2025: A tournament of high breaks
This year was a real showcase for masterful high breaks ranging 18 to 24 marbles.
This year’s tournament proved to be another thoroughly enjoyable one — and a real showcase for some high breaks, all delivered on the same day! With break scores ranging from 18 to 24 marbles, spectators were treated to thrilling displays across multiple games.
The high breaks played a decisive role in knocking out top teams from the quarter-finals right through to the final. Notably, Chris (1st MCE), Darren (49ers), and Halim (YorkshireMeds) delivered some of the standout performances.
To put things into perspective: the highest break in the 2024 tournament was 11 marbles, achieved only twice — by Alex (1st MCE) and Mourad (YorkshireMeds). In contrast, this year saw multiple breaks exceeding that mark.
YorkshireMeds were knocked out of the main (team) event in the quarter-finals by the 49ers, after Darren scored an impressive 22-marble break in the first round — essentially sealing the match. The 49ers then met 1st MCE in the semis, where Chris raised the bar even higher with a stunning 24-marble break.
Despite the team exit, YorkshireMeds still brought home two individual trophies: The Individual Trophy and Gardner’s Golden Oldies
Both were won by Halim. Leila also competed in the Best Lady’s Championship, which was once again won by Alison (49ers). Halim and Karim also took part in the Coronation Challenge.
Good Friday (18th April) fell later this year, and while the forecast had been uncertain, the weather turned out to be pretty good! We arrived around 9:30 am, got the team registered, and enjoyed reconnecting with fellow marble enthusiasts — players, spectators, organisers, and all. The usual friendly catch-ups followed.
The organisers’ control gazebo was positioned near the main ring for the second year running, which once again seemed to help streamline the running of the various games and events.
As in previous years, YorkshireMeds were tasked with managing and refereeing the Golden Oldies competition. Bob, Djamel, and Mourad — with help from others — prepped the side ring by clearing, sanding, and levelling it off, then laid out the marbles in cross formation for each game. They went on to referee every match from the qualifiers through to the QF, SF, and finals.
Check out the usual links below for more:
- A comprehensive 2025 report from the British & World Marbles Championship (FaceBook)
- Some additional match commentaries and photos from the Crawley Marbles Appreciation group
- And of course, the historical context via the tournament's Wikipedia page
