In part 2 of our series on events we think should be included in the UK’s 2012 Olympics, we’ll look at such quirky events as Pooh-Sticks, Bog snorkelling and World Gurning Championships.
[See part 1 of Quirky British sports which should be in the Olympics]
1) Pooh-Sticks starts off this countdown at a rather sedate and absolutely British way of life although unlike snail racing (see part 1), there is a limited chance of you actually getting the aforementioned stick back. The game is naturally derived from that in the Winnie-the-Pooh books, but was probably played a long long time before Pooh, Tigger and friends ever got to their first bridge.
The world championships take place annually in Little Wittenham, Oxon, and as in the books throwing of the sticks is considered “very bad show old chap”, as the rest of the world still thinks we’d put it. Hopefully someone can alighten us as to the Scottish, Welsh and Irish versions of that.
As this is a very slowpaced game, it won’t appeal to our American cousins so that removes quite a bit of the competition for the 2012 Olympics, thus we only really have to worry about the rest of the world, eg: the Spanish and Italians who are rather more used to this slow pace of life. This could result in some serious competition and a good alternative to seeing Usain Bolt in the 100 metres.
2) Toe wrestling is one of the front runner sports as the official organisers from Wetton in Derbyshire have already applied for the Olympics on several occasions, but so far without success. They could be our PR cue if we can just get this in the door of the London Olympic organisers – anyone know Seb Coe’s phone number? :)
The official championships take place on June 22nd each year or thereabouts and as the name suggests, it is similar to thumb wrestling except with the other end of the body.
3) Tin-bath racing should help us pickup the pace and attract the crowds normally expected to watch the yachts and such at Weymouth. Admittedly the current championships for tin bath racing take place in Castletown, Isle of Man, but at least this way we’re covering the entire UK and making sure the Olympic spirit is alive and kicking.
Normally this takes place around July 7th or thereabouts on the Isle of Man and the brilliance like many sports is in the simplicity. All we’d need are several tin baths of the type your grandparents used to use and some rather excentric volunteers / competitors, and we have our alternative to those rather boring Olympic sailing events….especially as there’s much more chance of people getting wet in this version!
4) Bog snorkelling is perhaps one of the strangest yet most fascinating of sports to grace the shores of Britain. To ensure the sport is taken seriously, smart casual dress is preferred although we actually recommend a wet suit as the official Bog snorkelling championships at least take part in the murky waters around Llanwrtyd Wells, Powys. The course is often created especially for the event, but we’re sure they wouldn’t mind it being used for an Olympic trial or two.
5) Gurning is perhaps one of the simplest of all the potential Olympic sports in these lists as virtually no special equipment is required, you don’t get wet or muddy and it can in theory be practised anywhere. Ok, so toe wrestling also qualifies for those but with gurning you don’t even need to get undressed.
For those un-initiated in the sport, the rules are simple – just pull the ugliest face possible while putting your head through a horse’s collar. Some may claim that the Cumbrian’s are especially good at this hence it taking over significant popularity in the county’s Egremont Crab Fair each year, but we’re sure there will be plenty of contestants from the rest of the country and indeed world ready to take us on.
The actual championships take place in September each year in Egremont, West Cumbria, but there should be no problem staging a version earlier for the Olympics plus we’ve got loads and loads of other tourist attractions in Cumbria and hotels in Egremont.
Quirky events in Scotland & Northern Ireland: We have been searching for quirky events to include in the 2012 Olympics for Scotland and Northern Ireland, plus any more for Wales but have come up a little short so far. Perhaps its only the English who are nutty enough to create these, but if not please add suggestions to the comments section of this post and we might be able to create a part 3.
A few more useful UK links:
Tourist attractions from around the UK (including quirky locations)
Hotels and B&Bs in Britain
Holiday cottages and apartments in Britain
As details of the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant – one of the largest public events ever held in London – are announced, VisitEngland looks at other Jubilee celebrations scheduled across the country. Marking 60 years of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, the Diamond Jubilee celebrations will celebrate around an extended weekend on 2nd to 5th June 2012. Officially unveiled this morning, the Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant on Sunday 3rd June will see a procession of 1,000 boats travel down the Thames, from Battersea to Tower Bridge, flanking the Royal Barge which will transport the Queen. The procession, which will include vessels of all shapes and sizes from around the world, including tall ships and square riggers, fishing and cargo boats, yachts, tugs, steamers and canoes, is expected to be the biggest televised event ever to take place. Here are just a few of VisitEngland’s highlights of the Jubilee year calendar:
Anyone entering the Royal Enclosure at 5-day 
Around the 30th December a strange phernonoma occured on the normally fairly quiet Winter seas around Blackpool. The seas washed huge amounts of foam ashore which concerned some local residents fearing a pollution spill.
VisitBritain has come up with a new ploy to market the UK to everyone else – get the Brits to do it themselves with a Facebook competition.
In case you haven’t already seen his face on the posters, 2012 is the bicentenary year of Charles Dickens birth with events right around the UK celebrating his work.
One of the most spectacular circus shows in the world has arrived back at the Royal Albert Hall this year – Cirque du Soleil with their Totem performance.
Sources close to Greenwich have been heard whispering about something very special brewing in the mysterious dome known only as the “O2 Arena” with rumours that a certain Elvis Presley is going to perform there this year.
Canary Wharf is set to go into a deep freeze on the 13th and 14th January 2012, but this isn’t the result of some evil genius’ master plan, but more the work of the world’s best ice sculpting artists who will be showing off their spectacular creations to the world.
