Wild About Wacky Sports
Ten of the world's most insane sporting events
Ready for some fun to round out your summer (or winter)? There are some really silly and fun sporting events, several of which I covered in Onsite Unusual and Funky Fundraisers. Of course, there are more! This special edition of LEEP is devoted to unusual sporting events worldwide. Let's dive in!
The LinkedIn version of this newsletter includes videos for each sport. I was not able to embed them on Substack.
WORLD BOG SNORKELING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Date: August 27, 2023
Location: Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales, United Kingdom
Champion: Town of Llanwrtyd Wells
Fundraiser for the town's community center.
Every August since 1985, competitors from around the globe descend upon Britain's smallest town, Llanwrtyd Wells in Wales, for a competition stuck in the mire: the World Bog Snorkeling Championships. The hamlet created the event as a novel fundraiser for a local community center. Ever since, the World Bog Snorkeling Championships have become an international attraction.
Competitors, wearing snorkels and flippers and often dressed in outlandish costumes, are tasked with completing two consecutive lengths of a water-filled trench cut through a peat bog using only flipper power—no conventional swimming strokes are allowed.
The 60-yard (55-meter) race attracts around 170 participants each year from nations as varied as Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Eire/Ireland, Finland, Poland, South Africa, and the United States, testing their endurance, strength, and tolerance for cold, murky waters in an event that is as entertaining to watch as it is challenging to compete in.
In addition to individual races, there are also categories for juniors, relay teams, and costume competitions, which adds to the festival-like atmosphere of the day. Additional activities and refreshments include food and drink stalls, crafts, a bouncy castle, live music, and an ale and cider bar.
(And yes, this is another event that originated in a pub!)
HENLEY ON THE TODD REGATTA
Date: August 19, 2023
Location: Henley on Todd, Northern Territory, Australia
Champion: Created by the Alice Springs Rotary Club
Fundraiser for various international charities.
The Aussies have a sense of humor, something well illustrated by hosting a regatta on the dry bed of the Todd River in Alice Springs— the Henley on Todd Regatta. Inspired by England's Henley Royal Regatta with a distinctly Aussie twist, this boat race stands out for one unique reason: there's no water involved.
Originating in 1962 as a satirical response to the more aristocratic Henley Royal Regatta, the Rotary Clubs of Alice Springs created the Henley on Todd Regatta. Regatta competitors "row" their boats by carrying them along the sandy riverbed in various categories, including yachts, rowing eight-oared shells, and Oxford tubs. These bottomless "boats" are held around their waist while they sprint, stumble, and stagger to the finish line. A new addition, the "Battle of the Boats," features flour and water bombs and high-pressure fire hoses in a mock naval engagement.
The Henley on Todd Regatta's unique blend of humor, fun, and community spirit makes it a highlight of the Alice Springs event calendar. The event includes a highly anticipated parade and a series of wacky competitions, from shovel-propelled sand boogie boarding to sand shoveling (there is a sand theme). Proceeds from the event support local, national, and international humanitarian projects, thus amplifying the regatta's beneficial impact through finances and laughter each year.
Rain is the only factor that could cancel this eccentric event. This occurred only once in the regatta's history, in 1993.
T-REX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Date: August 18, 2024 (est)
Location: Auburn, Washington, United States
Champion: Emerald Downs Race Track
Emerald Downs, a suburban Seattle venue known for live horse racing, transforms into a prehistoric battleground in late August. Over 200 people donning inflatable Tyrannosaurus Rex costumes run down the race track for the annual T-Rex World Championships.
The spectacle began in 2017 as a Tri-Guard Pest Control team-building outing. The 2023 races were dedicated to Terry Richards, Tri-Guard's CEO, who died in a small plane crash earlier in the year.
The T-Rex World Championships attract participants from various states, including Texas, Ohio, Virginia, Louisiana, Oregon, California, and Idaho. Eight heat winners qualified for the Championship, the final race of this whimsical event.
Tyrannosaurus Rex roamed Earth between 65 million and 67 million years ago. Their size and fierceness continue to promote scientific study and public fascination, thanks partly to Hollywood's portrayal of them in the "Jurassic Park" franchise.
CALCIO STORICO FLORENTINO
Date: June 24, 2024
Location: Florence, Italy
Champion: City of Florence, Italy
The Calcio Storico Fiorentino, often called Calcio Fiorentino, could be considered sport's answer to anger management. This traditional sport of Florence, Italy, dates back to the 16th century and combines mixed martial arts, soccer, rugby, and wrestling in an exciting, violent, and vibrant spectacle. (Sword fighting was eliminated from the play several centuries ago.) Calcio Fiorentino originated from the Roman sport of harpastum, which Roman generals used to keep legionnaires fit and in top fighting condition beginning in 59 BC.
The game is played in the Piazza Santa Croce, on a field of sand, twice a year in June as part of the San Giovanni celebrations, honoring Saint John the Baptist, the city's patron saint. Four teams represent the four quarters of the city: Santa Croce (Blue), Santo Spirito (White), Santa Maria Novella (Red), and San Giovanni (Green). Each team comprises 27 players.
Once the players are on the field, a historic cannon fires to begin the match. The game's objective is to throw the ball over a designated spot on the opponent's side of the field. Players employ a free-for-all strategy of violence and technique, using any means necessary to achieve victory. A lack of rules leads to extreme scrambling, pushing, and tackling that would be considered illegal in most modern contact sports.
The most famous game was held in 1530 during the siege of Florence, seen as an act of defiance against the attacking forces.
Today, Calcio Storico Fiorentino is a source of immense local pride. The annual games draw large crowds, including a parade of participants dressed in historical costumes. The tournament winners are awarded a white calf, keeping with centuries of tradition.
CHINCOTEAGUE PONY ROUND-UP & SWIM
Date: July 20-26, 2024 (est)
Location: Chincoteague Island, Virginia, United States
Champion: Chincoteague Island Chamber of Commerce
Fundraiser for the local volunteer fire department.
Though not wacky, the annual Chincoteague Pony Swim and Roundup in Chincoteague, Virginia, is certainly wild. The event captures national and local interest as it continues to be a unique spectacle since 1925. Marguerite Henry's popular children's novel "Misty of Chincoteague" details this event.
Chincoteague ponies, also known as Assateague horses, are wild horses that inhabit Assateague Island, a 37-mile-long barrier island off the coast of Virginia and Maryland. The pony roundup serves as a population control mechanism and a fundraiser for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company, which manages the herds on the Virginia side of the island.
Beginning on Saturday in the lead-up to the swim, Saltwater Cowboys, a group of local volunteers, guide the wild ponies from the various parts of Assateague Island into a central pen. The roundup takes place over several days, with the actual swim occurring on the Wednesday of the event.
At slack tide (the calm water between tides), the Saltwater Cowboys guide the ponies to swim across the channel from Assateague to Chincoteague Island. The quarter-mile-long swim (10 laps in an Olympic pool) typically takes the ponies about five to ten minutes to complete. Spectators gather to witness this spectacle, and the first foal to touch land is named the "King" or "Queen." This foal is given away in a raffle later in the day.
On the day following the swim, an auction takes place. Many of the foals born that year are sold to bidders worldwide, which helps manage the herd population and raises funds for the Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company. Several ponies receive a "buyback" designation. A bidder can win the auction for a buyback pony, earning the privilege of naming the pony, but the pony itself is returned to Assateague to live out its life in the wild, helping to replenish the herd.
The event concludes with the ponies swimming back to Assateague on Friday, where they are released to roam freely until the following year's event.
For Chincoteague and its visitors, the pony swim and roundup is more than a local custom — it symbolizes community spirit, a celebration of history, and a unique wildlife management strategy. It also provides a considerable economic boost, affectionately referred to as "Chincoteague Christmas," to the local vendors.
INTERNATIONAL CAMEL & OSTRICH RACES
Date: September 8-10, 2023
Location: Virginia City, Nevada, United States
Champion: Virginia City Tourism Commission
The International Camel and Ostrich Races, a quirky and lively event, are a staple of Virginia City, Nevada's event calendar. It offers a unique blend of historical tradition, humor, and excitement.
The origin of this unusual tradition traces back to the 1950s when the local newspaper editor, looking to boost tourism, claimed camel racing was a popular pastime in the city. To his surprise, the San Francisco Chronicle took the claim seriously and sent a reporter to cover the event. Virginia City hastily organized the first race to maintain the ruse leading to a 60-year-plus tradition. Today camels, ostriches, and zebras ridden by jockeys participate in the races, creating an unforgettable spectacle for spectators.
The three-day event includes a parade, music performances, and a fair-like atmosphere in the historical Wild West city where the 1960s television series Bonanza was filmed.
As a side note, camel, emu, and lama enthusiasts, 2024 is the United Nation's International Year of the Camelids!
THE CONCONULLY OUTHOUSE RACES
Date: January 13-14, 2024
Location: Conconully, Washington, United States
Champion: Conconully City Council
The Conconully Outhouse Races are the original wooden privy races and an annual winter event in the town of Conconully, Washington. They offer a unique, whimsical take on traditional winter sports. Characterized by camaraderie, competition, and a good dose of humor, the event is as much a part of the town's identity as its mining history.
The tradition started in 1983 and continues annually over the Martin Luther King Weekend. In this peculiar race, teams consisting of two pushers and one rider compete against each other on a snow-covered Main Street, propelling homemade outhouses mounted on skis.
The outhouses are uniquely designed and decorated according to specific rules. Each racing privy must have a toilet seat and a roll of toilet paper and be at least six feet tall from the base to the structure's highest point. However, these requirements leave room for creativity, creating various colorful and imaginative outhouses.
The race is split into several categories: men's, women's, and co-ed, with trophies and bragging rights up for grabs. The pushers' speed, the rider's skill, and the quality of the outhouse's construction all play a role in determining the victors.
Despite the chilly weather, spectators line the race route, enjoying the sport, local food, and winter festivities.
WORLD TUK TUK POLO CHAMPIONSHIPS
Date: February (TBD) 2023
Location: Galle, Sri Lanka
Champion: City of Galle, Sri Lanka
Established in 2016, the World Tuk Tuk Polo Championships occur annually in Galle, Sri Lanka, and present a unique and entertaining twist on traditional polo. Tuk Tuks are three-wheeled automated rickshaws common in Asia and parts of the Caribbean. They replace horses in this unconventional version of the sport and add color and fun to Sri Lanka's sports calendar, attracting local and international participants and spectators.
Each team participating in the championship consists of three players: two are required to drive and handle the Tuk Tuk, while one is tasked with hitting the ball using a polo mallet.
The competition occurs on a rectangular grass field, with goals at each end. The Tuk Tuks, which are more manageable and less unpredictable than horses, give the sport a more accessible nature, allowing people from various ages and backgrounds to participate.
Besides providing an entertaining spectacle, the World Tuk Tuk Polo Championships also aims to promote the Tuk Tuk as a symbol of Sri Lankan culture. The event includes a parade of colorfully decorated Tuk Tuks, displaying a vibrant array of traditional and creative designs.
CHESSBOXING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Date: October 28 - November 2, 2023
Location: Riccione, Italy
Champion: World Chess Boxing Organization
The World Chessboxing Championships are held annually in late October or early November. The hosting nation changes each year.
Chessboxing is a hybrid sport combining two traditional disciplines: chess and boxing. Competitors face each other in alternating rounds. This unique sport tests its contestants' physical prowess and mental agility, as they need to be adept at boxing and chess to succeed. Players must maintain their concentration and strategic thinking under the physical duress of boxing, making it a unique test of mind-body coordination.
A chessboxing match consists of 11 three-minute rounds: six-speed chess and five boxing. Scoring a knockout, checkmate, judge decision, or exceeding the time limit in chess determines the winner of each round.
Dutch artist Iepe Rubingh (1974-2020) invented the sport in the early 2000s, inspired by French artist and filmmaker Enki Bilal's comic book "Froid Équateur." It has grown into a recognized competition with a world championship and is very popular in Germany, the United Kingdom, India, and Russia.
International Chessboxing Day is July 21.
THE RUNNING OF THE BALLS
Date: May and September 2023
Location: Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, United States
Champion: Outdoor Gravity Park
Fundraiser for Sevier County Food Ministries.
The Running of the Balls in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, United States, is an annual month-long fundraiser by Outdoor Gravity Park for charity in May and September. Teams sign up during these months to be chased downhill by a giant manned zorb. One team member rolls down a hill inside a giant transparent inflated ball called a zorb, chasing, knocking, and running over friends and family. It's like the running of the bulls without the horns and injuries, with all proceeds going to support the local food bank.
Zorbing traces its origins back to New Zealand, where entrepreneurs Dwane van der Sluis and Andrew Akers launched it as a commercial venture in 1995 after watching hamster balls. They sought a new adrenaline-charged activity that included a unique way to appreciate New Zealand's hilly landscapes.
"Zorbing" soon became the generic term for this spherical thrill ride. It involves using an inflatable, transparent, double-sectioned ball, also known as a zorb, with one ball inside the other. The air between the two balls acts as a shock absorber for the rider, cushioning them as they tumble head over heels down a hill.
The sport expanded rapidly in New Zealand, followed by international interest. By the early 2000s, zorbing locations emerged in various adventure tourism hotspots worldwide, including Europe, the United States, Australia, and Asia. A water-based version called hydro-zorbing soon appeared. In this rendition, a bucket of water is added to the inner orb, creating a human washing machine experience as the rider sloshes around during the descent. Zorbing has since moved into soccer, boxing, bowling, and other sports, with comedic results.
The Guinness World Records acknowledged zorbing's popularity in 2006 by noting the longest Zorb ride ever recorded. Steve Camp of Canada rolled down a hill in a zorb for an impressive 570 meters (1,870 ft).
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The next issue of LEEP Ink will focus on events in October 2023 and, inshallah, will accompany the official alpha launch of the LEEP Calendar web-based application in mid-September. Please like, and share; if you're not a subscriber, please join us by subscribing!
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Netflix also did a series on crazy sporting events. There was one about a cheese wheel rolling down a hill. Lots of injuries in that one. Also, I think there is a wife carrying contest in England.