Unless you have been on Mars this weekend, you should know by now that the winner of this year’s Britain’s Got Talent was in fact Jai McDowell who beat controversial favourite Ronan Parke into second place. BUT did you know that by taking coach holidays, you’ll find that Britain is talented in many other ways? Just take a look at our amazing guide to some of the wacky skills that the people of Britain possess – surely some of these talented individuals should appear in the next series, what do you think?
Cheese-rolling
This bizarre annual event attracts participants, spectators and media from across the world as they gather to watch a
dozen or more competitors take part in a traditional race down a steep hill to catch an 8lb Double Gloucester. Dare devils are required to pursue a round Double Gloucester cheese 200 yards down the steep 1:2 gradient slope with many slipping, somersaulting and tumbling their way to the bottom. The first person who grabs hold of the cheese wins!
World Gurning Championships
If you can transform your face from the mundane to the monstrous then you should definitely enter this competition. Held in Cumbria, contestants are required to work their way through a repertoire of extreme face pulling, contorting their everyday look into something far more grotesque. This isn’t exclusive for adults, children take part too so why not put in a bit of practice, take a bite out of a bitter apple, stand in front of a mirror and gurn away to your heart’s content – who knows the next Gurning Champion could be living down your street!
World Bog Snorkelling Championships
Now this is definitely snorkelling with a difference! Don a mask, snorkel & flippers and make your way up and down a
60-yard bog in the middle of a remote field in Wales. Only problem being is that no recognised swimming stroke is permitted so there’ll be plenty of doggy paddles and belly flop crawls! The choice of attire is down to the competitor, some wear wet suits whilst others wear nothing more than a pair of Speedo’s. One thing’s for sure, with everyone exiting the bog resembling a creature from a horror film – large quantities of soap will be required!
World Nettle Eating Championships
Obviously, nettles do sting but this doesn’t put off the 50 competitors who volunteer to compete, devouring 30 feet of nettles in one hour of competitive nettle scoffing! To counteract the bland taste of the nettle, vast quantities of alcohol are consumed – probably to numb the tongue from the nettle sting too! One thing’s for sure, don’t drink too much because if you leave your seat, you’ll be disqualified. Not only will you see the feat of nettle munching but there’s live music, guest ales and a hog roast to entertain spectators.
Totnes Orange Races
For something completely crazy, head over to Totnes for their annual Orange Race. This involves competitors running
furiously fast down the town’s steep High Street….chasing after an orange! The winner is the first person to cross the finishing line at the bottom, in possession of their own orange. There’s a rule to add to the craziness, you can only kick or throw the orange as you run along – no holding is allowed!
World Gravy Wrestling Championships
A paddling pool, plenty of Bisto gravy and some rather willing contestants is all that’s required for this fun-filled event. You won’t see any WWF wrestling action it’s more a muddy pantomime with the highlight of seeing contestants trying to stay on their own two feet whilst trying to perform a flat back bump! At the end of the day, points mean prizes, with judges awarding for humour and hilarious outfits and penalising for force-feeding – there’s plenty of David & Goliath fight action here, just don’t order extra gravy for your roast dinner!
World Worm Charming Championships
Possibly everyone knows what’s involved in snake-charming but what about worm-charming? For 364 days of the year, worms are left to get on with their daily life until June arrives where all hell breaks loose during one afternoon. Without digging or using water, 144 teams of two spend 30 minutes on the charm offensive trying to encourage worms to come out of the ground. Many have relied upon the ancient techniques of jumping around, bashing the ground with mallets, meditation or even playing music to encourage the slimy critters to the surface. The person who catches the most worms in half an hour will win a prize. Now that’s a talent to add to any person’s CV, don’t you think?
Do you possess a hidden talent, what is it? Are there any wacky events that we have forgotten about? We’d love to hear from you!