Medalling with tradition
A look at the potential Olympic events we may be witness to in the near future. Words by Karen Carmichael and Brielle Martell . Illustration by Acute Graphics
Every Olympics, a new sport is introduced, adding to the roster of champions. In 1984, synchronised swimming was the newcomer, and beach volleyball in 1992. This August, in Beijing, BMX will debut as an Olympic sport. So what’s to stop other sporting activities from reaching Olympic status? Perhaps in 12 years’ time, the Olympics will look something like this. or perhaps not.
THE DECATHLON
1. CREASE LIGHTNING
Are you a thrill-seeker with an unassailable sense of domestic pride? Extreme Ironing may be the meticulous adrenaline rush you’ve been looking for. Participants do something sensible and everyday such as jump off a cliff or climb a sheer rockface while actually ironing their shirts. No, we’re not making this up! Extreme indeed. www..em>extremeironing.com
2. .WITHOUT A PADDLE
Rather than lounge around in mud and call it “spa treatment”, Bog Snorkellers take to the mud like a duck to water. with a snorkel. Racers must doggy-paddle through 110m of muddy water cut into the Waen Rhydd peat bog outside Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales. www.green-events.co.uk
3. WITH A PADDLE
Cool off with a refreshing game of Canoe Polo. A kayak replaces the polo pony as the player’s trusty steed, turning this into a major contact sport and allowing for many near shipwrecks. Forget the fancy dress, grassy fields and mallets; players move the ball along with hands, paddles and waves. www.canoepolo.org.uk
4. FOOTSIE FOR PSYCHOS
If you’ve mastered thumb wrestling, try your hand at Toe Wrestling. Played in the UK since the 1970s, and rejected for the games in 1997, combatants battle using only their toes. Watch out for cheating methods, such as sharp toenails, foot tickling or distracting nail polish.
5. FLOAT LIKE A BUTTERFLY
For those who require more intellectual stimulation in their fistfights, check out Chess Boxing. Two opponents alternate between four-minute rounds of chess and three-minute rounds of boxing, with a minute’s break in between. Competitors’ physical and mental limits are tested in this combination of mind and muscle. www..em>wcbo.org
