With the Olympics just around the corner, Britain is in sports over drive, but the UK also plays host to a number of weird and wonderful ‘sports’ that rightly so, may not have found their way to other parts of the world. Here are a few of the UK’s most weird and wonderful sporting past times.
Tin Bath Racing
If watching the Queen’s Jubilee flotilla left you yearning for more river based fun, then tin bath racing might be for you.
Started in 1971, the annual event takes place in Castletown Harbour on the Isle of Man, where hapless racers navigate through the harbour in aid of charity.
World Egg Throwing Championship
Started in Swaton, Lincolnshire the egg throwing championships have been running since 2004 as an ode to the humble egg.
Amongst a number of egg throwing events, speciality events include Russian egg roulette, where two players face each other across a table and smash eggs on each other’s foreheads. The tray comprises of mostly hard boiled eggs, with one rogue raw egg. Should this raw egg be smashed on you, then you are out of the competition. Sheer madness, indeed.
Nettle Eating Championships
The Bottle Inn in Marshwood, Dorset, plays host to the World Nettle Eating Championship, a competition that sees people eating these painful stinging nettles as fast as they can. The winner is the person who consumes the most in one hour, washed down with pints of beer.
Tom Beer, seen above is a previous winner of the strange competition. The best technique apparently, is to roll the stinging nettles into a ball and throw them to the back of the throat to avoid stinging.
Bog Snorkelling
Bog Snorkelling, started in the Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells in 1986 is an unusual competition which involves snorkelling through 60 metres of muddy, stinking water.
The idea, which was initially born from a pub discussion on how to raise money for charity, the event now attracts over 500 entrants every year in this quiet Welsh town.
Marbles World Championship
Synonymous with old fashion British-ness, playing marbles is a past time that has continued to flourish throughout the country. Some take it a little bit too far and continue the hobby into their later life.
In Tinsley Green, Sussex, the annual marbles championship takes place every year on Good Friday at the Greyhound Pub and sees teams compete from throughout the UK and Europe for the coveted title.
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