I’m compiling a list of the weirdest sports I can find.
This list was inspired by Marc Lasry’s (Avenue Capital) mention of Slap Fighting as a sport on “Invest Like the Best” with Patrick O’Shaughnessy.
That sent me down a bit of a rabbit hole.
I’m gonna grow this list. Big time.
In the meantime, enjoy!
1) Camel Weightlifting
Can 62 million YouTube viewers be wrong?
Camel weightlifting, a controversial tradition in Pakistan, involves loading camels with heavy packs and forcing them to stand, showcasing their strength.
The practice, likely rooted in the use of camels as pack animals, has grown into a spectacle, drawing crowds of up to 20,000.
In a 2019 event, the winning camel carried an astonishing 1.7 tons—about the weight of a small car.
Owners claim the camels are trained and well-cared.
But PETA has condemned them as “barbaric,” (citing physical injuries, stress, and the harmful separation of young camels from their mothers for training)
Despite this, some locals defend the competitions as a way to bring communities together and earn respect.
One thing’s for sure. camels can lift more than humans (1,700 pounds is the world record).I like the guy who climbs on top of the camel to celebrate (at least he tosses one weight bag off).
2) Cheese Rolling
Release date: November 17, 2020
Every year on the last Monday of May, Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire becomes the battleground for one of the world’s most dangerous and bizarre races: the Cheese Rolling competition.
In We are the Champions, you’ll meet people like Flo Early, a 4-time women’s champion, who literally tumbles head over heels down the 200-yard slope to chase an 8-pound Double Gloucester cheese.
With speeds reaching up to 70 miles per hour, competitors from around the world risk injury for a chance at glory.
Why do people like Chris Anderson, the man with a record 22 cheeses to his name, keep coming back?
This episode gives you a front-row seat to the mayhem and madness.)
3) Ear Pulling
Ear pulling might look weird to many of us.
But it is an intense traditional Inuit sport, part of the World Eskimo-Indian Olympics and the Arctic Winter Games since the early 1970s.
Its origins are deeply rooted in the Inuit culture, designed to test endurance, pain tolerance, and mental toughness—skills vital for surviving the Arctic environment.
In the competition, two people sit facing each other with a loop of waxed string hooked over one ear each. The goal is to pull until one competitor gives in or the string slips off.
Though it lasts mere seconds, the pain is excruciating. Participants often suffer injuries like torn earlobes or cartilage.
The event has seen legendary competitors like Gary Turner, who dominated the Arctic Winter Games for years. In some contests, participants endure up to 20 pulls in a single match.
Despite the inherent pain, ear pulling remains a highlight of these games, attracting competitors from across Alaska, Northern Canada, and Greenland.
4) Bog Snorkling
Zac and Jay (of “Zac and Jay Show” fame) enter the 2018 Bog Snorkelling Championships
Bog snorkelling is one of the world’s weirdest sports.
Competitors swim through a 60-yard trench in a peat bog using only flippers for propulsion.
Originating in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales, in 1976, this quirky event has grown into the annual World Bog Snorkelling Championships, attracting hundreds of international participants.
The competition rules are simple but challenging.
Swimmers must wear snorkels, masks, and flippers to traverse two lengths of the bog trench, totaling 120 yards.
Traditional swimming strokes? Not allowed.
And the water can be cold. Really cold.
Competitors rely solely on flipper power, making it a hilarious yet grueling race against time. The fastest snorkeler wins, and there’s no resting allowed during the event.
Held at Waen Rhydd peat bog, typically on the last Monday in August, the event has earned a spot on Lonely Planet’s top 50 “must do” things worldwide.
In recent years, bog snorkelling has even inspired variations like the Bog Snorkelling Triathlon, which adds cycling and running for an extra challenge.
5) Ferret Legging
Ferret legging is one of the strangest and most painful sports I’ve ever come across.
Competitors shove live ferrets into their trousers and see how long they can last while the animals claw, bite, and try to escape.
Originating in northern England, the game reached peak absurdity in places like Barnsley.
No protection is allowed between the ferrets and a competitor’s sensitive skin.
The current world record? A mind-boggling 523 minutes.
That’s nearly nine hours with ferrets gnawing away at your legs. And yet, these participants keep coming back for more. When asked why they do it, they simply shrug and call it “a challenge.”
In one match, the filming had to stop because a ferret latched onto a man’s anatomy and refused to let go.
And guess what? He said it wasn’t even the worst bite he’s had.
You can’t make this $hit up: People willingly risk shredded skin and serious injury to keep ferrets in their trousers for nearly nine hours.
This sport’s pure madness—and that’s exactly why it endures.
6) Tickling
The best way I’ve seen to check out tickling as a sport is in the documentary “Tickled”.
The doc starts as a light-hearted curiosity about the bizarre world of competitive endurance tickling, but it quickly takes a dark and twisted turn.
Directed by David Farrier and Dylan Reeve, the documentary begins with Farrier, a New Zealand journalist, stumbling upon videos of young men strapped down and tickled. Intrigued by this odd “sport,” he reaches out to the organizers.
What follows is shocking.
Instead of cooperation, Farrier is met with threats, lawsuits, and a massive, shadowy network of harassment.
The deeper he digs, the darker the story becomes. Behind the strange tickling fetish videos is a powerful figure named David D’Amato, who uses his wealth and influence to bully and intimidate participants who try to expose him.
The doc runs 92 minutes and shifts from quirky to disturbing, as it reveals a world of manipulation, deceit, and control. It’s not about tickling at all. It’s about power.
You can’t make this $hit up: A mysterious millionaire uses tickling videos to blackmail and ruin people’s lives for decades.
“Tickled” will leave you fascinated—and deeply unsettled.
You can watch the full Tickled documentary on Netflix at https://www.netflix.com/title/80097474. It’s also on other streaming channels you can find here: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/tickled
7) Shin Kicking
It’s a British sport dating back to the early 17th century. The first known event was the Cotswold Olimpicks (yep, that’s how they spelled it back then), an event established in 1612 in Gloucestershire, England.
That makes it one of Britain’s longest running sports.
30,000 people used to show up to watch the sport.
In the U.S., some call the sport “purring” (I have no idea why).
The basic concept of shin-kicking has remained largely unchanged over the centuries:
- Two competitors face each other, holding onto each other’s collars.
- They attempt to kick each other’s shins while trying to unbalance and throw their opponent to the ground.
However, some aspects have evolved:
- Early versions were much more brutal, with contestants sometimes wearing steel-toed boots.
- Modern competitions have introduced safety measures, such as banning metal-reinforced footwear and allowing competitors to pad their shins with straw
8) Sepak Takraw (aka “Kick Volleyball”)
I love this video above with highlights of the sport of Sepak Takraw.
No commentary. Just the art of the sport.
Sepak Takraw is a fast-paced, acrobatic team sport that blends volleyball, soccer, and gymnastics.
It originated in Southeast Asia, with roots in 15th-century Malaysia, where it was known as Sepak Raga and played in royal courts.
The modern version of the game was developed in the 1940s, and the first official competition was held in 1945 in Penang, Malaysia.
In sepak takraw, two teams of three players—called a regu—compete on a court similar to badminton’s, using a woven synthetic ball.
Players use only their feet, knees, chest, and head to kick the ball over a net, aiming to make it land in the opponent’s court. Hands are strictly off-limits.
A match consists of three sets, and the first team to score 21 points (with a two-point lead) wins.
The game’s agility and athleticism, particularly its gravity-defying kicks and flips, have gained it popularity beyond Southeast Asia.
It’s now played in countries like the U.S., Japan, and Canada, and featured in major events like the Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games. Sepak takraw’s unique blend of speed, skill, and acrobatics makes it thrilling to watch and play.
9) Slap Fighting
The Slap Fighting Championships is as brutal as it sounds—two people stand still and take turns slapping each other until one can’t continue. It’s raw, painful, and strangely captivating.
Russian farmer Vasily “Dumpling” Kamotsky put this bizarre sport on the map in 2019 when videos of his thunderous slaps went viral. Competing in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, Kamotsky floored opponents with ease, making him the face of slap fighting.
Since then, the sport has exploded in Russia and Poland, with millions tuning in to watch people get slapped senseless.
The rules are simple: no dodging, no blocking—just straight-up slaps. Judges score based on power and technique if no one gets knocked out. But it’s not just for show—concussions, facial swelling, and broken eardrums are common.
Despite the obvious risks, Slap Fighting Championships are growing fast, fueled by the internet’s fascination with this outrageous spectacle.
10) Lawn Mower Racing
Lawn mower racing may sound absurd, but its roots go back to 1973 in the quiet English village of West Sussex, where a group of friends decided they needed a motorsport that was fun, cheap, and didn’t require expensive equipment.
Their solution? Lawn mowers.
Thus, the British Lawn Mower Racing Association (BLMRA) was born, with the idea that if everyone used these humble machines, the playing field would be even.
This quirky sport took off quickly, spreading across the UK, then jumping the pond to the U.S., where organizations like the U.S. Lawn Mower Racing Association (USLMRA) formed in 1992.
That’s where the vide above is from.
The rules are simple: competitors strip down regular lawn mowers—taking off the blades for safety—and race them at speeds of up to 60 mph.
Today, lawn mower racing is more than just a backyard pastime.
Events like the 12-hour Lawn Mower Race and the Mowdown Showdown attract participants and fans alike, creating a global community around this offbeat sport.
Lawn mower racing is ridiculous—and that’s exactly why it thrives.
Thanks for reading!
Rob Kelly
Chief Maniac, Daily Doc