It's an oyster-shucking throwdown at the annual Galway International Oyster Festival

The Guinness World Oyster Opening Competition in Galway, Ireland, recently brought together the creme de la creme of competitors in the oyster-shucking universe. The contest is the annual highlight of the three-day Galway International Oyster Festival.  

The Europeans call it oyster opening. Americans call it shucking. Either way, for one of the participants that assemble from 14 countries, winning in Galway is like snagging gold at the Olympics. 

Click here to read more about America's William "Chopper" Young and the 13 other competitors that come from all over the globe to determine who is the world's best shucker.

Photo credit: Necee Regis