Copia Magazine: Adventure Crazy Competitions

Wife Carrying
A sport that was created in Finland, Eukonkanto, or wife-carrying, has spread
across the world since the late 1800s. It is a sport aptly named even though the
requirement of a "wife" is no longer a strict rule. According to USA Today,
in an article written in October of 2008, winners of the Wife-Carrying Competition
held in Maine each year are awarded the "wife's" weight in beer. Obstacles, changes
interrain, and 253.5 meters define the course. If you are looking to enter yourself
into the World Championships in Finland, the North American Wife Carrying
Championship in Maine is a great place to start!

Beard and Mustache Contest
Please, please, please go visit the World Beard and Mustache
Championship website at www.worldbeardchampionships.com. You will not
believe your eyes! The U.S. Team is on a quest to upset the Germans this yearso
check out their contestants at www.beardteamusa.org. Coney Island, Austin, and
Seattle are just some of the places in the U.S. where you can enter into beard and
mustache competitions but if you want to enter the World Championship which
will be held in Alaska this year (only the second time the World Championship has
been held in the U.S.) you have less than 4 months to prepare!

Toe wrestling
Made popular by the British, Toe Wrestling has been a "sport" since the 1970s. The
World Toe Wrestling Federation (WTWF) has applied for a spot in the Olympics,
but it has yet to be approved. Maybe the problem is a lack of experienced judges.

Unicycle Hockey
With new twists and turns, Unicycle Hockey is another growing sport. Australia,
Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Japan,
Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, Switzerland, and the USA are all
countries boasting of unicycle hockey clubs. If you would like to see the club closest
to you visit the International Unicycle home page.

Here are some more crazy competitions and where you can see them:

Cheese Rolling (the cheese rolls downhill and you roll after it): UK, Canada
Zorb Ball / Zorbing (becoming a human gerbil going downhill): New Zealand
Bossaball (Imagaine volleyball with soccer and a trampoline): Brazil, Belgium,
Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Kuwait, Ecuador and
Saudi Arabia
Lawnmower racing (self explanatory): Australia, U.K., and the U.S.

Start your own crazy competition and see if it sticks! Send us your own zanny sport
and we'll post it here!