Cheese Rolling: The sport of cheese rolling began in the Gloucestershire hills of the ancient past, but these days it has matured into an international event. Essentially a crowd of enthusiasts pursue a round of local cheese down a hill - the first across the finishing line wins the cheese. However...
...this is Coopers Hill, the home of cheese rolling. And a place not for milk sops or faint-hearts. It's not just participants who can hurt themselves. The cheese can reach speeds of 70mph and woe betide anyone in its path.
Bog Snorkelling: This is the world famous Waen Rhydd bog - a 60-yard trench filled with the best of Welsh rainwater and heaven knows what else. Competitors tackle the course wearing flippers and a mask, with no conventional swimming strokes allowed.
Baby Jumping: Evel Knievel famously jumped buses, but the people of Castrillo de Murcia in Spain jump babies.OK, it's not a sport, per se, more a religious festival, which is great news if it means the jumpers don't wear spikes.
Conkers: Why is it that so many wacky sports have their origins in Britain? In deepest Northamptonshire they host the annual World Conker Championship, drawing hard-baked nuts from all corners.
Hot Dog eating: Meanwhile, over in the US of A, good ol' boys and gals have come up with the fatties' delight: competitive hot dog eating. The rules are simple - cram as many down you as you can in 12 minutes.
Kabbadi: Kabbadi is a revered sport of the Indian sub-continent. Distilling its noble traditions and centuries of culture down we get this: it's British Bulldogs while holding your breath.
Swamp Soccer: It's football. In a swamp. A bit like a Rochdale home game.
Wife Carrying: Alongside superhuman F1 and rally drivers the Finns are also justly famous for giving the world the awesome spectacle that is wife carrying. Now a major event in literally dozens of villages, men must carry their wife (piggyback or the controversial 'Estonian way' - upside-down to you and me) over a 253-metre obstacle course. The winner gets his wife's weight in beer.
Turkish Wrestling: The Turks are famously proud of their wrestling tradition. Especially their domestic version where strapping blokes put on leather shorts, cover themselves in olive oil and grapple. Organisers of the wrestling games were recently incensed and surprised to find their annual event was the highlight of a tour arranged by gay travel agencies.
