Strange Sports From Around the World
In this ever-increasing stressful world that we live, people are looking for more and more ways to have fun whilst playing a sport. It seems that we're just not happy with playing a normal game of football of having a sane game of hockey; no we have to invent a more challenging and more entertaining ways to play the games.
Fancy a bit of cheese and if you can catch it you can have it? This is a cheese rolling competition held in the UK every year. Contenders for the competition stand at the top of Cooper’s Hill, Gloucestershire and roll down a round of Double Gloucester, but that's not all, they then have to chase the cheese and the one who crosses the line first wins and gets the cheesy treat. If you want to take part in this fun race then a certain level of fitness may be required and don't forget your cheese.
It seems that it's not just modern day people who want a bit extra from their sport because since 1530 the Italians in Florence's Piazza di Santa Croce have played a mad 27-a-side football/rugby match where anything goes. Dressed in medieval costume they try to score a goal at any cost. The game is played between the four ancient quarters of Florence all displaying their own colours and with the only things banned being kicks to the head and sucker punches it makes for very entertaining viewing. Participants in this sport need a certain level of fitness to last the 50 minutes for each match and also be able to take a few knocks.
Another fun and energetic game for adults to play is that wonderful childhood game, kickball. Only now they are calling it adult kickball which is much more fun and a little on the wild side. It has grown so much in popularity that the World Adult Kickball Association has developed even more participation and involvement from countries around the world. This is such a fun game that should be OK for all levels of fitness but be prepared to have a good time.
For all you water babies out there we have the game of Octopush for you, it's more like underwater hockey but with less contact than the above water kind. This game has two teams taking part and like hockey they try to score a goal with a puck, as it's a no contact sport they are not allowed to hit each other. It might sound a bit strange but Octopush has become really popular in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Canada and even in the UK. To play this game you really need to be a good swimmer and able to stay underwater for periods of time.
In Finland couples take part in the crazy sport of Wife Carrying and the game is in the name. The male participants run the course, while carrying their female teammate on their back. The winner is the man who carries his wife across a series of obstacles in the quickest time possible. If this event appeals to you then to take part you will need a certain level of fitness is necessary for you to carry your partner around the course..
