Some people travel the world to see and emerge in its beauty. Some people do the same thing only to feel their blood pumping harder through their veins while doing some dangerous activity only for their personal entertainment. Ones of our favorite globetrotters in the world are doing them all. Engaging in crazy sports and activities is not uncommon for people who think football or tennis are too dull or so yesterday and here on TenMania we already saw some of the top weirdest hobbies grown – ups can indulge themselves with. But real adrenaline junkies and sensation seekers will pretty much do anything to get their kicks by either jumping buildings, sky dive, climbing rocks without cords or taking part to really cool events such as being chased by bulls.
Extreme sports and extreme practices are very popular not only among those who need regularly to take an adrenaline hit, but also by people who are curious enough to try something different at least once in a life time
But the world doesn’t know only some extreme activities that can fit the category of “sports”, although they will never be registered officially in the Olympics book, but also some physical… practices, if we are allowed to call them as such and even competitions that are not only bizarre, but equally dangerous and sometimes quite silly. Today we’ll jump our unicycles (not to play polo but to travel) and take a tour around the world to take a look over ten crazy sports that you may try once in a life time. Or not.
15 Crazy Sports You Should Try
1. Worm Charming
You heard us. There is a sport which involves a 3 by 3 meters patch of earth ground, a team, a time frame of 30 minutes and a task like no other: getting as many worms out of the ground as possible. While we are sure that the contestants may have used a lot of unconventional methods to charm the worms, the sport rules forbid using detergents or any other harmful chemical substances in order to win the race.
But there’s no mere race, people take part in actual championships. You may attend to the World Worm Charming Championships held in Cheshire every year or the International Festival of Worm Charming in South Devon, a 30 years old competition that gain fame and a lot of fans.
You can find more about the world championship and entry submissions HERE
2. Quidditch
Yes, Quidditch. The game that is said to have been inspired but none other than the Harry Potter series and the sports that now involves at least 200 colleges in the US affiliated with the International Quidditch Association. Yes, they play ball while riding brooms and when you read the books or seen the movies and thought this is a crazy sport, now think about college sports going nation-wide appreciation. Magic and madness at its best.
The next Quidditch World Cup will take place April 5-6, 2014 in North Myrtle Beach, SC. For more information about the event, schedule and press passes, you can click HERE
3. Extreme Ironing
No, really, ironing may be considered an extreme sport, especially for the men who never were curious enough to experience by themselves the process of miraculously turning a crumpled shirt into a perfect business outfit by the grace of their wives. No offense, gentlemen, we know some of you know what an iron is and how to use it and we also know that it may be considered and extreme sport even for some of the ladies out there.
However, you would never think of turning household appliances and home accessories into sport objects, would you? Well, apparently somebody did and the most daring of adventurers climb high peaks, walk deep forests, enter dark caves or cross furious rivers, take out the specific board and … begin ironing. That sounds better than any DIY household project ever mentioned on the Internet. Extreme? Definitely. Crazy? Maybe just a little bit. The first world championship was held in 2002 and since that day ironing became the thing to do. Mostly outside.
Watch HERE some recorded spectacular stunts related to this “danger sport that combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well pressed shirt.”
4. Mud Olympics
You know, mud treatments in spas and physiotherapy centers are known for ages to have healing and beautifying properties and a lot of people pay good money for treatments and cosmetic products involving mud. So when you come to think of it, a Mud Olympics doesn’t sound so odd in terms of health, but maybe only in terms of craziness. Germans are lovely, creative people and when it comes to sports, there are few ones left that they didn’t try or impeccably performed at.
Brunsbuettel is a small German town that holds every year a sports competition including handball, volleyball, basketball and other sports, all played in the muddy fields of River Elba. This mud may not have the healing properties of the one you find in spas and wellness facilities, but it sure looks cool and fun to play in. Do the women engage in mud fights there too? Hmm… that’s something to further continue researching…
We hope you understand German, as the official site doesn’t have an English section, but it’s not hard to understand the program or the contact details. You can take a look HERE for the fees and get ready for the 2014 Olympics by gathering a team and writing to the officials in advance.
5. Wife Carrying
Because having and keeping a relationship knows no boundaries, this is a crazy act by default and involves not only mutual feelings but a lot of teamwork to0. Finland is the capital of the Wife Carrying sport and by today, it became a quite known and appraised competition. Although the idea is to test men abilities, strength, endurance, concentration abilities and physical coordination, we still believe this is a competition about love, partnership and going through “better or worse” together. So if you happen to be in Finland, Wisconsin or Michigan, grab your sport outfit and gear and prove your spouse she’s worth the effort.
If you’re steady on your feet and the missus is ok with the idea, you two can take part next year at the Wife Carrying World Championships in SONKAJÄRVI, Finland, between 4th and 5th of July, 2014, either as a contestant or a spectator.
For more info about the event’s program, rules, fees and accommodation options, you can start HERE
6. Cheese Racing
People race animals since the most ancient eras of time. Fortunes were gained and lost at horse races and the world knows about duck races too, which in some parts of the world are considered quite popular. There is even a cockroach race held every year in Australia.
But to run after a roll of cheese, now that is a little bit of a crazy sports you should try once. Or not, given the fact that people can get seriously injured during this competition. We’re back to England, and while not considered an Olympic sport, running downhill after your hunk of cheese may prove itself even more difficult and dangerous than running the Marathon. The world renown competition of Gloucester, England, gathers together the most audacious of downhill runners and quite a bunch of spectators.
For everybody’s envy, this year’s race was won by an American who came to Gloucester on purpose and become victorious. So who says this isn’t a serious deal?
You can get more information about the rules, the registration rules and the form you need to fill in to enter the competition HERE
7. Lingerie Football
Now this sport may rise a full debate on sexism, smart (or aggressive) marketing and fashion choices. America is the land of football and even if gave their inhabitants thousands of means of entertainment, created a national pride, discovered sport players of infinite value, made tons of money and gave every American teenager a reason to go outside and pick up some physical training, there is nothing that beats the competition of lingerie football.
Women dressed in tiny, sexy outfits that leave little room to imagination engage in this game to the fascination of every man out there. Is it crazy? Yes, as American football is a hard, violent, manly sport to begin with. Just as women boxing, women football doesn’t pass without injuries or health related problems. But who’s to complain, when you have firm bodies, strong muscles and little clothing all gathered in the same sports field? Hey, these ladies even have a “Hot Contest”!
This sport became so popular that now we have Lingerie Football League in Australia and Canada and if you want to learn more about the network, competitions and special events, you can check HERE
8. Shin kicking
This is an old practice you may have seen in martial arts and in a lot of old and new famous movies. Hitting the shin against something hard has besides a painful secondary effect, also a lot of benefits, including strengthening the calcium deposits on one’s bones.
But, from being just a training exercise, it developed in being a sport in its full right. Two contestants kick their shins like there’s no tomorrow and gain points every time the opponent falls to the ground. Three rounds, and the last one standing takes the winning cup. It is quite popular in England (where else?), but can be found as a form of entertaining and physical abilities contesting in other parts of the world, too.
The 41st English shin kicking championship took place this summer and if you want more info on the sports, the reasons why it should become an Olympic Sport and the means to get united with the other shin kickers, just click HERE