In a world where tech enthusiasts gather, a unique competition has captured the hearts of many: server tossing. Though my days in physical education weren’t exactly a highlight, the idea of hurling heavy hardware into the air certainly piques my interest.

CloudFest, known for bringing people from around the globe, introduced the early stages of this eccentric sport to an even greater audience. Participants from all walks of life can take part, as long as they share a passion for launching servers over long distances, with the only requirement being a strong desire to toss them.

The World Server Throwing Championship has become a highlight of CloudFest, with this year’s edition set to take place in the US. Interestingly, the sport’s origin traces back to some frustrated IT admins in Holland, who started tossing servers as a form of stress relief. The first official tournament was held in 2011, giving rise to the term Serverwerpen.

This year’s competition has allowed Linda Splitt to thrive in the women’s division with a record throw of 11.10 meters, while Thom van Hal snagged the top men’s spot, launching a server an impressive 13.18 meters! While I might not be the strongest in tech, but I am eagerly adding ’lob a server’ to my bucket list.