NAME OF THE GAME
If you’ve got a competitive streak, then you’ll go to no end to take home the trophy. But for many competitors around the world, that even applies to some of the weirdest contests going. Here’s a few you may never have heard of until now...
THIS LITTLE PIGGY...
Y ou might stand a cracking chance at a classic arm-wrestling match with your mates. But have you ever considered how strong your digits are on the other end of your body?
It seems that many budding competitors actually have, with hundreds attending the World Toe Wrestling Championships in August every year.
Held in charming local boozer The Bentley Brook Inn, in Derbyshire, competitors take centre stage on a ‘toedium’ that has two walls on either side.
Then, both competitors lock toes and in a tense three rounds, they’re tasked with pushing their rival’s toe down the wall. Sounds intimate, doesn’t it?
However, if you’re wanting to become the latest reigning champ, the current world champion, Derbyshire local, Ben Woodroffe, has been competing since the age of 14!
So, you might want to think again if you think you can nail it. You might not land on your feet!
FEEL THE HEAT
You might dread tackling the mountain of laundry waiting to be ironed.
But what may be a bothersome household chore for some, is a fantastic opportunity to break records for others.
Because all over the world, daring competitors are keen to take ironing to the next level – and quite literally, too.
Taking their ironing boards out to some whacky and remote locations – including clifftops and on top of surf boards sailing across choppy waters – competitors engage in a sport aptly named extreme ironing.
The sport was founded in Leicester by Phil Shaw back in 1997, after the local came home from a long day of work to find he had so many chores to do and not enough time to go rock climbing – his favourite hobby.
So, Phil thought to combine the two – and took to the boulders with his board and iron in hand.
Only, the activity soon evolved into an extreme competitive sport.
Now, the Extreme Ironing World Championships are held in Germany every September, where contestants take their ironing piles to the most daring locations.
Yet in April 2011, it was Britain’s Jason Blair who got other contestants talking, as he was filmed ironing in the middle of the M1 motorway in London.
It seems as though competitors truly will go to extreme lengths just to tackle their laundry pile!
FEELING BUZZED
This summer, many of us are bound to end up scampering off after being chased by a rogue bee in the garden.
Yet for those with a competitive streak, keep them close by. A
