Humans love sport and competition and have done for many hundreds of years. There are plenty of common sports to choose from, however some select a more unusual endeavour for burning off those extra calories. Thanks to Time Magazine, here are some of the strangest sports and activities played today.
Underwater Hockey
Also known as "octopush," underwater hockey involves pushing a puck across the bottom of a swimming pool into goals. Above, teams compete at the 2006 world championships in Sheffield, England.
Pillow Fight
LeagueThe all-female PFL stages matches between fighters with names like Olivia Neutron-Bomb, Carmen Monoxide and Ursula Anvil at their home base in Toronto and elsewhere — like at Exxxotica Miami, above, an annual erotic festival. On its website, the PFL boasts, "We are women who are proud of our strength and not afraid to let loose. We fight with pillows because it lets us be creative, do something different and go a little crazy."
Giant Pumpkin
KayakingAt the fifth Annual West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta, held in Tualatin, Ore., locally grown pumpkins weighing up to 800 lb. are hollowed out and used as vessels in a race around the lake.
Blind Soccer
Teams in this internationally sanctioned sport consist of four blind athletes and one sighted or visually impaired goalkeeper. Additionally, teams have a guide who stands behind the opponent's goal to direct the players where to shoot. The field is surrounded by a wall, which means no throw-ins, so the action remains fairly intense through each 25-minute half. The match above, pitting Argentina against China, took place at the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.
Bossaball
Similar to volleyball, the Belgian sport of bossaball also includes elements of soccer, gymnastics and capoeira. Each side of the court has an integrated trampoline, allowing players to bounce high enough to spike the ball.
Cardboard-Tube Dueling
Members of the Cardboard Tube Dueling League fight on the battlefield of Gas Works Park in Seattle. The individual winner receives a fancy, custom-made cardboard tube. Losers risk bruised egos and paper cuts.
The Mud-Pit Belly Flop
Spectators get sprayed at the mud-pit belly flop, the highlight of the annual Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Ga. Other events include a hubcap-discus throw and bobbing for pigs' feet.
Pole Push
One of numerous events held at the Arctic Winter Games in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, the pole push requires two teams of four to grasp opposite ends of a pole and try to push their opponents out of the ring, sumo-style.
Unicycle Polo
Organized by the Unicycle Bastards, a group of unicycle enthusiasts in Portland, Ore., the unicycle-polo world championships pits teams against one another in a double-elimination tournament. The rule book encourages "frequent and colorful swearing," the consumption of "one alcoholic beverage prior to every match" and "urination in approved restroom facilities."
www.mpistola.gr
