Ask anyone what sports they know and the first things that would probably pop out are football, basketball, boxing, baseball, tennis, cricket and the likes. But there are also other ‘athletic’ competitions that fly under your radar every year despite a dedicated following around the world.
Here are 5 sports that you’ve likely never heard of (and should probably never attempt).
WIFE CARRYING (EUKONKANTO)
First introduced in Finland, wife carrying is an actual sport where male competitors race while carrying a female teammate. The objective is for the man to carry the woman – who grabs onto her partner’s neck and back while hanging upside-down – through a special obstacle course in the fastest time. Major competitions are held in Sonkajarvi, Finland; Monona, Wisconsin and in Marquette, Michigan.
See, places where they don’t have to convert dollars to naira. Why won’t they do this?
CHESS BOXING
Funny how you find a sport whose name is as unlikely as the combination itself: chess boxing. Okay, the name may not be original, but chess boxing is a singular sport that demands brains and brawn like no other athletic competition. Popular in Germany and the United Kingdom, the game is played with alternating rounds of chess and boxing. Competitors can win by winning the chess game, knocking out an opponent or by judges’ decision at the end.
OCTOPUSH (UNDERWATER HOCKEY)
Considering the hard hits and frequent fights so common in ice hockey, it’s difficult to believe that anyone could imagine a more potentially hazardous version of the sport. But with the added element of a potential drowning, underwater hockey makes frozen-water hockey look like child’s play.
The rules of underwater hockey are similar to that of it solid-state counterpart. The difference: Players use wooden or plastic sticks about the size of a banana to push around a metal puck around the floor of a pool. The game has become quite popular in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa.
STREET LUGE
Street luge is a sport that combines the safety concerns of the luge with the gentleness of pavement. Participants lie on what is essentially an enlarged skateboard designed to hold the human frame. Gravity does the rest of the work.
TOE WRESTLING
A popular activity for children abroad, toe wrestling is now a competitive sport as well. The World Toe Wrestling Competition first started at a pub in Derbyshire, UK in 1976. Locals thought it would be a great idea to hold a competition where individuals lock toes together and force their opponent’s foot to the ground. The organizers applied in 1997 to get the sport included in the Olympics, but unfortunately, it was not accepted. Good decision.
Anyway, there you have it. Should you decide to travel to some of these countries or cities, and are in the mood to see some weirdness, I’ve pointed you in the right direction. Happy travels.
You’re welcome.
