Does Your Home Town Have Any Bizzare Annual Sporting Events Or Other?

[Accy cyclist]

Nothing in Accrington comes to mind,but a few miles away in Ramsbottom (i've never been there,the name of the town scares me . Though i'd like to go to Ramsbottom one day,just out of curiosity) they have 'The official world black pudding championships' every year.
https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1...BAgKEAE&biw=1138&bih=513#imgrc=iF1fvU-H4Kx5yM

 

[Dirk]

We have an annual Tug o' War, where they close one of the streets.
It gets a bit rowdy.
https://www.northdevongazette.co.uk/news/braunton-tug-o-war-returns-1-3121580

 

[Venod]

Not really bizarre, because I think it happens a lot in other places, we have a Santa Dash, if your so inclined you can dress as Santa Claus and run through the town center with other loonies dressed the same.
We do have an annual Liquorice Festival celebrating all things Liquorice and Pontefracts link with the plant through confectionery production.

We would also do very well in the above mentioned Westgate run, we have champion boozers in abundance.

It is reported that Pontefract once held the British record for the town with the most pubs per square mile.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontefract

 

[Pale Rider]

There the Boxing Day dip in Sunderland, strictly the resort at Seaburn, when people run into the North Sea.

On exiting they are hosed down by firefighters.

The sea temperature is not such a big problem as you'd think it might be.

As the lifeboat cox told me, the North Sea is such a massive volume of water its temperature only varies a couple of degrees between winter and summer.

Air temperature, of course, does vary a lot.

 

[OldShep]

competing to be the biggest moaner about students seems to be an all year round event on the local FB group... does that count?

"lancaster past and present?"
Don’t forget the bus lane!

 

[MontyVeda]

Nothing in Accrington comes to mind,but a few miles away in Ramsbottom (i've never been there,the name of the town scares me . Though i'd like to go to Ramsbottom one day,just out of curiosity) they have 'The official world black pudding championships' every year.
https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1...BAgKEAE&biw=1138&bih=513#imgrc=iF1fvU-H4Kx5yM

Despite the name, Rammy is a lovely little town. It's got steam trains, and the black pudding throwing championships. It's well worth going that day. Get the steam train from Rawtenstall with an 'open' ticket and once you're bored of the black pudding contest, pop on another steam train down to Bury, realise that Bury has little to offer, get on the train again and pootle back up the heritage line. Of course this day out is a lot better if you like steam trains.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Of course this day out is a lot better if you like steam trains.

I haven't been on a steam train since about 1966,when we used to catch the train from Great Harwood to Blackpool. The day out sounds like a good idea!

 

[stephec]

Despite the name, Rammy is a lovely little town. It's got steam trains, and the black pudding throwing championships. It's well worth going that day. Get the steam train from Rawtenstall with an 'open' ticket and once you're bored of the black pudding contest, pop on another steam train down to Bury, realise that Bury has little to offer, get on the train again and pootle back up the heritage line. Of course this day out is a lot better if you like steam trains.

Beat me to it there, it's a nice place, apparently classed as an up and coming area with house prices to match.

Every October the Lancashire Road Club hold their Hill climb on the Rake, well worth a watch. Then there's the forties weekend at the end of May if you like that kind of thing.

 

[Mo1959]

Village I was born/grew up in has an annual Duck Race on the local burn (stream)

 

[Kuta]

Moving to the South coast soon and looking forward to the Bognor Birdman competition

 

[Electric_Andy]

In Buckfastleigh they have a raft race every year. Everyone builds their own rafts. In times of low water they have to carry them over Salmon steps, looks quite fun but too cold for me

 

[flake99please]

When I lived in Market Harborough, I enjoyed the annual bottle kicking event which was held locally between 2 villages.

View: https://youtu.be/_3wmVsdD0hk

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Not really bizarre, because I think it happens a lot in other places, we have a Santa Dash, if your so inclined you can dress as Santa Claus and run through the town center with other loonies dressed the same.

I've run that, when it was in the Park
Dressed as the Grinch
I think I was 5th?, but would possibly have been higher placed, problem was being able to see too well out of the masks eyeholes

I hired the mask/jacket
Our Sewing Room made me the trousers, based on the pattern for a pair of 'Scrub trousers'

We would also do very well in the above mentioned Westgate run, we have champion boozers in abundance.

It is reported that Pontefract once held the British record for the town with the most pubs per square mile.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontefract

There's a book published (& a FaceBook page) 100 Lost Pubs Of Wakefield
So, it seems we had a few (dependant on how the boundaries for that claim were set?)

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Not that bizarre really. but

1. Bingley has its own version of Man v Bike
My avatar pic is from that
There's a video at the bottom
http://www.bingleyharriers.co.uk/events/harriers-vs-cyclists/

There's normally 3 very notable entrants (all are Bingley Harriers members)
Two brothers, by the surname of Brownlee
A quite good CX rider/fell-runner called Rob Jebb (10 x Three Peaks CX winner, & has also won the Three Peaks Fell-Race)
I've entered it 8 times (2 x ride, 6 x run, including a DNF - due to branch in an eye)


2. Denby Dale
Home of the famous large pies has 2 events, both organised by Denby Dale Athletics Club
- Between Christmas & New Year, they have a 'Man v Bike'
That's circa 10 miles for the bikes, & 6 for the runners
Routes converge/diverge


I've run it three times (I think), & beaten the bikes once, placing 3rd (from memory) & beating the first bike by a couple of minutes
I can't find a map for it, & there's nothing on the club website either
Maybe they've stopped organising it?


- Beat Badger (or sometimes 'Outrun Owl')
They're a race the train event
The runners ride to the far terminus (Shelley), and walk to a pre-arranged start
The engine blows the whistle from the overlooking viaduct, then it (& we) set off
https://www.kirkleeslightrailway.com/product.php/29/beat-badger-race-the-train

I've seen it at the intermediate station, but not beaten it home
That said, it depends on who's driving, & how heavy they are on the regulator (& it has a falling gradient back to Clayton West!!!)
I've had a couple of top-10s, out of maybe 50 entrants
http://yorkshiretimes.co.uk/article/Do-you-have-the-speed-to-Beat-Badger

 

[stephec]

There's a few of those race the train events around, one that I did a few years ago was the East Lancs Railway.

Eleven mainly uphill miles from Bury to Rawtenstall on one of the hottest days of the year, not my finest ever running day, and the bar was heaving at the end so i didn't have time for a pint before the train ride back.