The skillet throw has become a time-honored tradition at the Fryeburg Fair. Every year, women from the ages of 18 to 97 gather at the Swine & Goat Grandstand, where they stand in line to take turns pitching a frying pan. She who throws the greatest distance wins. The pans are tinted black, but actually made from stainless steel. Cast iron skillets, it turns out, have a tendency to break when they hit the ground just so.

There is no cost to enter the throw, and people come from all over to participate. This year, a fair record was broken when more than 100 women signed up. Once upon a time, everyone got two throws. With so many contestants these days, however, each person gets only one shot at the prize ribbons.

Sara Gray always competes in the skillet throw, where she exhibits one fierce windup. She's taken first place at Fryeburg before, and also at the Ossipee Valley Fair in South Hiram.

Age: 23

Lives: Parsonsfield

Works: In customer service at Gorham Savings Bank.

Relationship? Married

Have you participated in a skillet throw before? Yes.

How many times: Probably a half dozen.

How did you get into this pastime? A friend of my mom's got me into it.

Do you know how much the pan weighs? 3 pounds, 11 ounces

What's your record for distance? 45 feet in 2004 (when she won the Fryeburg throw.)

How about your Ossipee win? I think I threw it 35 feet.

How far did you throw it this year? Only about 29 feet.

Do you get serious about it, or have any tricks or techniques? I just get up and throw it for fun.

Do you practice at home? No. I probably should have this year. I broke my leg in March and it probably would have helped... It's too hard to find the time to go out and throw frying pans around.

Why do you keep competing? It's just fun to do. It's not the common thing to do.

What's the farthest distance you've seen anybody throw? I've seen it up to 60 feet before.