Most sports arouse joy, passion and competitive spirit among those who practice them and among their fans. But, others generate curiosity and strangeness, as happens with the rarest sports in the world.
The rarest sports in the world are considered as such because few people practice them, in very few places in the world and they have nothing to do with the popularity of soccer or swimming, for example.
Fierljeppen: It is practiced exclusively in the Netherlands and was born to solve a need. At a time when many non-administrators were not building them, ingenious citizens appeared who used sticks to propel themselves and jump distances of up to 21 meters.
Hurling: was born in Ireland and is considered a dangerous mix between football, rugby and hockey. Players must pass a goal by throwing a ball that they manipulate with a hockey-like stick. The use of protection implements is essential, since the ball reaches speeds of up to 150 kilometers per hour.
Jai Alai: this game is considered the Basque version of “squash”. Among the important differences we can mention that in Jai-Alai the ball can reach up to 300 kilometers per hour. In matches—which usually don’t last more than 15 minutes because the balls are destroyed—players must hit the rebound made by the opponent and give the ball more speed.
Kabaddi: It is a sport of Hindu origin that has spread in several Asian countries. It is a kind of wrestling that is played in teams of seven people. The idea is that one of the opposing team enters the rival’s side and manages to attack one, without any of the others being able to touch him.
Eukonkanto: it is traditional in Finland and Sweden; It consists of lifting wives whose weight is greater than 49 kilos, in circuits of 253 meters and with various obstacles. To make it more exciting, women should go with their legs up.
Chess Boxing: It is practiced in Holland, Berlin and Las Vergas. It consists of an interval session between chess (4 minutes) and boxing (3 minutes). The winner is whoever makes the first knockout or Checkmate.
Ladder Racing: It is a discipline that is practiced in fire departments in the United States and its purpose is to measure the time it takes for firefighters to run, take out the ladder and climb a certain height… it may seem like a routine practice, but it is a sport with tournaments .
Cyclocross: It consists of a cycling competition that takes place in Belgium and Holland. Unlike traditional tournaments, speed is not sought here, but terrain full of obstacles and a lot of mud.
High heels career: it is performed in some cities of Russia; As its name indicates, it consists of a race in heels of at least 10 centimeters over a distance of 50 meters.
The Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling: It has been practiced in England for 1,400 years and involves chasing a 7-pound piece of Gloucester doublé cheese as it rolls down a hill. The first to get «the treasure» is the winner.
When it comes to weird sports, there are a few wacky offerings that surprise us.