Tambourelli is a court game invented in Galloway in Scotland in the 1970s. It has since spread all over the world, with small communities of players running active clubs in England, Scotland, Germany, Japan and Sweden. It shares many players, coaches and fans with Tamburello as well as Tambeach.
The fundamental aim is for players to stop the shuttlecock from landing within the court on their side of the net. Players hit the shuttlecock with a bat similar to a tambour (like a tambourine without bells) or Irish bodhrán which has a strap along the outer edge and a section of moulded plastic on the inner edge, both for grip.
The game can be played either outdoors or indoors.
There is an annual World Tambourelli Championship, as well as numerous Open Tournaments throughout the year such as in Dresden every September or Hamburg every January.
Rules
The aim of the game is to have the shuttlecock land within the court on your opponent's side of the net, or to force them to make an error such as hitting the shuttlecock into the net or outside of the court.
Tournament matches are typically played in sets of three games. Each game is played until one player reaches 21 points and is 2 points clear, a point being scored for each shot that one's opponent fails to legally return, regardless of who served. Each player serves 5 times before switching, with the first player to serve being decided by playing a point before scoring begins.
Service is underarm (beneath the shoulder) and must be taken with one foot on the court's back line. If the first service is called "out" or fails to cross the net, a second service is awarded. In singles, a player may serve to anywhere on their opponent's side of the court. In doubles, service is to the player diagonally opposite and must fall within their half of the court. A "net service" (one which clips the net on the way over but still lands "in" or which the receiving player returns) is replayed without penalty.
When a player has served for 5 points, service changes to the opposing player or team. In doubles, service passes diagonally until all players have served for 5 scored points, at which point service resumes with the first player who served and the two opposing team members swap places, so that each server now serves to a new recipient.
If the shuttlecock hits any part of the player's body, that player loses the point. Players are only allowed to hit the shuttlecock once to get it onto the opponent's side. The exception to this is the "Point Save" rule, which applies only in Doubles games. This rule allows a team to hit the shuttlecock twice to return it; however if that team goes on to win the rally they do not gain a point (they merely "save" or rescue the point). Should the opposing team also double-hit in the same rally, the two "point saves" cancel each other out and whichever team prevails in the rally wins the point. Should one team double-hit a second time in the rally when they are already one "point save" down, they lose the point (i.e. they do not "save" it).
Different clubs use slightly different court sizes, with the hosts of any given tournament permitted to choose the court size for that event, but the standard court is 9.45m long by 4.2m wide (singles) and 4.65m wide for doubles. It is split in half lengthways by a line and widthways by a net, at a height of 1.75m, with each player (in singles) or team (in doubles) always remaining on their side of the net.
World Tambourelli Championships
There is an annual World Tambourelli Championship, which originally took place exclusively in Dumfries and Galloway in Southwest Scotland. During the 1990s tournaments were relocated to Southwest England, near Totnes in Devon. Recently, the tournament moves between Sweden, Germany, and England. The event currently includes a Men's Singles tournament, a Women's Singles tournament, a Mixed Doubles tournament, and Junior Singles and Doubles tournaments.
Since 2002 separate Men's Singles and Women's Singles competitions have been held. From 1991 to 2001 only an 'open' category was held that anybody could enter. For the purposes of historical record, the champions of the 1991-2001 era are referred to here as Men's Singles champions, as no woman ever won the open category (although Indy Priestman came close, reaching the final in 2001). Before 1991 there was generally also separate Men's and Women's Singles though the main emphasis in the tournaments was on the Mixed Doubles competition.
The format of the tournament can vary depending on the number of participants and the availability of time and space, as well as the preferences of the hosts. Usually there is a round-robin group stage in which a single game to 21 is played, followed by a knockout stage of 4, 8 or 16 participants where each match is best-of-3.
The groups are usually decided upon by randomly allocating 1 of the highest ranked participants to each group, then randomly assigning the remainder of the participants among the groups evenly. However the seeding system has only existed since 2011, and the method by which rankings are calculated is still the source of much debate.
In the Mixed Doubles category pairings have traditionally been decided by drawing names out of a hat. Where seeded players are drawn together those names are placed back in and redrawn, the aim being to allow for no team to be excessively dominant and for the random pairing of experienced and inexperienced players or those of differing ability in the same competition. At some tournaments Doubles pairs are pre-chosen. This is generally the case in Germany where separate Men's Doubles, Women's Doubles and a Mixed Doubles competitions have been held.
Typically there are children's tournaments that take place at the same place and time. However, these vary from year to year in several ways: sometimes (usually in Devon) there is simply an under-14s singles and doubles tournament, sometimes there are multiple age groups and separate boys/girls tournaments, and sometimes the Under 16s World Tambourelli Championships take place at a different date and entirely different venue to the World Tambourelli Championship, such as in 2008 when the main WTC took place on Riverford Farm in Devon but the Under 16s tournament took place in Newton Stewart in Scotland.
Results
Men's singles world champions by year
Year Winner Runner-up Venue 2026 Alexander Christen Sebastian Rose Neustadt in Sachsen 2025 Alexander Christen Sebastian Rose Eslöv 2024 Alexander Christen Isak Lindstedt London 2023 Alexander Christen Dominic Hauke Kleinnaundorf 2022 Alexander Christen Isak Lindstedt Stehag 2021 No tournament held No tournament held N/A 2020 No tournament held No tournament held N/A 2019 Alexander Christen Rowan Appleton-Wickens Stehag 2018 Sebastian Rose Bazil HughesMerrick Leisure Centre, Newton Stewart 2017 Bazil Hughes Marco ZinkRiverford Farm, Devon 2016 Marco Zink Bazil HughesDresden 2015 Sebastian Rose Marco ZinkMerrick Leisure Centre, Newton Stewart 2014 Bazil Hughes Finn LennartssonRiverford Farm, Devon 2013 Bazil Hughes Malcolm HeyesDresden 2012 Malcolm Heyes Seth PriestmanRiverford Farm, Devon 2011 Bazil Hughes Malcolm HeyesRiverford Farm, Devon 2010 Liam Campbell Ezra CohenMerrick Leisure Centre, Newton Stewart 2009 Daniel Francis-Bernson Ezra CohenRiverford Farm, Devon 2008 Ezra Cohen Peter MacCarthyRiverford Farm, Devon 2007 Daniel Francis-Bernson Ezra CohenRiverford Farm, Devon 2006 Malcolm Heyes Paddy Bos CoeRiverford Farm, Devon 2005 Malcolm Heyes Ezra CohenRiverford Farm, Devon 2004 Richard Cohen Malcolm HeyesRiverford Farm, Devon 2003 Malcolm Heyes Ezra CohenRiverford Farm, Devon 2002 Malcolm HeyesRiverford Farm, Devon 2001 Richard Cohen Indy PriestmanRiverford Farm, Devon 2000 Malcolm Heyes Peter MacCarthyRiverford Farm, Devon 1999 Paddy Bos Coe Malcolm HeyesRiverford Farm, Devon 1998 Paddy Bos Coe Seth Priestmanchez Finn & Ella, Garlieston 1997 Paddy Bos Coe Luke FeldmanMinniwick, Galloway 1996 Seth Priestman Cyrus Colquhittchez Rex Pyke, Garlieston 1995 Davey Mackenzie Seth PriestmanKnowe Farm, Galloway 1994 Malcolm Heyes Andy PriestmanCorriedoo, Galloway 1993 Guy Feldman Andy Priestmanchez Rex Pyke, Garlieston 1992 Andy Priestman 1991 Andy PriestmanMochrum Park, Galloway 1990 Mike Sullivan Andy PriestmanLoch Grannoch, Galloway 1989 Brendan Colvert Brishendra DuttEuchanbank, Galloway 1988 Francis O'Dempsey Andy PriestmanMochrum Park, Galloway 1987Castle Stewart, Galloway 1986 No Men's Singles Played No Men's Singles PlayedBalmaclellan, Galloway 1985 No Men's Singles Played No Men's Singles PlayedMinniwick, Galloway 1984 Andy Priestman Kim MiddletonCastle Stewart, Galloway 1983 1982 Davey Mackenzie Andy PriestmanCorriedoo, Galloway 1981 1980 1979 1978
Women's singles world champions by year
Year Winner Runner-up Venue 2026 Silke Bruns Trixi ReutherNeustadt in Sachsen 2025 Anja Lund Nadine WolfEslöv 2024 Lisa Zink Silke BrunsLondon 2023 Indy Lennartson* Anja Lund* Patricia Poch* Not decided Kleinnaundorf 2022 Anja Lund Carmen KetelhutStehag 2021 No tournament held No tournament held N/A 2020 No tournament held No tournament held N/A 2019 Indy Lennartsson (née Priestman) Katrin UeberfuhrStehag 2018 Jasmine Bosenick Katrin UeberfuhrMerrick Leisure Centre, Newton Stewart 2017 Katrin Ueberfuhr Chloe BruceRiverford Farm, Devon 2016 Amke de Buhr Inga HöbenDresden 2015 Jasmine Bosenick Gabriele RoseMerrick Leisure Centre, Newton Stewart 2014 Jasmine Bosenick Indy Lennartsson (née Priestman)Riverford Farm, Devon 2013 Indy Priestman Anne LarischDresden 2012 Indy Priestman Jasmine BosenickRiverford Farm, Devon 2011 Stacey Duff Dilushi JayasinghaRiverford Farm, Devon 2010 Indy Priestman Stacey DuffMerrick Leisure Centre, Newton Stewart 2009 Indy Priestman Chloe BruceRiverford Farm, Devon 2008 Indy Priestman Isla CraikRiverford Farm, Devon 2007 Elizabeth Tindal Isla CraikRiverford Farm, Devon 2006 Indy Priestman Isla CraikRiverford Farm, Devon 2005 Indy Priestman Isla CraikRiverford Farm, Devon 2004 Indy Priestman Isla CraikRiverford Farm, Devon 2003 Indy Priestman Rachel ChelkaRiverford Farm, Devon 2002 Indy PriestmanRiverford Farm, Devon 20012000199919981997199619951994199319921991 No Women's Singles Played No Women's Singles Played 1990 Rosey Priestman Mandi McInnesLoch Grannoch, Galloway 1989 Rosey PriestmanEuchanbank, Galloway 1988 Rosey PriestmanMochrum Park, Galloway 1987 Rosey PriestmanCastle Stewart, Galloway 1986 Rosey Priestman Sarah FeldmanBalmaclellan, Galloway 1985 No Women's Singles Played No Women's Singles PlayedMinniwick, Galloway 1984 Rosey PriestmanCastle Stewart, Galloway 1983 Rosey Priestman 1982 No Women's Singles Played No Women's Singles PlayedCorriedoo, Galloway 1981 1980 1979 1978
† Shown is the champion and runner up from the over-18 age category. In 2023 there were strict age limits such that players over 40, including the defending champion Anja Lund, were not permitted to enter the over-18 category.
*Indy Lennartson won the over-40 category, and Anja Lund won the over-50 category and Patricia Poch won the 18+ category, controversially all three have a claim to being the Women's Singles champion of 2023.
Mixed doubles world champions by year