Putting the ‘skill’ in skillet toss

Insights and tips from an intercontinental reigning champ

Jeanna Leclerc has been training for the skillet toss competition for the Blue Hill Fair. Photo by Maizy Weirich

Aug. 24, 2026

By Maizy Weirich

The Blue Hill Fair is fast approaching, which means the Intercontinental Women’s Skillet Toss is almost here.

And last year’s overall champion, Jeanna Leclerc of Penobscot, is already getting ready for the event.  

Jeanna Leclerc, the reigning champion of the Kitten Division, is starting to brush off the dust for this year's competition by practicing with a backyard setup. She has a 60-foot tape measure laid down in her yard - just shy of her 58-foot winning throw last year – where she can heave her cast-iron skillet back and forth in training. This helps her gauge not only distance, but accuracy as well.

“I’ve been doing it for six years… I heard about it and didn’t go for a couple years. I was just kind of nervous about it, and then decided to show up one year, and I was like, oh, this is amazing,” Leclerc said.  

Although skillet tossing is not something Leclerc was familiar with, her background in sports gave her an edge.

“I played softball in high school, and I was a catcher, so I kind of understood the mechanics of throwing underhand really hard, but I had never really practiced it before,” Leclerc said. 

The Blue Hill Fair’s rules state that the throws must be underhand. Windups or discus-style throws are not permitted. Participants are also limited to two attempts, and are allowed one step before they toss the skillet.

There are four age-based divisions for participants: Division 1 Kittens, ages 18-29; Division 2 Kittens, ages 30-45; Division 1 Cougars, ages 46-64; and Division 2 Cougars, ages 65 and older.  

When talking strategy, Leclerc explained how the skill in tossing the four-pound skillet is more valuable than strength. 

“The strength comes from the skill. You're trying to utilize as much of your body as possible when you throw. So it’s really trying to maximize using your legs to push off, using your whole torso, and following through all the way,” Leclerc said.

While the Blue Hill Fair has the typical amusement of rides and booth games, there are various events, like the skillet-toss, that are less typical. The Mr. McGregor’s Garden Contest, inspired by the TV series, “The Tale of Peter Rabbit,” is another example: a competition based on the quality of homegrown fruits and vegetables, and the creativity of one’s exhibit.

“I think having these kinds of specialized, unique events is really great for a small fair like ours. Especially where a lot of the agricultural aspects of it have kind of been in decline over the years,” Leclerc said, “I just love the things they’ve done with the fair over the last few years to really increase the uniqueness, and the things that make the Blue Hill Fair special.” 

The Blue Hill Fair runs from Sept. 3-7. Be sure to check this year’s Blue Hill Fair website for this year’s offerings, which has the fair’s full schedule and program.