When we think of sport, traditional activities like football, basketball, and tennis often come to mind. However, the world is full of unique, bizarre, and downright strange sporting events that challenge our perception of competition and athleticism.
These weird and wonderful sports highlight the diverse and imaginative ways to find entertainment – whether it’s racing down a hill after cheese, balancing on unicycles while playing polo, or enduring ferrets in your trousers. Here we take a look at some of the weirdest sports and the strangest sporting events that take place around the world.
Main image: Dave Farrance, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Cheese Rolling (England)
Location: Cooper’s Hill, Gloucestershire
The annual Cheese Rolling event at Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire, England, is as simple as it is dangerous. Participants chase a round of Double Gloucester cheese down a steep, uneven hill. The first person to cross the finish line wins the cheese. Despite numerous injuries over the years, the event draws thrill-seekers from around the world. The cheese can reach speeds of up to 70 miles per hour, making the descent a chaotic tumble more than a controlled run.
Wife Carrying (Finland)
Location: Sonkajärvi, Finland
Originating in Finland, Wife Carrying is a bizarre sport where male competitors race through an obstacle course while carrying a female teammate, typically their wife, in the fastest time. The course includes hurdles, sand traps, and water hazards. Various carrying techniques are permitted, including the traditional piggyback, fireman’s carry, or the popular Estonian carry, where the wife hangs upside-down with her legs wrapped around her husband’s shoulders.
Bog Snorkelling (Wales)
Location: Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales
Bog Snorkelling is a muddy, wet, and wildly entertaining sport held in a water-filled trench cut through a peat bog. Participants wear snorkels and flippers, but conventional swimming strokes are not allowed. Instead, they must rely on flipper power alone to complete the two-length course. The event, which began as a fundraising stunt in the 1970s, has evolved into an international competition attracting competitors from around the globe.
Underwater Hockey (globally)
Underwater Hockey, or Octopush, is a unique sport played at the bottom of a swimming pool. Teams use small sticks to push a puck into the opposing team’s goal. Players wear snorkelling gear and must come up for air periodically, making it a game of endurance and breath control. The puck is weighted to stay at the bottom, and the game combines elements of swimming, hockey, and free diving.
Quidditch (globally)
Inspired by J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, Quidditch is a mixed-gender, contact sport combining elements of rugby, dodgeball, and tag. Players run with broomsticks between their legs while scoring points by throwing a ball (the Quaffle) through the opposing team’s hoops. The game also features Bludgers, which players use to temporarily knock opponents out of play, and a Snitch, which must be caught for the game to end. The International Quidditch Association governs the sport, which has grown significantly in popularity since its inception in 2005.
Extreme Ironing (globally)
Extreme Ironing is an eccentric sport that combines the mundane task of ironing with extreme outdoor activities. Participants take ironing boards to remote and often dangerous locations – mountain cliffs, underwater, or even while parachuting – and iron items of clothing. The sport, described as the “latest danger sport that combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well-pressed shirt”, has its own world championships and attracts a niche but passionate following.
Toe Wrestling (England)
Location: Derbyshire, England
Toe Wrestling, similar to arm wrestling but with toes, is a quirky sport that involves contestants locking their toes and attempting to pin their opponent’s foot for three seconds. The competition, which has been held annually since the 1970s, features strict rules and requires significant strength and dexterity in the toes.
Unicycle Polo (globally)
Unicycle Polo is a unique twist on traditional polo, played on unicycles. Teams use mallets to hit a ball into the opposing team’s goal. Balancing on a unicycle while controlling the ball and avoiding collisions requires exceptional skill and coordination. The sport has grown in popularity with international tournaments and a dedicated community of enthusiasts.
Ferret Legging (England)
Ferret Legging is perhaps one of the most bizarre sports on this list. Competitors place live ferrets inside their trousers and attempt to endure the discomfort and potential bites for as long as possible. The ferrets must have full access to move around, and participants are not allowed to wear underwear. The current world record stands at over five hours, showcasing an extraordinary level of endurance and pain tolerance.
Yukigassen (Japan)
Location: Sobetsu, Japan
Yukigassen, meaning “snow battle” in Japanese, is a structured snowball fight tournament originating in Japan. Teams of seven players compete in a knockout-style competition using pre-made snowballs. The objective is to eliminate opponents by hitting them with snowballs or capturing the opposing team’s flag. The sport has spread globally, with international championships held in countries with suitable winter climates.
Worm Charming (England)
Location: Willaston, Cheshire, England
Worm Charming is a quaint and quirky competition where participants have a fixed amount of time to entice as many earthworms as possible out of the ground using various techniques. These techniques range from vibrating the soil with garden forks to playing music or even dancing. The sport is governed by the International Federation of Charming Worms and Allied Pastimes, which sets the rules and oversees world records.
Gurning (England)
Location: Egremont, Cumbria, England
Gurning, part of the annual Egremont Crab Fair, is a competition where participants contort their faces into the most grotesque expression possible, often through a horse collar (known as gurnin’ through a braffin’). The person who produces the most exaggerated and hideous face wins. The sport has a long history, dating back to the 13th century, and remains a popular local tradition.