See snails sprinting and knobs flying in England

England is home to some of the quirkiest sports on the planet, where the competition is fierce, the rules are bizarre, and the prizes include a bucket of glory. If you’ve ever wanted to watch a man wrestle in gravy, see athletes race with sacks of wool on their backs, or cheer on a snail with Olympic-level determination, this is your guide to England’s most entertaining alternative sports.

World Snail Racing Championships

In the sleepy village of Congham, Norfolk, slow and steady wins the race — literally. Every July, over 200 snails line up at the starting post, ready to inch their way across a 13-inch course while excited ‘trainers’ cheer them on. It’s tense. It’s thrilling. It’s possibly the only sporting event where a well-placed lettuce leaf could be considered performance enhancement.

World Gravy Wrestling Championships

Things get seriously messy in Stacksteads, Lancashire, where competitors in fancy dress wrestle in a pool of thick, brown gravy. It’s part strength, part slapstick, and entirely ridiculous. Victory is awarded not just to the strongest grappler, but also to those who put on the best show. Who knew Sunday dinner’s finest sauce could become a full-contact sport?

Dorset Knob Throwing Festival

The Dorset Knob Throwing Festival is an annual event in Dorset, celebrating the county’s famous hard, dry biscuits known as Dorset Knobs. The event, which began in 2008, features various knob-themed games, including Knob throwing, knob eating, knob painting and the knob and spoon race. The festival is held in Cattistock and attracts thousands of visitors.

Woolsack Racing in Tetbury

Ever wondered what it’s like to carry a 60-pound sack of wool up a steep hill at breakneck speed? No? Well, the people of Tetbury have been doing exactly that for centuries. The annual woolsack races pay tribute to the town’s historic wool trade, proving once and for all that fitness fads are overrated when you can just lug a massive bag of fleece up a hill instead.

The Black Pudding Throwing Championships

Forget darts — this is how the English take aim. Every year in Ramsbottom, Lancashire, contestants hurl black puddings (a type of blood sausage) at a stack of Yorkshire puddings perched on a ledge. The goal? Knock down as many as possible. Legend has it the tradition dates back to the War of the Roses when hungry soldiers ran out of weapons and resorted to flinging their food instead. Whether or not that’s true, one thing is certain — this is the most deliciously bizarre battle in England.

The Cotswold Olimpick Games

Since the early 1600s, the town of Chipping Campden has hosted its own version of the Olympics — but with events you won’t find in Paris 2024. Contestants take part in the Shin-Kicking Championship, where they stuff their trousers with straw and attempt to boot each other into submission. There’s also the Pudding Race, Sack Race, and the highly competitive Pike Drill, because nothing says sport like pretending to be a 17th-century soldier.

So if you’re looking for sports that are equal parts hilarious and competitive, England has you covered. Whether it’s slippery, silly, or downright dangerous, these alternative sports prove that winning isn’t everything — but making a fool of yourself in the process certainly helps.