San Diego County Spinners, Bonita, California, USA ~ 10 hr 30 min 00sec
9.  Shear Delights, Bridgetown, Nova Scotia, Canada ~ 11 hr 58 min 59 sec
 

2012 - Results from the 18th International Back to Back Wool Challenge

1. Groenewond, Netherlands/Germany, 6hr 03min 28sec. (new mainland European record)
2. Spinning Knitwits-Newcastle, Australia, 6hr 25min 32sec
3. Hitsujikouboh Masako, Japan, 6hr 28min 22sec
4. Kurrajong Handspun Crafts, Australia, 7hr 48min 53sec
5. Gumeracha Gumknutters, Australia, 9hr 06min 15sec
6. Bloemfontein Spinners Academy, Republic of South Africa, 9hr 27min 22sec
7. Sheep Thrills, Canada, 9hr 46min 37sec Top Canadian Team
8. Spinthrift Scotsville, Canada, 9hr 48min 10sec
9. Cotswold Woolgatherers, United Kingdom, 10hr 15min 00sec
10. San Diego County Spinners, USA, 11 hr 39 min 15 sec
11. Poly Westers, Canada, Unfinished
 

2011 Canadian Winners of the International Back to Back Wool Challenge

Toronto Spiders - 2011 International Winners
FRONT:  Barb Aikman, Karen Richens, Bob Comfort (shearer) with Gumdrop, Lorraine Smith, Judy Pergau (with finished sweater)
BACK:  Wannietta Prescod, Denise Powell, Julia Lee
 
1. Toronto Spiders, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 5hr 53min  34sec 5hr 52min  48sec 2010 Top Canadian Team
2 Spinning Knitwits-Newcastle, Paterson NSW Australia 6hr 37min 37sec  5hr 43min 26sec 2004
3 Hitsujikouboh Masako, Chibaken, Japan 6hr 53min 42sec  5hr 33min 46sec 2006 
4. Kurrajong Handspun Crafts, NSW, Australia 7hr 19min 32sec 6hr 34min 19sec 2007
5. Gumeracha Gumknutters, Lobethal, South Australia 8hr 39min 19sec 7hrs 21min 59sec 2009 
6 Sheep Thrills, Gospereau Valley, Nova Scotia, Canada 9hr 30min 00sec 9hr 59min 10sec 2009
7 Blemfontein Spinners Academy, Republic of South Africa 9hr 42min 28sec 8hr 13min 40sec 2010
8. Spinthrift Scotsville, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada 9hr 34min 38sec 15hr 30min 00sec 2010
9 Cotswold Woolgatherers, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, UK 10hr 31min 00sec 9hr 40min 13sec  2009
10 Poly Westers, Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada 13hr 58min 00sec 10hr 50min 00sec 2009 
Costwold Woolies, Meysey Hampton Gloucestershire, UK Unfinished new team
Shuswap Spinners & Weavers, Salmon Arm, BC, Canada Unfinished new team
Rhodes Tunners, Kurrajong, NSW, Australia Unfinished Unfinished

Guinness World Records for the International Back to Back Wool Challenge

Pembroke Merriwa Jumbucks, NSW, Australia  4hr 51min 14sec    ~    2004
2011 Awards:
Scottish Wool Centre -      The winning team worldwide
Toronto Spiders, Greenwood, Ontario, Canada 5hr 53min 34sec
City of Geelong - Winning Australian team
Spinning Knitwits (Newcastle), Patterson, NSW, Australia
Shipway Trophy - For the winning New South Wales, Australia, team
Spinning Knitwits (Newcastle), Patterson, NSW, Australia
Canadian Cooperative Wool Growers Ltd Trophy - for the winning Canadian team
Toronto Spiders, Greenwood, Ontario, Canada
Brigadoon Trophy - The team with the greatest donation to charity
Results to be announced when all the results are in.