Here is a list with the most weirdest sports in all Britain – date and place of the contests.From tin-bath racing to worm charming that’s the strangest way for somebody to win a medal.
London has been ranked as Lonely Planet’s No.1 city in the world for 2012. The royal wedding in 2011 ensured it was a contender but the Olympics, combined with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, has secured the top spot.
There is an undeniable renewed pride in Britain. And since we’re running the Olympics, we should get to choose the sports. None of this running round in circles and chucking spears at nothing but rather the eccentric stuff we Brits are really good at.
Look at how many deeply odd sports we hold the world championships for. OK, foreigners have come up with a few half-decent eccentric sports. Wife-carrying races, for example, are a Finnish idea. You win her weight in beer, so it’s hard to choose between Beth Ditto and Gwyneth Paltrow for dating purposes. However, the good folk of Dorking, Surrey, have got that one nailed: this year they are holding their fifth wife-carrying contest. I have travelled around Britain in a bid to compile the best-ever list of these for my book, Eccentric Britain, and, even more fun, to join in or judge many of them. Here are a few crackers:
The World Black Pudding Throwing Championships, in Lancashire. You hurl black puddings at a pile of Yorkshire puddings, often on a pub roof (there’s usually a pub involved in these sports). Apparently it evolved during the Wars of the Roses, when the two counties ran out of weapons, and continued during the World War II blackout with white pudding. September 9
The World Snail Racing Championships in Congham, Norfolk, starts with ‘Ready, steady, slow!’ and it doesn’t matter if you’re late. July 21, www.snailracing.net
Tin-bath racing is held on the harbour at Castletown, Isle of Man, across the island from where the World Viking Long Boat Races are held at Peel. Rape and pillage are no longer required in the latter. July 7, www.iomguide.com/races/tin-bath/world-tin-bath-championship.php
Pooh-Sticks at Little Wittenham, Oxon. As in the Winnie-the-Pooh books, you drop (hurling is a serious infringement) sticks off a bridge and rush downstream to see whose comes out first. Once you’ve twigged it, it’s quite exciting. March 25, www.pooh-sticks.com
Marbles at Tinsley Green, Sussex. If you need to have this explained to you, you’re not really British. April 6
Conkers in Ashton, Northamptonshire. Ditto. October 14, www.worldconker championships.com
Clog cobbing in Waterfoot, Lancashire. You have to throw a clog down a lane, backwards over your shoulder.
Egg jarping in Peterlee, Co Durham. Like conkers but with hard-boiled eggs. Easter Sunday
Toe wrestling at Wetton, Derbyshire. Takes place on a toedium (in a pub, of course). They have petitioned to be included in the Olympics several times. Oddly, without success. June 22
Stinging nettle eating at Marshwood, Dorset, started in a pub with two farmers saying something along the lines of: ‘Moi nettles be hoigher than yours be.’ ‘Iz naat, by goom.’ ‘If they ain’t, I’ll eat ’em.’ ‘Aaaar, roight you are.’ Thus a major sport was born. www.thebottleinn.co.uk
Coal carrying, Ossett, West Yorkshire. Very tough uphill event (from pub to pub). Easter Monday
World Dock Pudding Championships: cooking and eating a bizarre local delicacy at Mytholmroyd, Elphaborough, Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire. Even the address is a mouthful. April 15, www.crow-pie.co.uk/archive_subjects/dock_competition_1.html
Worm charming: As with rugby and boxing, there are rival codes. The International Festival of Worm Charming is at Blackawton, Devon, and the World Worm Charming Championships are in Nantwich, Cheshire. Either way, the aim is to persuade earthworms to leave the soil – and the participants are quite good at it. www.wormcharming.com
Mangold hurling in Sherston, Gloucestershire, on the first Sunday in October. You might know them as mangelwurzels but I was ridiculed for suggesting an alternative. ‘Turnips? For mangold hurling? You are joking?’ October 7
The Biggest Liar In The World Competition is held in Santon Bridge, Cumbria. Or so they claim. November 15, www.santonbridgeinn.com/liar
The World Pilot Gig Champs in the Scilly Isles features sea-going fast rowing boats. Useful if the Plank-Walking Championships at Queenborough, Sheppey, Kent, goes pear-shaped. May 5 & 6, www.worldgigs.co.uk
The World Gurning Champs in Cumbria involves pulling incredibly ugly faces through a horse’s collar. September 15, www.egremontcrabfair.com
We have both the Pea Shooting in Witcham, Ely, Cambridgeshire and the Pea Throwing in Lewes, East Sussex. July 14, www.witcham.org.uk/_sgg/m1m6_1.htm
Bog snorkelling in foul black waters at Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys. Smart casual dress. No jeans allowed. August 25, www.green-events.co.uk
Via:metro.co.uk
