The most common objects used in joggling are juggling balls, or sometimes juggling clubs, but any set of three or more objects can be used. However, in competitions or long term events, most jogglers prefer to use palm-size beanbags stuffed with birdseed because they are light enough for long distances but heavy enough to withstand winds.[1] The juggling is usually done in a three-ball cascade pattern, which is efficient and uses the least energy. Jogglers say that the arm motions of juggling with three objects feels natural with the action and pace of jogging.
Rules
The rules that define joggling in competitions and races are:[citation needed]
If an object is dropped, the joggler must return to the point they dropped and continue.
Competition
Jogglers compete in races around the world over a range of distances. From their local parkrun events to large city marathons [2]
The World Joggling Championships are held each year as one of the events of the International Jugglers' Associationjuggling festival, where results are recorded and medals awarded. Anyone can compete in the World Joggling Championships, but competitors need to be able to juggle three balls proficiently. All registrants must pay an entry fee,[3] which covers any to all of the events entered for one juggler, and complete and sign a liability waiver. Some events require meeting a qualifying standard (e.g. in a former meet, competitors in the 400 meter 5-ball event need to have completed the 100 meter 5-ball event in less than 90 seconds[4]). The meet schedule for the World Joggling Championships most commonly includes races ranging from 100 meters to 1600 meters, with the occasional novel-yet-standardized distance, prop count, or obstacle. Frequently, world record attempts will be held at these meets (e.g. 800m, 5K, and 10K record attempts in the last decade), as well as relay races in which teammates pass one ball to the next relay runner, who holds two in the handoff zone. The schedule also often includes 4-ball, 5-ball, and 7-ball events, which require much greater technical juggling skills as opposed to flat-out speed. Competitions have been virtual through the COVID-19 pandemic, with the intent of incorporating both virtual and in-person event blocks when the health risk diminishes.
The first championships were held in 1980 at the IJA juggling festival in Fargo, North Dakota. They were organized by Bill Giduz, an avid joggler who edited the IJA Newsletter at the time in an attempt to interest others in the activity. Two races were held on that occasion—a 100-yard race across a football field that was won by Brad Heffler in 13.4 seconds, and a one-mile run on an indoor track that was won by Canadian comic entertainer Michel Lauzière. Lauzière was late to the start line and ran his race barefoot.
2024 World Joggling Championships
The 2024 Championships include both In-Person and Virtual Championships again, the Virtual Championships stretching from Fall 2023 through June 15, 2024, and the In-Person Championship Meet taking place in Green Bay, Wisconsin on July 11, 2024 as part of the IJA 77th Annual Festival. Additionally, a 5K Road Race was run along the Fox River Trail in Green Bay on July 13, 2024.
Gold Medalists and Top Performances: IJA World Joggling Championships 2024
Event
Props
Division
Athlete(s)
Time
DR
ATR
Comments
3-ball 1500 meters
3
B17
Aaron Heilig
9:41.04
#1
Giduz 1500; New Division Record
3-ball 1500 meters
3
MM
Sterling Franklin
5:38.95
#1
#7
Giduz 1500; New Division Record; Erik Raivo [S], Barak Hirschowitz [B]
3-ball 1500 meters
3
MO
Sam Dean
4:40.23
#1
#1
Giduz 1500; New IJA World Record; Jonathan Abbott [S], Nathan Nard [B]
3-ball 1500 meters
3
WO
Zoe Prawda
11:02.61
#1
Giduz 1500; New Division Record
3-ball 200 meters
3
B17
Aaron Heilig
49.87
3-ball 200 meters
3
MM
Sterling Franklin
30.38
#2
Erik Raivo [S], Jack Hirschowitz [B]
3-ball 200 meters
3
MO
Mark Fiore
28.46
#5
#6
Sam Dean [S], Jacob Heimer [B]
3-ball 200 meters
3
WO
Zoe Prawda
50.59
3-ball 60 meters
3
B17
Aaron Heilig
15.57
#10
3-ball 60 meters
3
MM
Sterling Franklin
8.78
#1
#2
New Division Record; Justin Sheldon [S], Erik Raivo [B]
3-ball 60 meters
3
MO
Mark Fiore
8.41
#2
#2
Draco Tong [S], Jacob Heimer [B]
3-ball 60 meters
3
WM
Heather Marriott
13.21
#2
Laura Shub [S]
3-ball 60 meters
3
WO
Delaney Bayles
12.45
#4
Zoe Prawda [S], Kaylin Meyers [B]
3-ball 800 meter relay (4x200)
3
CO
Team 12345 (Jonathan Abbott, Erik Raivo, Aaron Heilig, Zoe Prawda)
2:56.41
#1
#9
New Division Record
3-ball 800 meter relay (4x200)
3
MM
Team Aged Cheddar (Mikey Free, Barak Hirschowitz, Jack Hirschowitz, Sterling Franklin)
3:02.73
#3
3-ball 800 meter relay (4x200)
3
MO
Team Exerbags (Jacob Heimer, Nathan Nard, Sam Dean, Mark Fiore)
2:07.32
#1
#1
New IJA World Record
3-ball 800 meters
3
B17
Aaron Heilig
4:09.67
3-ball 800 meters
3
MM
Sterling Franklin
2:37.45
#3
Erik Raivo [S], Torrey Hamilton [B]
3-ball 800 meters
3
MO
Sam Dean
2:19.20
#4
#4
Jonathan Abbott [S], Nathan Nard [B]
3-ball 800 meters
3
WM
Heather Marriott
4:03.33
#2
3-ball 800 meters
3
WO
Zoe Prawda
4:48.03
3-basketball 100 meter Drubbling
3
B17
Aaron Heilig
2:43
#1
#5
McLincha 100 New Division Record
3-basketball 100 meter Drubbling
3
MM
Erik Raivo
45.87
#1
#1
McLincha 100; New IJA World Record; Sterling Franklin [S]
3-basketball 100 meter Drubbling
3
MO
Draco Tong
1:16.17
#1
#2
McLincha 100; New Division Record
3-basketball 100 meter Drubbling
3
WO
Zoe Prawda
2:25.29
#1
#4
McLincha 100; New Division Record
4-ball 60 meters
4
B17
Aaron Heilig
29.77
#1
#7
New Division Record
4-ball 60 meters
4
MM
Sterling Franklin
14.49
#1
#2
New Division Record; Erik Raivo [S], Justin Sheldon [B]
4-ball 60 meters
4
MO
Mark Fiore
8.74
#1
#1
New IJA World Record; Kanoa Lindiwe [S], Draco Tong [B]
4-ball 60 meters
4
WO
Zoe Prawda
32.48
#1
#8
New Division Record
5-ball 200 meters
5
B17
Aaron Heilig
4:51.27
#4
5-ball 200 meters
5
MM
Sterling Franklin
2:03.30
#4
Erik Raivo [S], Justin Sheldon [B]
5-ball 200 meters
5
MO
Mark Fiore
1:24.63
#4
#7
Kanoa Lindiwe [S], Draco Tong [B]
5-ball 200 meters
5
WO
Delaney Bayles
1:53.49
#1
New Division Record
5-ball 60 meters
5
B17
Aaron Heilig
1:03.78
#5
5-ball 60 meters
5
MM
Justin Sheldon
31.80
#5
Erik Raivo [S], Sterling Franklin [B]
5-ball 60 meters
5
MO
Kanoa Lindiwe
29.15
#6
Mark Fiore [S], Draco Tong [B]
5-ball 60 meters
5
WO
Delaney Bayles
32.89
#2
Zoe Prawda [S]
Gold Medalists and Top Performances: IJA World Joggling Championships Road Race 2024 (Fox River Trail 5K)
Event
Props
Division
Athlete(s)
Time
DR
ATR
Comments
3-ball 5000 meters
3
MO
Draco Tong
29:23.00
3-ball 5000 meters
3
MM
Sterling Franklin
20:04.00
#1
New Men's Masters Record; Torrey Hamilton [S], Erik Raivo [B]
3-ball 5000 meters
3
M 50-59
Barak Hirschowitz
24:57.00
3-ball 5000 meters
3
M 70-79
Jack Hirschowitz
29:58.00
3-ball 5000 meters
3
WO
Meggie Mariah
25:56.00
#5
3-ball 5000 meters
3
WM
Katie Burgess
27:28.00
#3
Gold Medalists and Top Performances: IJA Virtual World Joggling Championships 2024
Event
Props
Division
Athlete(s)
Time
DR
ATR
Comments
3-ball 100 meters
3
MM
Sterling Franklin
13.90
#1
New Division Record; Daniel Raum [S]
3-ball 100 meters
3
MO
Samuel Dean
15.90
3-ball 100 meters
3
WO
Kaylyn Schull
23.77
3-ball 100 meters Backwards
3
MM
Daniel Raum
26.44
#2
#6
3-ball 10000 meters
3
MM
Daniel Raum
42:28.96
#1
#3
New Division Record
3-ball 10000 meters
3
MO
Samuel Dean
38:01.90
#2
#2
3-ball 400 meters
3
MM
Sterling Franklin
1:03.88
#1
New Division Record; Daniel Raum [S]
3-ball 400 meters
3
MO
Samuel Dean
1:10.10
3-ball 400 meters
3
WO
Kaylyn Schull
1:54.34
3-ball 400 meters Backwards
3
MM
Daniel Raum
2:01.64
#1
#1
New IJA World Record
3-ball 5000 meters
3
MM
Christoph Mitasch
20:45.60
#2
Daniel Raum [S]
3-ball Mile
3
MM
Daniel Raum
5:51.70
#1
New Division Record
3-ball Mile
3
MO
Samuel Dean
5:02.31
#3
#3
3-ball Mile
3
WO
Kaylyn Schull
9:35.00
4-ball 100 meters
4
MM
Sterling Franklin
14.84
#1
#2
New Division Record
4-ball 100 meters
4
WO
Kaylyn Schull
1:48.57
#2
4-ball 200 meters
4
MM
Sterling Franklin
32.70
#1
#1
New IJA World Record
4-ball 400 meters
4
MM
Sterling Franklin
1:23.56
#1
#1
New IJA World Record
6-ball 100 meters
6
MM
Sterling Franklin
1:26.88
#1
#1
New IJA World Record
Divisions: B17 - Boys 13-to-17, G17 - Girls 13-to-17, MO - Men's Open, CO - Coed Open, WO - Women's Open, MM - Men's Masters, WM - Women's Masters
2023 World Joggling Championships
2023 marked the first year that IJA held both in-person as well as virtual championships. The In-Person Championship Meet took place at Leighton Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, USA on July 22, 2023 as part of the IJA Annual Festival, and the Virtual Championships had a submission deadline on August 22, 2023.[5]
International Jugglers' Association 76th Annual Festival
Gold Medalists and Top Performances: IJA World Joggling Championships 2023 (In-Person Meet)
Event
Props
Division
Athlete(s)
Time
DR
ATR
Comments
3-ball 100 meters
3
B12
Caleb Black
18.14
#4
3-ball 100 meters
3
B17
Torsten Hornemann
21.16
James Auriemma [S]
3-ball 100 meters
3
G17
Sarah Kresser
38.75
3-ball 100 meters
3
MM
Sterling Franklin
14.37
#1
New Division Record; Aaron Rosenberg [S], Jack Hirschowitz [B]
3-ball 100 meters
3
MO
Jared Janssen
14.41
Draco Tong [S], Jacob Heimer [B]
3-ball 100 meters
3
WM
Heather Marriott
21.09
#3
JoAnn Ireland [S], Becky Kresser [B]
3-ball 100 meters
3
WO
Kaylin Meyers
18.76
Kaylyn Schull [S]
3-ball 1600 meter relay (4x400)
3
MM
James Auriemma, Barak Hirschowitz, Jack Hirschowitz, Sterling Franklin
6:19.28
#4
3-ball 1600 meter relay (4x400)
3
MO
Jacob Heimer, Torsten Hornemann, Harry Rosenberg, Nathan Nard
Time Attack Division: Entries were redone due to footage discrepancies and capped at initial time submission
2020 World Joggling Championships
Virtual due to the ongoing pandemic (Full In-Frame Video Submissions Required, Deadline: July 18, 2020, 4:00pm GMT)[8]
International Jugglers' Association 74th Festival (Online/Virtual)
Men's Gold Medalists and Top Performances
Event
Props
Division
Athlete(s)
Time
DR
ATR
Comments
100 meter 3-ball
3
B12
Joshua Black
19.42
Caleb Black [S]
100 meter 3-ball
3
B17
David Pavlove Cunsolo
16.50
100 meter 3-ball
3
MO
Sterling Franklin
13.96
Craig Muhlenkamp [S], Christoph Mitasch [B]
100 meter 3-Shot Put
3
MO
Chris Fowler
15.96
#1
#1
New World Record, Requirement: Shot Puts 5 kg/11 lb each
200 meter 3-ball
3
MO
Sterling Franklin
29.12
#6
#8
400 meter 3-ball
3
B12
Joshua Black
2:05
Caleb Black [S]
400 meter 3-ball
3
MO
Sterling Franklin
62.40
#5
#7
Craig Muhlenkamp [S], Christoph Mitasch [B]
400 meter 3-ball
3
MM
Len Ferman
1:17
600 meter 3-ball
3
MO
Sterling Franklin
1:44.90
#1
#1
New World Record
800 meter 3-ball
3
B12
Caleb Black
8:45
800 meter 3-ball
3
MO
Henry Wellenstein
2:19.14
#2
#2
Sterling Franklin [S, #4 ATR], Craig Muhlenkamp [B, Tie], Christoph Mitasch [B, Tie]ª
1 Mile 3-ball
3
B12
Caleb Black
19:47
1 Mile 3-ball
3
MO
Sterling Franklin
5:29.97
#8
#8
Full Mile time reported; Ranks based on conversion down to 1600m; Craig Muhlenkamp [S]
3K 3-ball
3
MO
Sterling Franklin
11:10.9
#1
#1
IJA Inaugural Record
5K 3-ball
3
MO
Michael-Lucien Bergeron
16:49.67
#1
#1
New World Record, Sterling Franklin [S], Christoph Mitasch [B]
100 meter 4-ball
4
MO
Sterling Franklin
15.78
#1
#1
IJA Inaugural Record
200 meter 4-ball
4
MO
Sterling Franklin
40.47
#1
#1
IJA Inaugural Record
400 meter 4-ball
4
MO
Sterling Franklin
1:49.36
#1
#1
IJA Inaugural Record
100 meter 5-ball
5
B12
Joshua Black
2:11
Caleb Black [S]
100 meter 5-ball
5
B17
David Pavlove Cunsolo
30.20
100 meter 5-ball
5
MO
Sterling Franklin
55.57
200 meter 5-ball
5
MO
Sterling Franklin
2:42.20
#2
#8
400 meter 5-ball
5
B12
Joshua Black
6:31
Caleb Black [S]
400 meter 5-ball
5
B17
David Pavlove Cunsolo
3:03.73
#7
400 meter 5-ball
5
MO
Sterling Franklin
5:29.76
100 meter 7-ball
7
B17
David Pavlove Cunsolo
1:37.37
#10
100 meter 7-ball
7
MO
Sterling Franklin
14:13
ª Honorable Mention: Aaron Scott – 2:35.41, Verifiable Fun Run video submission ranks 3rd in Competitive
Physical Medals awarded in following divisions: 3b100/400/800/Mile/5K, 5b100/400, 7b100; Individual Ranks used to eliminate multiple per-person ranking
Divisions: B12 – Boys 12-and-Under, B17 – Boys 13-to-17, MO – Men's Open, MM – Men's Masters
Chris Lovdal, Eric Walter, Tyler Wishau, Charles Schweitzer
55.8
2011
4 x 200
3
Team Exerball (Barry Goldmeier, Jamie Whoolery, Chris Essick, Sam Hartford, USA)
2:10.5
2002
4 x 400
3
Team Exerball (Albert Lucas, Owen Morse, Jon Wee, Tuey Wilson)
3:57
1990
Women
Distance (meters)
Prop number
Participant
Time
Year
60
3
Lana Bolin
9.98
2001
100
3
Lana Bolin
15.0
2000
100
5
Delaney Bayles
29.9
2014
100
7
Delaney Bayles
1:52
2014
200
3
Trish Evans
31.8
2011
400
3
Gabrielle Foran
1:14
2016
400
5
Delaney Bayles
2:33
2014
600
3
Gabrielle Foran
2:00
2019
800
3
Gabrielle Foran
2:40
2015
1600
3
Gabrielle Foran
5:40
2015
5k
3
Gabrielle Foran
18:12
2015
10k
3
Gabrielle Foran
40:06
2016
Half Marathon
3
Dana Guglielmo
1:35:15
2013
4 x 100
3
Steve and the Hippos (L. Schroeder, E. Hadjiyanis, E.Stockbridge, K.Malmgren)
1:15
2017
4 x 400
3
Jugheads (Lana Bolin, Kelsey Deutsch, Hayley Fix, Erika Randall, USA)
5:39
2000
International media footage has featured the battle for the marathon record between Canadian Michal Kapral and American Zach Warren. The history of the record includes:
Time
Date
Location
Participant
2:50:12
September 2007
Toronto
Michal Kapral (Canada)
2:52:15
November 2006
Philadelphia
Zach Warren (USA)
2:57:39
September 2006
Toronto
Michal Kapral (Canada)
2:58:23
April 2006
Boston
Zach Warren (USA)
3:06:45
April, 2006
Boston
Michal Kapral (Canada)
3:07:5
November 2005
Philadelphia, PA
Zach Warren (USA)
3:07:46
September, 2005
Toronto, Canada
Michal Kapral (Canada)
3:20:49
August, 2000
Karlsruhe, Germany
Paul-Erik Lillholm (Norway)
3:22
1988
Salmon River, Idaho
Ashrita Furman (USA)
4:04
1987
Los Angeles, CA
Albert Lucas (USA)
At one point, Albert Lucas simultaneously held the record for "Most Objects Juggled" and "Fastest Marathon While Juggling."