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Extreme Ironing
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This sport has gained worldwide attention for its creative spin on incorporating the act of ironing into the extremities of sports. It brings you far
beyond the conventional indoor setting into a world beyond your wildest
imagination. No longer a typical household chore, participants take ironing to far greater heights that seem to appear eccentric and jaw-dropping
at the same time. The brainchild of of this sport began in Leicester, United
Kingdom in 1997 when then knitwear factory worker, Phil Shaw planned
to head out for an evening of rock climbing. Dreading his standard routine of ironing chores, the revelation of combining a well-pressed shirt
with extreme sports came into light. Since then, he has travelled around
the world to promote his newly-found activity. His idea took off when
he founded the German Extreme Ironing Section (GEIS) with a German
acquaintance during a trip to New Zealand and has since gained international recognition. The activity has gained so much popularity that the
first Extreme Ironing World Championship was held in 2002. Despite being new in the sporting arena, an astonishing 80 teams from 10 countries
turned up for the event, where they raced across an obstacles consisting
of objects that have been consolidated from our everyday lives. If you
think that all these are just tongue-in-cheek, well, think again. Points are
awarded based on the speed, style and quality of the pressing rendering
it worthy of some serious recognition. In Extreme Ironing, adventurists
venture out to the most unthinkable of places or engage the most adrenaline-pumping sports while pressing their shirts. You may think that they
might have gone overboard by standing at the edge of the mountain
with an ironing board as their companion. Wait till you see that others
sprawl across the sky as they attempt to press their clothes amidst the
all-pervading aerial view of the landscape below. For the avid climbers,
strap on your harnesses and attempt to scale the cliffs with that domestic
tool cuffed around you. Some even go to the extreme of ironing while
deep down on the sea bed. In summary, as long as the terrain is accessible
by humans, there are no boundaries to where you can iron. And yes, the
iron is scorching hot. By simply using a battery-powered iron, you are all
set to add a little twist to that mundane everyday routine. Check out the
archives of the Extreme Ironing World Championships and you will realise
that this sport is no mean feat. More of a thrill than a rash moment of
folly, many worldwide are participating in competitions or plainly for the
adrenaline rush. All you need is a little creativity; an iron and a board; you
are all set to embark on a trip of a lifetime. As electrifying as it looks, the
dangers are omnipresent. So do remember not do the stunts alone. The
next time you feel torpid about starting on the pile of clothes, try taking
the iron out to the driveway.
Cycleball
Radball, also known as Cycleball, is a football-like sport which is played on
bicycles. Unlike the conventional football, this obscured sport can hardly
be seen in many countries. However, you will be surprised that the origin
can be traced all the way back to the year 1893, when it was first introduced by Nicholas Edward Kaufmann in Germany. Believe it or not, the
first world championships were held way back in 1929. A trip to countries
in the European region such as Denmark, France, Germany and Italy will
you see people hopping about on their bikes while trying to sink the ball
into the back of the net. Requiring absolute balance, a team of two cyclists have to maintain equilibrium on a fixed gear bicycle without being
equipped with brakes or freewheel, hence the ease of maneuvering on
the court. The bike is slowed down by shifting the rider’s weight forward
and reversing the motion of the pedals using straps, toe clips or clipless
peddles, thus stopping the cranks. When the cranks stop, the drivetrain
followed by the rear wheel comes to a halt as well. No worries as such a
technique is easy to grasp. Comprising of two 7-minute periods, players
attempt to score as many goals as possible while seated on their bicycles.
They are not allowed to use their feet and hands to touch the ball unless
when guarding the goalpost within the penalty area and no contact are
to be made with the ground. If bodily contact is made with the ground,
the player has to cross his own end line before resuming play. Similar to
regular football, a penalty is awarded for committing offences within the
penalty area as well as causing intentional hurt to the opponent. Likewise,
a free kick is awarded for offences committed outside the penalty area. A
minimum distance of 4 metres must be ensured prior to the serving of
the ball. Watching the professionals play is a stunning spectacle of precision, control and balance; making it look easier than it seems. All it takes is
a little bit of practice and you are all set for your first game.
Bossaball
Oil Wrestling
Dousing yourself with olive oil might seem to
be the last thing that you want to do. Imagine
grappling your opponent with a greasy body,
it is almost akin to gripping onto a wiggling
eel. A Turkish national sport, the wrestler, otherwise known as Pehlivan, wears a Lederhosen
which is known as a Kisbet – a type of pants
that is made of water buffalo hide of calfskin.
It is unclear where this sport originated from.
However, it is reportedly dominant in Assyria
and Egypt during the primitive times. After
the acquisition of Anatolia by the Seljuk Turks
during the Great Seljuq Empire, Karakucak – a
traditional form of wrestling, was a fad back in
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those days. It evolved to what is known today
as Oil Wrestling. The oil is not an antic to liven
up the atmosphere, but as a demonstration
of balance and mutual respect, thus deeming
brute force an unimportant factor. If a competitor outplays an older opponent, he kisses the
latter’s hand as a sign of respect. It has made
its presence known for more than 650 years
to date in Edirne, Turkey by conducting an annual three-day tournament called the Kirkpinar
Games. Unlike Olympic Wrestling where points
are scored according to grips and holds, it is almost impossible to get a firm grip on your opponent when their bodies are lubricated with
olive oil. A win is determined by shoving him on
his back or lifting an opponent up and taking
three steps thereafter. You may feel disenchanted to know how the wrestlers
get a hold on each other. Competitors
reach into their challenger’s pants in
order to gain control over them. No child’s play,
fights can last up to 40 minutes or end in an
instant. If no winner is determined at the end of
the period, an extra 10 minutes of play is given
based on a regular wrestling point system until a winner emerges. If you find olive oil a tad
pricey, get a few bottles of vegetable oil as it
serves the same purpose. Try this out with your
friends and you will definitely be tickled by the
wriggling and grappling of each other’s torsos,
all in the name of fun!
What do you get if you combine techniques of
soccer, volleyball and gymnastics? A spectacle
for all, this circus act is called Bossaball! First
gestated by Belgian Filip Eyckmans in the 2004,
the sport has since been adopted in countries
worldwide including Singapore, Israel and the
snow-capped mountains of Austria. Consisting of 4 to 5 players on each team, competitors position themselves around the inflatables
with one person stationed on the trampoline.
It is volleyball with a twist – a server serves by
throwing or kicking the ball through the air
into his opponent’s territory. In retaliation, the
opposing team must not make more than 6
touches (5 for competitive games). The flexibility of the game allows each player to hit the ball
once using their hands (volley touch) and up to
twice using any other part of their body (soccer
touch) when the ball is on their side. Not bounded by a time limit, a set
is won when a team reaches 25 points and a game is won in the best 3
sets of 5. After each successive point, participants rotate their positions
clockwise so that a different person is on the trampoline. Do not fret if you
do not have a high a high vertical jump. This is an excellent opportunity
for you to soar above the rest on the trampoline as the momentum from
jumping enables to spring to heights much higher than in a regular volleyball game.
The scoring system are as follows:
•3 Points: Ball lands on opponent’s trampoline area using a volley touch
•1 Point: Ball lands on opponent’s playing area using a volley touch
•5 Points: Ball lands on opponent’s trampoline area using soccer touch
•3 Points: Ball lands on opponent’s playing area using soccer touch
It is an awe-inspiring sight to see players incorporating acrobatics such
as somersaults and twists as they attempt to volley the ball into the opposing end by propelling themselves into the air. Although suitable for
all ages, competitors can indulge in the high jinks amidst the boisterous
atmosphere. Spectators are in for a showy display of antics and tricks. Do
not worry about hurting yourself as the surrounding court cushions you
when you fall – akin to falling into the depths of your cosy bed.
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