Stranger Things became a worldwide phenomenon after debuting in the summer of 2016. Even if you’ve never watched the Netflix original series, you can probably gather from its title that strange things frequently occur in it.
The second season of the popular science fiction show was released Friday and it got us thinking: what are some of the strangest sports in the world?
It turns out there’s a lot to choose from.
Eukonkanto
All great sports are based off 19th century Finnish folklore. It is known.
Eukonkanto, or wife-carrying, is something you’ve probably seen on your local news because every year, whenever the world championships take place, people are enamoured by the odd spectacle.
Not familiar with the legend of “Ronkainen the Robber”? Here’s an explanation of the origins of the sport from wife-carrying.org:
“There are three stories as to how the sport was created. First, Ronkainen and his thieves were accused of stealing food and women from villages in the area he lived in; then carried these women on their backs as they ran away. Second, it has been said the men would go to villages near their own to steal other men’s wives, and then have the woman become their own wife. Third is the story that Ronkainen trained his thieves by carrying big, heavy sacks on their backs, which could have eventually evolved to a sport.”
So, naturally, they made a sport out of that uplifting tale.
Talk about The Upside Down. Am I right, people?!
Hurling
This sport is popular in Ireland and its Gaelic origins date back to more than 3,000 years ago. It was an unofficial sport at the Olympics in 1904 and compared to most popular sports watched in North America it’s quite bizarre. It’s kind of like a combination of field hockey, soccer, Australian rules football, and European handball.
Shin Kicking
Ever been kicked in the shins? Not fun, eh?
Still, shin kicking is a popular sport in certain areas in the U.K. It’s one of the featured events at the Cotswold Olimpick Games.
Here are the official rules of shin kicking:
Competitors will be assigned bouts at random, with winners of all rounds gaining entry to a final bout. Usually, there will be a maximum of 12 contestants.
1. Equipment – Competitors must wear long trousers or tracksuits and may cushion their shins by using straw (provided). They will be provided with white coats, representing the traditional shepherd’s smock. Footwear may be trainers, shoes, or soft-toed (i.e. un-reinforced) boots. Any form of metal-reinforced toe on footwear is expressly forbidden. This will now be checked both before and after your bouts! Failure to comply will result in instant exclusion, and barring from future events!
2. Stance. A competitor begins by holding his or her opponent by the shoulders (or lapels) with arms straight.
3. The contest will be started, finished (if necessary) and judged, by an arbiter, known as a Stickler. The Stickler decides the fairness of a contest.
4. A contest is decided on the best of three throws – i.e. two successful throws results in a win.
Chess Boxing
Peanut butter is great on its own. Jam is great on its own. Mash them together and voila, you get the all-time classic PB&J.
Boxing at its highest level is a chess game. Chess is literally a chess game. Mash them together and…you see where this is going.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCTwK5itWy0
Please don’t fact check this but we’re pretty sure the Wu-Tang Clan song Da Mystery Of Chessboxin’ is an homage to the mashup sport.
Bandy
OK, if you’re a fan of hockey, this one is actually really cool. Bandy is a predecessor to modern-day ice hockey.
Here’s a handy bandy (hey that rhymes!) video from a gentleman named Ninh Ly in which he explains the rules of the game.
Connor McDavid was clocked skating at more than 40km/h in a game earlier this month, but in the NHL he runs out of space before he can hit top speed. How fast could he be on a bandy ice surface? We imagine he’d be quite dandy at bandy (hey that rhymed too!).
Underwater Hockey
This one is pretty self-explanatory.
Cheese Rolling
Some people think it’s a gouda idea to sprint down a steep hill to catch a wheel of cheese. If you’re one of those people, you should check out the annual Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling competition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltjPj9w54UU
Extreme Ironing
What’s that? You’re a thrill-seeker and you hate wrinkles in your clothing? Here’s a sport for you.
If you’re interested in reading about extreme ironing, you can check out the book written by the sport’s founding father Phil Shaw…or you can just watch this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njHE4S-HD3I
Egg throwing
According to the esteemed World Egg Throwing Federation: “Egg Throwing has been a sport enjoyed by millions of people since early humans discovered the delight of watching a failure of another to catch a tossed egg.”
On one hand, that’s sound logic. On the other hand, think of all the omelettes they could make.
Here are some highlights of the World Egg Throwing Championship from earlier this year.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqxAKxErcxw
Pumpkin Regatta
Last but not least, if you’re unsure about what to do with your pumpkins once Halloween is over, well, turn it into a kayak obviously.
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