Recently, thousands of fearless men gathered to take part in the annual Shrove Tuesday royal football match.
If you've never heard of this brutal and crazy medieval sport before, imagine this: two teams of roughly thousands of people each gather in a small town in England to play football. But here's the catch — there are no rules, no field, the gates are three miles apart, and the match takes place over two days.
It's like a cross between football and going to the pub.
In honor of this event, we decided to look at some of the other unusual games and traditional sporting events that can be found in Europe — from naked sledding to cheese racing.
Cheese Race (England)< p>The name speaks for itself — in this race a large head of Gloucester cheese rolls down a steep hill, and the participants follow it. Participants strive to catch a rolling head, and the one who crosses the finish line first with cheese in their hands wins.
Competitions are held annually in the English town of Brokworth in Gloucestershire. This is an ancient English tradition.
Some say it's a celebration of the human spirit, others say it's just a bunch of crazy people chasing a head of cheese down the hill. Be that as it may, one thing is certain: this event is definitely not for the weak and slow! Ambulances are on duty at the bottom of the hill, so participants are very often injured during the competition.
Wife Transfer Championship (Finland)
The World Wife Transfer Championship in Finland is a difficult sporting event for its participants.
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The men carry their partners on their backs through a challenging obstacle course. The wife must weigh at least 49 kilograms, and if she falls, the team will be fined.
It is believed that the competition originated from a Finnish legend in which a man, pursued by bandits, had to carry his wife through the forest.
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The competition is not only a test of physical strength and endurance, but also of trust in each other and the teamwork of the participating couples.
Instead of medals or a cash prize, the winners receive an amount of beer equal to the weight of their wife.
Naked sledding (Germany)Germany is known to many — delicious beer, stunning architecture and rich cultural history. But did you know that there is also a tradition of sledding naked there?
Every year, thousands of people gather in the snowy resort town of Braunlage to go down the snowy slope almost naked.
At the event, which takes place in mid-February and gathers about 25,000 people, both men and women from all over the world take part. The main prize is one thousand euros.
The organizers take the safety of the participants very seriously: helmets are required, and races take place only on specially designated tracks.
Snorkeling (Wales) The Welsh Wetlands World Championships may be just the event you need!
So what is swamp snorkeling, you ask?
Participants put on their best snorkeling equipment and dive into a muddy swamp where they swim a predetermined distance as fast as they can. It sounds easy, but navigating the muddy waters of a peat swamp is not an easy task.
Participants come from all over the world to take part in this competition, and they take it very seriously. They spend months training and preparing for the big day, honing their diving techniques and learning about the characteristics of the peat bogs.
But the best thing about the Scuba Diving World Cup is, of course, the costumes! Participants often come dressed in fancy superhero or animal outfits. This «sportswear» may not help you go the distance, but it certainly adds to the entertainment value of the tournament.
Fierleppen — pole vaulting across the canal (Netherlands)
In the spectator sport, fierleppen (which literally translates as «long jump»), participants try to jump as far as possible across the pond using a special pole.
Fierleppen originated in the Netherlands, where canals are as common as tulips and windmills. Legend has it that in the 1700s it was just a way to cross canals and ditches, but later it became a national sport with championships held all over the country.
One of the biggest and most competitive competitions is Red Bull Fierste Ljepper, which took place last year in Haarlem.
Florentine football, or «calcio storico» (Italy)
Imagine a dusty, sandy field in the heart of Florence. The sun beats down on a crowd of noisy, passionate spectators, eagerly awaiting the start of the game. And here come the players dressed in 15th century costumes, looking like they've just stepped out of a renaissance painting.
But don't be fooled by fancy dress, this is no ordinary game. In fact, Calcio Storico, «historic football», is a battle between two teams of 27 players who are fighting for victory.
The rules of Florentine football are simple: by any means, send the ball into the opponent's goal. And when we say «by any means», we mean it: players are allowed to beat opponents with their hands, feet and head, knock them to the ground.
But why, you ask, is such cruel fun needed? With a long and rich history dating back to the 16th century, Calcio Storico is considered a way to honor the traditions and culture of Florence. And for the audience of the annual event, it is an opportunity to let loose and cheer for your favorite team while enjoying cold beer and traditional Tuscan food.