As the FIFA fever has subsided making way for the 20th edition of Commonwealth Games, let’s have a look at some of the quirkiest events in the world of sports that you might haven’t heard of:
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10. MOBILE PHONE THROWING
Remember those demented times when you get really enraged and feel like smashing your phone? Well, the Finnish people have taken this gesture to an absurdly great level. Mobile phone Throwing started as an international sport in Finland 14 years ago.
The contestants can either throw the phone in conventional over-the-shoulder style or freestyle. Participants are judged on the basis of distance and creativity, respectively.
Don’t freak out, the contestants don’t use their own phones, the organizers provide select models to choose from!
9. ZORBING
Also known as Orbing, this dangerous recreation involves rolling downhill inside an orb. The sport is played on gentle slopes or flat surface. It’s a wild adventure which can be played on grassy as well as snowy slopes. The Zorb is a huge transparent ball made of strong plastic. It has the capacity of one to two riders at a time. David and Andrew Ekers created world’s first Zorbing site in New Zealand back in 1990s.
Ever wondered what its like to be a Hamster? Try Zorbing!
8. CANINE FREESTYLE DANCING
As the name suggests, its all about dogs, dance and great music! Canine freestyle or Musical Freestyle is an athletic sport where the dogs and their owners dress up and perform to the tunes of a set theme music. Though it apparently seems like a cinch, Canine freestyle is no cakewalk. It involves a lot of patience, coaching and discipline.
The participants are judged on the basis of their inovation, creativity and dance steps along with costuming. The sport has become popular in countries like UK, USA and Japan, to name a few. The underlining idea is that of striking a perfect balance between team work and artisitry. No wonder this event has turned out to be a great success to bond with the pets in an amusing way!
7. CHESS BOXING
The sport owes its origin to Lepe Rubingh, a Dutch event artist who came up with the idea of blending brain with brawn. It is also believed that the sport also got its inspiration from ‘Froid Équateur’, a graphic novel.
The game lasts up to 11 rounds, alternating between game of chess and boxing. Four minutes of chess playing is followed by two minutes by of boxing. What more, there’s even a World Chess Boxing Association which endorses this maxim: “Fighting is done in the ring and wars are waged on the board”.
6. EXTREME IRONING
Tired of sweeping, cleaning, ironing and other mundane domestic chores? A man from Leicester ha taken household chores to an entirely new level. Invented in 1990s, the sport is about participants ironing clothes in all bizarre places you can think of, ranging from subways to underwater! Never knew laundry can give such a thrill, right?
5. WIFE CARRYING
Gone are the days of knights in shining armor carrying damsels on horseback. Carrying your wife on your back is the thing! Wife Carrying originated as a sport in Finland. ‘Eukonkanto’ is its original Finnish name which implies ‘wife carrying’. The participants carry their female team-mate on their back while racing along a n obstacle course. The competition is held annually at Sonkajärvi, Finland. To top it all, the winner gets the weight of his wife in beer!
4. QUIDDITCH
For all the Harry potter fansout there this is no less than a dream turned into a reality. Taking its inspiration from JK Rowling’s fiction, this more terrestrial version of the sport has been dubbed as “Muggle Quidditch”. There is actually an International Quidditch Association which has over 200 American colleges affiliated to it! Though the game lacks the magical touch since it doesn’t involve flying broomsticks, the Muggles have managed to retain the thrill and energy of this sport from the world of wizards.
3. WORM FIDDLING
Yes, you haven’t gone mad, you’ve read it right! Worm fiddling or Worm charming is probably the wackiest sport that has ever been conceived by humans. For those who think that sports involving pets is too mainstream, this worm-ful event is the right thing for you!
The participants are allocated a patch of ground and are supposed to bring as many worms to the surface as possible within a certain amount of time. The tricks to ‘charm’ the worms is up to the competitors, however, the use of chemicals has been banned.
For 30 years, South Devon has been hosting International Festival of Worm Charming to encourage the sport. Apart from the festival, The World Worm Championship is held every year in the village of Willaston, near Cheshire. Quirky ha?
2. FIERLJEPPEN
Fierljeppen is yet another unusual event in the history of sports. The word ‘fierljeppen’ means ‘far leaping’; it is a traditional sport of the Dutch and Frisians (a Germanic ethnic group).
The game involves long aluminum poles with flat round plate to avoid sinking. The contestants need to jump onto the pole in order to vault off as they attempt to land on the opposite bank of a river or a canal.
The National Canal Jumping Contest is held on August 22nd annually. Though there is no prize to be offered, the accolade of being the Dutch Champion Canal Jumper is enough to attract participants from across the globe.
1. THE WORLD BEARD AND MOUSTACHE CHAMPIONSHIP
Organized by World Beard and Moustache Association (WBMA), this weird tournament is all about flaunting your machismo by displaying ritzy and swanky facial hair. Be it an elaborate beard or a nifty moustache, this sport is the right place to sport your man hair.
It is believed that the championship was first introduced in 1990 in Germany. Since then, it is held twice each year with participants from countries like Germany, UK, USA, Australia and many more.
The competition is divided into four primary categories of facial hair, namely, Moustache, Partial beard, Full beard and Sideburn.
The next World Beard and Moustache Championship will kick start this September in the American city of Portland, Oregon. So are you in?