Strangest And Weirdest Sports Around The Globe | Physical activities slideshows | Well Being center

Finland : Wife carrying

In Finland there is a championship sport called wife carrying. This entails a male competitor carrying a female in which ever way is most comfortable to win a race. The race is set on an obstacle course which has obstacles such as water pools, over and under bars and sand pits, the male competitor with the fastest time is the winner. The different carrying positions that can be used are piggy back, firemans carry or Estonian carry - where the wife hangs behind the male with her legs on his shoulders and she holds onto his waist. Wife carrying championships are held annually.

Sources & Links

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Photo courtesy of Shehla Z by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/shehlaz/7960220966/
www.topendsports.com/sport/unusual/list.htm
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatpicturegalleries/9447705/Weird-sports-around-the-world.html?frame=2297455
http://inventorspot.com/articles/10_weird_sports_from_around_the_world_15185

Wales : Bog snorkelling

The welsh sport of bog snorkelling involves competitors manoeuvring their way through two consecutive peat bogs filled with water. Participants have to wear a snorkel and flippers and they may not use any traditional swimming strokes and most use only flipper movements to move through the bog. The usual length of each bog is sixty yards so in total they complete 120 yards of peat bog flippering! Bog snorkelling was founded in 1976 when some regulars of the Neuud Arms in Wales came up with it over a few of their regular tipples and decided to give it a go!

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Photo courtesy of Rud-gr by Wikimedia Commons : commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RUD_2880_resize.JPG
www.green-events.co.uk/

UK : Toe wrestling

In the UK there is actually a toe wrestling championship where people from all around the country get together, whip of their shoes and socks and do battle. The sport was born in 1976 when a group of walkers decided they should invent a sport that Brits might actually be good at. But when a Canadian won the first championship the sport went into decline but has since been revived. The concept is simple, competitors sit down with their hands flat on the floor and lock big toes. An umpire calls start and its the first person to push the others foot to the floor.

Sources & Links

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Photo courtesy of Caravanum by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/89931404@N02/8199456098/
www.environmentalgraffiti.com/outdoor/news-toe-wrestling-sweeping-world-its-feet

Turkey : Camel wrestling

Camel wrestling is an animal sport that puts two male camels to fight against each other usually to win the female camel in heat being led before them. It is most common in turkey but is also seen in south asia and the middle east. Camel wrestling is a natural occurrence and was first seen and organised over 2400 years ago by the nomads. Competitions are normally held during mating season to allow the female to motivate the male camels but it was discouraged in the 1920s by the Turkish government but has been more encouraged recently as part of Turkish culture.

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Photo courtesy of Peter Yenney by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/yenney/6871132187/
selcukephesus.com/what-to-do/camel-wrestling

USA : Lingerie football

In the USA they have developed a new football league called Legends. This involves female players who play in nothing but underwear, such as hot pants and a kami-top, hockey helmet and pads. The game is played seven vs. seven but is no way soft, the girls play full on American football and it is bone crushing. There is an eastern and western conference which compete to win and play in the play offs to win the championship trophy. However, the players only get paid a tiny salary and for most it is their second job to some very ordinary professions such as dentists.

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Photo courtesy of Eva Rinaldi by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/evarinaldiphotography/7169024479/
abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/lingerie-football-sexy-sexist-female-players-love-game/story?id=20318487

Malaysia : Sepak takraw

Sepak Takraw is a game that has developed from the more normal version of volleyball. Its more common name is kick volleyball and the biggest difference it is played with a rattan ball and players can return the ball with their feet, chest, head and knees. It has been played as far back as the 15th century and there are teams of 3 either side of the net. The rules are similar to that of volleyball in which players must keep the ball from hitting the floor. It is an international sport governed by the International Sepak Takraw Federation and a super series is played internationally.

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Photo courtesy of Norhendra Ruslan by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/norhendraruslan/3376147364/
www.sepaktakraw.org/

Australia : Underwater hockey

Australia has started a new game to be played in the pool. Underwater hockey is form of land hockey changed to be played underwater. Players need a snorkel, fins, a puck, adapted hockey stick. The aim of the game is to pass the puck on the bottom of the pool between the players in your team until your score a goal. The puck weighs about three pounds so it sinks to the floor and each team has 6 players. The idea is to hold your breath until you score otherwise you will lose the puck so yes you will need to hold your breath for a very long time!

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Photo courtesy of Hu Totya by Wikimedia Commons : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Underwater_Hockey.jpg
underwaterhockeyaustralia.org.au/

New Zealand : Zorbing

Zorbing is a recreational activity which involves rolling downhill inside an orb, it is usually performed on a gentle slope but when on a level slope the rider inside the orb has more control. There are also some man made slopes that can be constructed from wood or metal to simulate the natural hills. Orbs can be harnessed or unharnessed and the only difference is that the rider inside is free to move around in unharnessed to gain more control. Zorbing has become very popular in new Zealand due to the great natural environment and anyone can try it although you have to be brave!

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Photo courtesy of Marcus Södervall by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/mackan/97031668/
www.zorb.com

Germany : Chessboxing

Chess boxing is a competition that combines rounds of chess with rounds of boxing. It was devised to entice people who enjoy a mental game and combine with a physical sport. A full match consists of eleven rounds, six rounds of chess each being four minutes long and five rounds of boxing each three minutes long. The match starts with a chess round and moves onto a boxing round and alternates until the end of the eleven rounds or someone has been check mated or knocked out. If the chess meets a stalemate then the points from the boxing rounds are accumulated to get a winner.

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Photo courtesy of Sascha Pohflepp by Flickr : www.flickr.com/photos/saschapohflepp/3480863798/
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7084494.stm

Scandinavia : Curling

Curling first became an Olympic sport in 1924 however was only made official in 2006. Curling involves sliding stones across a sheet of ice to get them as close to the centre of a target on the ice as possible. Each team has a number of stones and take turns to slide their stones. In a team you have a pusher and two sweepers, a pusher is responsible for the direction and speed of the stone and the sweepers use ice brooms to melt the ice to allow the stone to travel faster or slower. Players can aim their stones at opponents to knock them off the target and the winning team is the ones with the most stones on or nearest to the centre of the target.