Zorbing? Quidditch? Bossaball? None of these ‘sports’ have made it to the Olympics just yet, but many of them are seriously competitive, with a large fan following.
Click start to play today’s Word Search, where you’ll find ‘zorbing’ and other sports.
Here are a few that you’ll find hard to believe really exist, sometimes even at an international level:
1. Extreme ironing
Get your ironing boards out! Extreme ironing or EI is considered to be an extreme sport, in which people take their ironing boards to remote locations and – you guessed it – iron items of clothing. Invented in 1997 in Leicester, England, the activity has seen some truly extreme locations. One branch of ironing involves bungee jumping while ironing, and on many occasions, free divers have managed to set records for extreme underwater ironing. The UK-based Extreme Ironing Bureau, describes extreme ironing as “the latest danger sport that combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well-pressed shirt.”
2. Bossaball
Originating in Belgium, bossaball is similar to volleyball, except that the ball can be kept in the air with any part of the body. It must also be hit up to eight times by one team before it goes over the net. The best part? It’s played between teams of three to five players on an inflatable court, with a trampoline on each side of the net reserved for the attacker. ‘Bossa’ aptly can be translated to ‘flair’ or ‘attitude’ in Indian Spanish. The game tries to achieve this positivity by combining volleyball with football and gymnastics, played to a background of high-energy music.
3. Zorbing
Imagine strapping yourself into a human-sized hamster exercise ball and rolling down a hill. That’s essentially what zorbing is. Constructed with two plastic inflatable balls – one inside the other to protect the person from impact – zorbs can hold between one and three people. Some even put water inside the ball so they are splashed relentlessly as they roll down a hill.
4. Quidditch
Adapted from British author J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series, quidditch began as an intramural sport at Middlebury College in the US. Ever since, it has quickly spread around the world, and more than 400 colleges now include the sport in their roster. Players pretend to fly like wizards and witches, by holding broomsticks between their legs, as they attempt to throw balls through hoops at opposite ends of the field.
5. Bog snorkelling
Held in Wales, UK, bog snorkelling involves competitors completing two lengths of a 55m trench in a peat bog, in the shortest time possible. The catch is – they can’t swim. Competitors must rely on the power of their flippers alone, and must wear snorkels and masks while taking part in the game.
What do you think of these bizarre but fun sports? Play today’s Word Search and tell us at games@gulfnews.com.
