10 Real Sports That Sound Made Up

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Humans love entertainment, which is why we have many sports today. While many sporting activities are enjoyed in every country, some are known only in a few places. Some others are so unfamiliar that most people haven’t heard about them. Here are 10 of these exciting but strange sports.

Cheese Rolling

Dave Farrance/Wikipedia

This event occurs annually on the Spring Bank Holiday in Gloucestershire, England. Competitors chase a 9-pound wheel of Double Gloucester cheese down a steep hill. The cheese is rolled ahead of the racers, and the goal is to catch it or be the first to cross the finish line to win the cheese.

Underwater Pumpkin Carving

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Held during the fall season, particularly in locations like the Lake Tahoe area in the U.S., this sport requires divers to carve pumpkins underwater. It includes managing the pumpkin’s buoyancy and the lack of visibility and cutting it using specialized underwater tools.

Extreme Ironing

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Extreme Ironing began in England and involves ironing clothes in unusual locations, like on mountain tops while rock climbing or bungee jumping. Phil Shaw created it in the late 1990s to combine the mundane task of ironing with adventurous and often dangerous activities.

Wife Carrying

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Originating from Finland’s Salla region, this sport involves men carrying their wives (or female partners) through a 253.5-meter obstacle course. Each course includes hurdles, sand traps, and water hazards, with the winner receiving the wife’s weight in beer.

Toe Wrestling

 Adrian/Openverse

This sport originated in England and is similar to arm wrestling but involves the toes. Players lock their toes and try to force their opponent’s foot down to the ground while balancing on one foot. An annual championship is held in Ashbourne, Derbyshire.

Broom Ball

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In Broom Ball, players use brooms to hit a ball into the opposing team’s goal. The activity takes place on an ice rink and involves teams of six players each. Despite its simplicity, the sport requires skill, agility, and teamwork.

Quidditch

 BenHollandPhotography/Openverse

Copied from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, real-life quidditch blends rugby, dodgeball, and tag. Players use broomsticks and attempt to score points by throwing a ball (the quaffle) through hoops. The game also includes seeking and snitching elements.

Zorbing

 JoshBerglund19/Openverse

New Zealanders invented this game, which involves rolling downhill inside a giant, transparent inflatable ball. Each ball could be harnessed, with participants strapped inside or non-harnessed, with players freely rolling around. Zorbing can be done on grass, water, or even through obstacle courses.

Gurning

 Feggy Art/Openverse

Gurning is a traditional English competition held at the annual Egremont Crab Fair in Cumbria. Players make grotesque faces while sticking their heads through a horse collar. The winner is chosen based on the most extreme facial expression.

Bog Snorkeling

 VisitBritain Images/Openverse

The Welsh enjoy Bog Snorkeling, in which competitors swim through a peat bog using only a snorkel and flippers. In a specially prepared bog with a straight course, competitors must navigate through the muddy and stagnant water, making it a test of endurance and skill.

 


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