Unusual Sports - Interesting Sports to Try

Football, volleyball, basketball, and tennis - these are popular sports practiced by millions of people worldwide. But since sport comes in many forms and the world of physical activity is constantly growing and evolving, unusual sports from various corners of the globe are also gaining public interest. While they may never make it to the Olympic Games, lesser-known sports can still provide plenty of entertainment and fun. Unusual sports - what are they? And which strange disciplines have found fans around the world?

Interesting sports and their characteristics - 14 of the most unusual disciplines

Sport is a broad term that includes many types of activities, practiced individually or in groups. These are exercises and games that improve fitness and physical condition, while also allowing competition aimed at achieving the best results.

Common sports such as cycling, soccer, swimming, or long jump surprise no one – these are well-known forms of activity people eagerly choose. But new, sometimes bizarre sports keep emerging, attracting fans across the globe – some people try them out of curiosity, others for innovation, and others simply for fun. Whatever the reason, unusual sports enjoy considerable attention. And while they may never become Olympic disciplines, they can certainly deliver many unforgettable moments.

Ostrich racing

Ostrich racing is a sport originating in southern Africa, now also popular in the United States. It resembles horse racing, except the riders mount large birds that can reach speeds of up to 70 km/h.

To improve chances of winning and avoid overburdening the birds, the riders are usually short and light. Competitors wear helmets, and the rules are similar to horse racing – the fastest wins.

Chess boxing

As the name suggests, chess boxing combines brutal ring fighting with a strategic chess match. It has 11 rounds – 6 of chess (odd-numbered rounds) and 5 of boxing (even-numbered rounds). Chess rounds last four minutes, boxing rounds three.

The concept was invented in 1992 by French comic book artist Enki Bilal, but gained popularity thanks to a Dutch performer who turned it into an art project. Eventually, chess boxing became a competitive sport, now overseen by the World Chess Boxing Organisation. It’s especially popular in the UK, Germany, Russia, and India.

Sporthocking

Sporthocking, also called extreme sitting, was invented in Germany in 2007. It combines elements of skateboarding with… sitting. Players perform tricks using a special plastic stool with rubber pads, and every trick must end in a sitting position with the stool under the player.

Eukontanto - wife carrying

Eukontanto is a Finnish sport designed for married couples, although unmarried participants can join too – the female partner must be at least 17 years old and weigh at least 49 kg.

This team sport involves men carrying their partners on their shoulders in specific positions, such as upside down, aiming to reach the finish line as fast as possible.

The race course is 235.5 meters long and includes three obstacles – first, a one-meter-deep, 10-meter-long water pool, followed by beams set 110 cm high.

The sport dates back to the late 19th century, and the World Wife Carrying Championships are held annually in Sonkajärvi, Finland. Interestingly, Estonians often win despite its Finnish origins.

Cheese-rolling

If wife carrying doesn’t sound crazy enough, cheese-rolling – also called cheese chasing – might. As the name suggests, the event involves chasing a rolling cheese.

The Cooper’s Hill Cheese-Rolling Festival in England sees locals and more and more foreigners chasing a Double Gloucester cheese wheel down a hill. The cheese can reach speeds of up to 100 km/h, and whoever catches it wins it.

Sepak Takraw

Sepak Takraw comes from Southeast Asia and blends martial arts, soccer, and volleyball. Two teams are separated by a net, and the goal is to pass the ball over without using hands. Known as “kick volleyball,” it’s an extreme and spectacular sport recognized as a national discipline in Thailand.

Underwater hockey

Underwater hockey is exactly what it sounds like – hockey played underwater. It takes place in a 2–3 meter deep pool. Equipped with snorkeling gear and 1.5 kg sticks, players aim to push the puck into the opponent’s goal.

Two teams of six compete for 30 minutes, split into two halves. Goals are 3 meters wide, much larger than in ice hockey.

Buzkashi

Buzkashi is popular in Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. It resembles polo, but instead of a ball, players use the carcass of a goat or calf. On horseback, players try to grab the carcass, circle the field, and drop it into a goal marked on the ground, while the opposing team tries to stop them.

Rabbit jumping

Kaninhop, or rabbit jumping, began in Sweden in the 1970s. The first national championships were held in 1987, and the National Rabbit Hopping Federation was established in 1994.

Now popular in other Scandinavian countries, Germany, the USA, Australia, and New Zealand, the sport has trained rabbits jump over obstacle courses with bars set at varying heights. Any rabbit breed can participate, but long-legged rabbits with strong backs are preferred.

Zorbing

Invented in New Zealand in 1994, zorbing involves rolling downhill inside a giant transparent plastic ball. The sphere has two layers connected with nylon cords – the outer layer is about 3 meters in diameter, the inner one about 2 meters.

Zorbing is usually done on slopes but can also be adapted for water.

Speedrower

Speedrower is like dirt track racing but on bicycles. Four riders race on an oval track covered in loose material. The bikes have no gears or brakes, and the track is shorter than a speedway circuit – only 60–90 meters. The aim is to complete four laps as fast as possible.

Its origins are unclear, but the first recorded races took place in London in 1945. It’s now practiced in the UK, the Netherlands, Australia, the USA, and Poland.

Cycle ball - indoor soccer on bicycles

Cycle ball, or “radball,” is little known in Poland but popular in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Germany. Two-person teams compete – one plays in goal, the other in the field. Field players can’t use hands or feet, and goalkeepers can only catch, not kick, the ball. Players must stay on their bikes at all times.

Matches are played on an 11 × 14-meter court for 14 minutes, split into two halves.

Shin kicking

Shin kicking is a combat sport where two competitors hold each other by the shoulders and try to kick the opponent’s shins until they fall.

Originating in England in the 17th century, it’s still part of the Cotswold Olimpicks. Traditionally, players wear white coats reminiscent of shepherds’ smocks. Matches have 10 rounds, and the winner is the one who wins the most rounds.

Shovel racing

Shovel racing is a winter sport popular in the USA. It began in 1970 at Angel Fire Resort in New Mexico when ski lift operators started sliding downhill on snow shovels for fun.

Competitors sit on a shovel and race downhill, sometimes reaching speeds of 112 km/h. Events have age categories, and the sport was even part of the 1997 X Games before being removed after a serious accident. It returned in 2010.

Bibliography:

1. https://eukonkanto.fi/
2. https://polskispeedrower.pl/
3. https://jbc.bj.uj.edu.pl/dlibra/publication/718356/edition/680777/content
4. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/gloucestershire/4605157.stm
5. https://skhrf.se/
6. https://www.britannica.com/sports/buzkashi
7. https://www.national-geographic.pl/artykul/najdziwniejsze-sporty-swiata-poznaj-10-nietypowych-dyscyplin-sportowych