Four school friends from West Yorkshire who took up the Finnish throwing game Mölkky and rose to represent Great Britain at World Championship level in Japan are the subject of a new book, The Fall and Rise of the Mölkky Bar Kids. The title has been longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2026.
The book has drawn comparisons to the 1990s film Cool Runnings, which told the story of Jamaica's unlikely bobsleigh team at the Winter Olympics. In this 2026 equivalent, Jamaica is swapped for West Yorkshire and bobsleigh for Mölkky, a game in which players throw wooden sticks at other wooden sticks.
Friendship at the heart of the story
The Mölkky Bar Kids are school pals who have remained close for decades, bonded by their love of sport. The warmth of their friendship is described as the highlight of the book, with the group's fondness for one another making it easy for readers to root for them. Even when a new character joins the crew, the group's warmth shines through.
The team's journey takes them from discovering Mölkky to representing Great Britain at World Championship level in Japan in a remarkably short space of time. Their rise from learning the rules to competing against other nations is described as remarkable.
An inspirational underdog story
The story is presented as genuinely inspirational and motivational, showing that while opening the batting for England or walking out onto Centre Court at Wimbledon may be reserved for the elite, there are less trodden paths to the top in more niche sporting endeavours. The book follows whether the unlikely underdogs can achieve Mölkky glory, but it is the journey rather than the destination that leaves the lasting impact.
It is the story of old friends who have dealt with varying examples of personal adversity, coming together to chase an unexpected dream despite edging towards retirement age. The mission is taken on with great humour and the competitive edge required to make four rookies fly from Yorkshire to Tokyo.
