IT’S not easy being ugly — but these people are world champions at it.

    They were taking part in the World Gurning Championships, where the victor’s crown is awarded to whoever can pull the ugliest face, over the weekend.

    The contest takes place annually at Egremont, Cumbria, Britain, as part of the town’s Crab Fair.

    The fair can trace its origins as far back as 1267, when crab apples were given to the townsfolk by the Lord of the Manor.

    This year, the 16-time champion Tommy Mattinson was defeated by Gordon Blacklock, who said he was shocked at beating the undisputed King of the Gurn.

    Egremont resident Clare Spedding won the women’s title for the second time.

    This year’s competition was also memorable because of a moving tribute to another gurning legend, Anne Woods.

    The Egremont face-puller claimed her 28th Women’s Gurning Championship last year, but passed away this spring.

    The competition has rules, including a ban on makeup, though manipulation of false teeth is allowed for those who have them.

    Contestants have to put their head through a horse collar and “snarl like a dog, look savage, distort the countenance.”

    Those with no teeth have a natural advantage in the contest, because they can move their jaws further up. Some toothless gurners have even been able to cover their entire nose.

    The gurning contest is only one part of a series of traditional sports held as part of the Crab Fair, including horse and pony-leaping and pipe-smoking competitions.

    In his book on “True Brits: A tour of 21st century Britain in all its Shin-Kicking, Bog-Snorkelling and Cheese-Rolling Glory,” American author J.R. Daeschner wrote: “Gold-medal gurners train like Olympic champions, experimenting with different faces until they hit on a suitably ugly mug.”(SD-Agencies)