Weird sports around the world you didn't know existed

There is a streak of daredevilness in each of us, but few can fully use it. How do you feel about descending a steep hill just for a round of cheese? It may not be up your alley, but some are more than ready to go for some cheese. Here’s a list of weird sports around the world you didn’t know existed.

Cheese rolls

Did you think this was about rolling a blob of cheese? Well, it’s not! Started in the 15th century in Gloucester (England), the annual event requires participants to run down a steep slope to eat cheese. Weird and fascinating, all at the same time.

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Extreme ironing

This is basic ironing in extreme situations. It allows the contestant to take an iron and some clothes to remote areas and press them while performing the stunt. You could do it while skydiving or rock climbing. According to reports, it started in 1997 in Leicester, England.

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Image credit:Phil Shaw / Wikimedia Commons

CYCLOBAL

Also known as wheel ball, the sport is an amalgamation of soccer and cycling. The riders are given a ball that must be maneuvered using the bicycle’s wheels (which have no brakes). Popular in European countries for a century, the sport has honored championships. The idea of a radball came to German-American dude Nick Kauffman when he tried to dodge a dog with his cycle.

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Image credit:Dr. A.S. Ivan Kučera / Wikimedia Commons

Elephant Polo

Horse and polo are on fire – the race horses and the thrill that comes with the chase, everything just falls into place. But it’s hard to imagine the same sport with riders on top of an elephant, who are slow by nature. Until two years ago, the sport was quite an attraction for tourists in Rajasthan (India); it is now banned. However, this variant of polo is still popular in Thailand, Sri Lanka and Nepal.

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Woman carrying

Finland introduced Wife-Carrying to the world almost more than twenty years ago. This sport is just as much fun to do as it is fun to watch. A typical competition requires the husband to carry his wife over his shoulders through an obstacle race in the fastest time. What’s interesting is that there are 3 types of transportation: piggyback, over the shoulders, and Estonian (in this one woman, the man’s waist holds upside down).

Image credit:Cortney Paxton / Wikimedia Commons

Chess Boxing

This hybrid sport brings together two strongly opposing emotions, patience and aggression. Invented by Dutch performance artist Lepe Rubingh, the sport requires participants to alternate between chess and boxing; i.e. a round of boxing followed by chess. It is popular in Germany and Britain and occasionally held in Russia.

Teen Wrestling

Nothing new about this, except the reason why the sport came into being. It’s just as good as thumb wrestling, except you pin your opponent’s toe on it. The game was apparently invented by a group of British drinkers in the 1970s who were angry that Britain had failed to produce world champions.

Image credit:Caravanum / Flickr

Volcano Boarding

This is extreme but also a lot of fun. Volcano surfing/boarding is popular in Central America, especially in Nicaragua. The sport is all about surfing through the volcanic ash-laden slopes of mountains. Protective equipment is a must as it risks serious injury to the participant. Riders climb ramps and slide down a metal shelf, either sitting or standing.

Underwater hockey

Same old hockey with difficulty level: extreme. As if wielding a wild puck wasn’t enough the inventors decided to play with the medium a bit. Also known as octopush, this is a Brit favorite and is played in a pool where teams must propel the puck with their hockey sticks. It emerged in the 1950s.