Singapore's 11th Guinness Oyster Shucking Championship 2007 at Muddy Murphy's Irish Pub

This year, 16 contestants, mostly chefs from major hotels in Singapore, compete to shuck (open) 30 oysters in record time.

The winner stands a chance to compete in World Oyster Opening Championship in Galway, Ireland. Sipping on my beer, I watched as the contestants combine skill and precision to shuck the oysters, separate it from the shell and place them ready-to-serve on the trays provided.

From the beads of perspiration and looks of intense concentration on the contestants' faces, I can accurately conclude that it was not an easy feat!

The crowd gradually got into the mood of the championship as they cheered the contestants on with shouts of encouragement and loud hoots. The new Singapore Champion Shucker this year is Chef Sim Chai Guan, representing Raffles Hotel in a time of 3:54.

After the main event, patrons of Muddy Murphy's were invited to join an impromptu competition where groups of three take turns to first open an oyster, eat it and down a pint of Guinness. It was exciting just to watch as the three groups did their manly best!

Entertained by live Irish music all the way from Perth, the adrenaline was rustled up again as the women demanded part of the action too! Quickly the table was set with a modified version of the competition: swallow 5 oysters and down a draught of Guinness. Three ladies gamely took up the challenge, evoking cat calls from the audience and further revving up the atmosphere.

Fresh oysters were then distributed free for the patrons' enjoyment. A round of Irish dancing, which evoked Riverdance nostalgia, completed the festivities, as the customers were sufficiently intoxicated by then to jive up the party on their own. It was a Sunday well-spent!