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5 very unusual world championships

Antje Binder / skiMay 27, 2016

From air guitaring to extreme ironing, there are odd world championships all over the world. Winning isn't always top priority - most of them are all about the thrill.

Cheese rolling championship in Gloucester, England, Copyright: picture-alliance/dpa
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

Apparently, people in Finland have a lively imagination. Finland hosts the Wife Carrying World Championship, the Mobile Phone Throwing World Championship, and, since 1996, the Air Guitar World Championships.

Cynics claim that the reason for so many extraordinary world championships may have something to do with the dark northern winters and the Finns' excessive consumption of alcohol. Or maybe it has more to do with the long, dark winters, which seem to boost their creativity. But it's probably just their joy of ludicrous spectacles.

Things you didn't think you could do with cheese

Whatever the reasons for the bizarre kinds of competitions, they aren't only popular in Finland, but all over the world.

Great Britain also ranks pretty high when it comes to crazy championships. The calm town of Gloucestershire, England, hosts an event that is all about cheese. A nine-pound cheese wheel plays the starring role. We can't tell you what the event is exactly about - but injuries are very common.

The cheese rolling "championship" is not officially recognized to this day. Every spring, lots and lots of people meet up in Gloucestershire for the annual Cheese Run - reason enough to add it to our "High Five" list of odd world championships.


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