From gurning and worm charming, to black pudding throwing, extreme ironing and stone skimming: As Britain triumphs in the litter picking world cup, the other weird and wacky alternative ‘sports’ the UK is actually good at

Britain’s gold medal win yesterday at the Litter Picking World Cup – after collecting 83kg of rubbish from a Tokyo street – raised more than a few titters online.

But the quirky conquest is far from Britain’s only foray into weird and wonderful world championships.

Alexander Winship, Jonathan Winship and Sarah Parry, who competed as a team under the name ‘The North will Rise Again’, beat 20 countries in the Spogomi World Cup 2023, in the Japanese capital’s bustling Shibuya district.

The competitors, armed with gloves, metal tongs and plastic rubbish bags, had just 45 minutes to collect as much litter as possible in a tiny 1.9 square mile area of Shibuya

Afterwards, a thrilled Ms Parry – who has run 31 marathons in her time – likened the level of exhaustion to running 26 miles.

Here, we look at the other eccentric competitions – many of which originate in the UK – at which our nation’s unsung heroes all too often succeed…

Alexander Winship, Jonathan Winship and Sarah Parry (pictured) brought home three gold medals after winning the Spogomi world championships

The UK team, named ‘The North will Rise Again’, managed to pick up 83 kg of rubbish from the streets of Shibuya, in Tokyo

The UK side blew the next closest team, Japan, out of the water, managing to collect 61 pounds more rubbish

World black pudding throwing championships

The World Black Pudding Throwing Championships returned to Ramsbottom, Lancashire, in 2021, after a two-year absence brought about by Covid.

The international tournament appeared to lose none of its luster despite the hiatus. 

Competitors travelled in their hundreds from the farthest reached of the United Kingdom to take part in the symbolic challenge, which thought to date back to the Wards of the Roses. 

The challenge sees participants try to unseat enormous Yorkshire puddings from a 20ft pedestal by tossing black puddings.

For a £1 entry fee, contestants are granted three goes to remove as many puddings as they can from the scaffolding set up outside the historic Oaks Pub in the town’s Bridge Street, The Lancashire Telegraph reports.

The fee of £1 has remained unchanged since 1984. The sport is notoriously difficult, with most people finding it virtually impossible to hit their target – with the few who do succeed attracting loud cheers.

The Oaks pub in Ramsbottom plays host to the Official World Blackpudding Throwing Contest in 2021

The challenge sees participants try to unseat enormous Yorkshire puddings from a 20ft pedestal by tossing black puddings.

The sport is notoriously difficult, with most people finding it virtually impossible to hit their target – with the few who do succeed attracting loud cheers

Competitors travelled in their hundreds from the farthest reached of the United Kingdom to take part in the symbolic challenge, which thought to date back to the Wards of the Roses

World Gurning Championships

A face-pulling champion has said he was ‘chuffed to bits’ after winning the World Gurning Championship for a record-breaking 18th time in September. 

Tommy Mattinson emerged as the winner in the men’s category, as he broke the world record for winning the centuries-old contest the most times. 

The event which sees contestants pull grotesque faces while wearing horse collars is held in the town’s market hall and is believed to have first been established in 1267.

The experienced gurner also beat top comedians Josh Widdcombe and Nish Kumar by winning the competition at the Crab Fair in Egremont, Cumbria. 

Kumar and Widdicombe made a surprise appearance at the event as they are believed to be touring the UK for a TV show that sees them try out being local news reporters. 

A typical gurn involves pushing the lower jaw as far forward and up as possible, and covering the upper lip with the lower lip.

Competitors must wear a large horse collar at the same time as gurning – but the rules are generally accepted to stop there.

Mr Mattison said: ‘I’m absolutely chuffed to bits. It doesn’t matter how many times I win it, I want to win it on the night.

‘I put a lot of effort into that. I’m aching, I’m tired – but it was well worth it.’

A representative from Guinness World Records was on hand to officiate the event.

Tommy Mattison (pictured) won the World Gurning Championship for a record breaking 18th time in a row

Tommy Mattison (pictured) said he was ‘chuffed to bits’ after winning to contest in Cumbria

Adrian Zivelonghi took part in the contest that is believed to have run since 1267 

Ged Eccles entered the competition that sees contestants pull grotesque faces while wearing horse collars

Claire Lister won the women’s title at the competition at the Crab Fair in Egremont, Cumbria

World Stone Skimming Championships

On a small island on the Inner Hebrides hundreds of people gather to see who can skim a stone the furthest.

The annual event, held at a quarry on the island of Easdale, near Oban, begun in 1983 after being create by Bertie Baker.

The competition has several different categories for children, adults and ‘old tossers’ – anyone over the age of 60.

It has strict rules including all stones having to be naturally formed by Easdale slate and it cannot be more than 3 inches in diameter at its widest point. A skim will be invalid if it does not bounce at least two times.

It brings in people from all over the world, including as far as New Zealand and the US, to see if they can become the champion.

The Stone Skimming World Championships takes place every year on Easedale Island near Oban. Pictured: Competitors dressed up as Where’s Wally take part 

The competition attracts hundreds of people from all over the world, including as far as New Zealand and the US, to see if they can become the champion.

The competition has several different categories for children, adults and ‘old tossers’ – anyone over the age of 60

World Worm Charming Championships

Worm charming is an age old practice that sees contestants use vibrating techniques to bring worms to the surface of soil.

 Fishermen are thought to have perfected it in order to find bait, but it has become a competitive sport in the UK and parts of East Texas.

Most ‘wormers’ employ the use of stob – a kind of wooden stake – to coax the worms out of the ground as importing worms from outside and digging are against the rules.

Prizes are awarded for the single heaviest specimen and the largest quantity of worms.

The tradition is actually practiced by some as a profession who source worms to provide bait for fishing.

But during the competition all worms are returned to the ground at the end of the day under the cover of night so that they are not snatched by passing birds.

The current world record for worm charming is held by Miss and Mr Smith who won the championship in 2009 with 567 worms.

Most ‘wormers’ employ the use of stob – a kind of wooden stake – to coax the worms out of the ground as importing worms from outside and digging are against the rules

Prizes are awarded for the single heaviest specimen and the largest quantity of worms

Extreme ironing

Extreme ironing was popularised in 1997 in Leicester, England, by Phil Shaw who took it up in his back garden.

After a hard day working in a knitwear factor, Shaw returned home and began aggressively ironing while catching up with his chores.

Wishing he was instead out rock climbing, Shaw stumbled upon the idea of combining the two activities.

 In June 1999, Shaw, who uses the nickname ‘Steam’, embarked on an international tour to promote the activity, visiting the United States, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa. 

An encounter with German tourists in New Zealand led to the formation of a group called ‘Extreme Ironing International’, and the German Extreme Ironing Section or GEIS.

The sport somehow, has yet to catch on outside of Europe! 

Extreme ironing was popularised in 1997 in Leicester, England, by Phil Shaw who took it up in his back garden (pictured here: extreme ironing on Rivelin Needle, Sheffield)

After a hard day working in a knitwear factor, Shaw (right) returned home and began aggressively ironing while catching up with his chores. Wishing he was instead out rock climbing, Shaw stumbled upon the idea of combining the two activities

An encounter with German tourists in New Zealand led to the formation of a group called ‘Extreme Ironing International’, and the German Extreme Ironing Section or GEIS. The sport somehow, has yet to catch on outside of Europe! (pictured: underwater extreme ironing)

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