The writing prompts invite postcrossers to write about a different topic on their postcards’ messages every month. These are just suggestions though — if you already know what you want to write about, or the recipient gives you some pointers, that’s great too!
When choosing this month’s writing prompt, I’d just happened across some news articles about a pretty weird… sporting(?)… event in the UK. So it seemed like the perfect time to ask you all about unusual and conventional sports you have in your country. Or maybe even really, really local events!
The item in the news that I happened across today was… cheese-rolling. To be accurate, the Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling event, held at Cooper’s Hill near Gloucester. Apparently there’s a cheese-rolling event in Chester, too, but the one at Cooper’s Hill has been running longer, and gets in the news each year because. Well. It consists of rolling a cheese down a really steep hill, then having people chase after it, and inevitably people get themselves hurt!
Apparently the event hasn’t been run officially in a while because of the safety concerns, but rogue cheese-rollers go ahead and organise it anyway. If you catch the cheese, it’s yours, which admittedly is some slight temptation to me because I do love cheese—except I know that I’d be well behind the competition, and also, I could just get cheese that hasn’t been rolled down a hill on a warm day.
Are there any weird sporting events local to you? Something famous from your country? As ever, we’d love to hear about it in your comments, but also on your postcards this month if you don’t know what to write!
26 comments so far
Fingerhakeln to draw the opponent by a finger over a table, mostly played in Bavaria.
Fingerhakeln literally translates as to hook fingers (which is what you do).
Kapsle! bottle cap racing! We used to play is as a kids, now there is tournament called Kapsel Cross, with live commentary, lights, show, special decorations, etc. etc.
The most unusual "sports" I have participated in would be Teapot Racing and Tea Dueling; both developed as part of the steampunk community.
Teapot racers are built using a remote controlled car, and decorated with a teapot and other tea- or steampunk- related items.
They are raced over obstacles, usually in the ballroom of a hotel, during a steampunk convention.
Tea dueling pits two people, each with an identical type of biscuit (the British cookie-style biscuit) and cup of tea. It is timed and has detailed rules. The biscuit must be dipped to a certain depth, then the competitors strive to be the last to put their biscuit fully in their mouth without it crumbling.
Nail pooping is a super fun game and the rules are easy. You need a nail that hangs on a string. You attach this string to the back of your pants. Then, without using your hands, you try to get the nail into the opening of an empty bottle. You have to balance well and move slowly to lower the nail just right. Everyone gets the chance to try it and whoever succeeds wins. It's a funny game that requires patience and good concentration. And the best thing is, if it doesn't work out right away, it causes a lot of laughter and fun.
There’s an event held at some rodeos here in the USA called Mutton Bustin’. Basically, children sit on top of a sheep and hang on as long as they can as if they were a grownup riding a bull. It’s so cute, haha!
I would probably end up in last place in the cheese-rolling event, because I wouldn't dare running down the hill and risk a trip to the emergency room!
Guess it's safer buying the cheese in the store!
Duplicate bridge is considered a mind sport. There was a serious effort to have it included in the Olympics, unfortunately that didn't happen.
Dragon boat racing in Guangdong Province is spectacular in China, and the participants are wealthy landlords who are not professional athletes and do not come for money, but they are all training to protect their family tree. If they're happy to win, they might get three months of rent free🤣
When I was a child, we used to tie a sugar cube in a sewing thread and fasten the thread in our mouth. Without any help from hands, the first one to get the cube in the mouth won the race.
Guangdong'Dragon Boa Races are absolutely top-notch in China!The crews paddle insanely fast ,as if they're terrified they won't save Qu Yuan in time-haha!(For contest:Qu Yuan was an ancient Chinese patriotic poet who drowned himself in the Miluo Rive after being framed .The Dragon Boat Festival honors his memory.)
In Romania, for the moment, I can't name an unusual sport :) But via Google, I have found:
>>Top 8 Weirdest Sports Events on the European Continent<<
1. Mud Olympics, Germany
The official website for the event starts with a very relevant question: how is it possible for someone to pay to get dirty? It seems that there are two reasons: fun and charity.
Founded over 10 years ago, the Special Olympics is held in Brunsbüttel, Germany. It is organised to support cancer patients and their families, under the motto "Strong against cancer". Over 40 teams from all over Germany and neighbouring countries compete in football, volleyball, handball and... mud sledging. Fun, especially for spectators...
2. Château de Medoc Marathon, France
Do you like running? Do you also like wine? If so, this is the perfect event! The marathon starts in Pauillac, near Bordeaux, and passes through the famous vineyards of the area every September.
This French marathon is said to be the longest in the world, as it includes several activities, including orchestra concerts and 23 wine tastings! Plus, most of the competitors are in costume! Imagine the final result...
3. Pumpkin Regatta in Ludwigsburg, Germany
What image comes to mind when you hear the word "regatta"? A race with elegant boats, with participants in practical but stylish costumes, right? Well, during this regatta, things are a little different. At the Ludwigsburg Pumpkin Festival, competitors row... in hollowed-out pumpkins!
Want to participate? You just have to be over 14 and know how to swim! The giant pumpkins are provided by the organisers, so all you have to do is show up for the competition on September 21st.
4. Calcio Storico Fiorentino, Italy
Calcio Storico Fiorentino is a combination of football, rugby and hand-to-hand combat, a sport invented in 16th-century Florence, which is played today in historical costumes. Each team has 27 players and the objective is to score goals in the opponent’s goal. And anything goes! If you watch such a match, you will see players fighting or sitting on opponents to allow their teammate with the ball to score relatively quietly. But no member of the team escapes unscathed from this game-battle.
And the icing on the cake is that the winning team receives a cow as a prize! This is how tradition dictates...
5. Hobbyhorsing, Finland
The latest equestrian trend in Finland: pole riding, with all the associated schemes. This much cheaper form of horse riding has about 10,000 fans. Hobbyists climb on handmade poles in the shape of horses and ride circuits with obstacles, performing jumps of up to one meter!
The sport can be practised at any age, but it is especially popular among teenage girls. They take the game very seriously. Not only do they give names to their hobby “horses”, but they even boast about their pedigree. Of course, just for fun.
6. Snowless sledging, Portugal
An activity that you can participate in all year round. An experience that you cannot miss if you visit the wonderful island of Madeira. The small town of Monte owes its world fame to this type of sledging. Can you imagine how you can sledge on such an island?
Going down a steep slope in a giant wicker basket! The sledge has wooden soles and is pushed and guided by two men dressed in traditional white cotton suits and straw hats. You can go up to 45 km/h! With no brakes! To slow down, the drivers use... their shoes. The finish point is Funchal, a beautiful city where you can calm down while admiring the Atlantic Ocean.
7. Fierljeppen Championship, Netherlands
Fierljeppen – long jump – is a very popular sport originating in the province of Friesland and currently played in the Netherlands and Belgium. The objective is to jump over water as far as you can. Players use poles measuring 8 to 13 m, with a disc at the base that prevents them from sinking into the water or mud.
Want to try it? Take a class to learn how to run to the pole, grab it, and propel yourself across the water. Jumps are typically up to 20m. Championships are held from May to September.
8. World Wife Carrying Championship, Finland
This Finnish game is said to be based on a 19th-century legend about “wife stealing.” The modern version of the game began among the Finns in 1992. Since 1995, foreign competitors have been allowed to participate. The town of Sonkajärvi now hosts the World Championship every year.
Men must carry their partners through an obstacle course and achieve the fastest time. The World Wife Carrying Championship now includes teams from Australia, Germany, the UK, Estonia, Ireland, and the US. You might wonder how such a sport became so popular.
:) Hope you enjoyed this TOP :)
xoxo
:):D
"Schwingen" is very popular in Switzerland. It is considered an unofficial national sport. It is a duel related to freestyle wrestling without weight classes, which takes place in a ring made of sawdust. Various throwing techniques are used in an attempt to unbalance the opponent and put him on his back. The opponents hold each other by a leather belt and a pair of Zwilch overpants. The performance is judged by a panel of judges and the result is used to determine the overall winner of several duels.
(text from Wikipedia)
Hornussen is a Swiss team sport that is mainly played in the canton of Bern. The game consists of the striking team hitting a plastic disk (the “Hornuss” or “Nouss” for short) as far as possible. The opposing team tries to stop the approaching nouss as early as possible, but at the latest before it hits the ground of the playing field, with a flat intercepting scoop (the “shingle”). It is closely related to other batting and catching games such as cricket or baseball.
(text from Wikipedia)
In Finland we have still a lot of swamps and of course they are excellent places for playing soccer??? So in July we´ll have again Swamp Soccer World Championships :) https://suopotkupallo.fi/en/
For Germany it would be "Eisstockschießen". For switzerland it would be "Hornussen". For netherlands it would be "Fierljeppen"
Snow-shovel sledding races take place at some US ski resorts during the winter. One sits on a snow shovel, holding the handle as a steering device. [Yeah, like that works.] Then head downhill. First one to the bottom of the run wins.
To be honest, this activity is kind of nonsense.
haha, the wine marathon in France sounds fun! It would probably take me a week or more what with all the wine tasting! :-D
I love all these bizarre sport events. They all sound funtastic.
Lacrosse, The National sport from Canada.
Pickleball is gaining popularity in the US!
One of the funniest things in Florida is the Annual Interstate Mullet Toss. (The mullet is actually a fish that is very popular and plentiful there – and the famous haircut, of course!) The Mullet Toss happens in April at the beach (of course) right on the Florida/Alabama state line. (Flora-Bama) The contest consists of tossing a dead mullet over the Flora-Bama Line. Doesn’t sound like much till you add in the sun, sand, water, and plenty of beer! It's a huge festival - and just one of the legends the Florida Man is made of!
thanks,
What a fun topic! In Estonia, we’re quite familiar with the quirky Finnish Wife Carrying Championship—but we also have our own unique sport called *kiiking*. The goal? To make as many full 360-degree swings as possible on a giant swing. The swing arms can be extended up to several meters high, and it takes real strength, balance, and courage to complete a full loop!
I live in Wickenburg, Arizona the team roping capitol of the world. To team rope two horse riders get set in an arena while a steer is in a chute. One rider will be the header the other the heeler. The chute swings open and the header catches the steer by the horns or neck. The heeler then must lasso the heels of the bucking steer. Time penalties can be given for specific rule violations. The team with the fastest time wins. There is much more nuance but I think this is a fair introduction.
How about the following:
The Eneco NK Headwind Cycling is a Dutch championship where people cycle as hard as possible against the wind over the Oosterscheldekering on a normal bicycle without gears and with a coaster brake. It takes place during a storm with wind force 7 or higher, over a distance of 9 kilometers.
The fastest cyclist wins.
For real!
Frisbee golf also known as disc golf is popular here. It uses regular golf rules, but rather than hitting a ball, people toss discs toward a basket made of chains on a pole.
If that's not weird enough..
There's the Florida Man Challenge held at Gatorland park, which has two teams racing in small boats through gator-infested water, while hotdogs are thrown by onlookers, tempting the gators.
Many places around the United States have cardboard boat races. Teams build a boat out of cardboard, climb aboard and paddle to the finish line. Most boats sink or take on lots of water before the finish line, but it is great fun.
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