The World Snail Racing Championships were held in July in Congham, England. Yes, the report was slow getting here, but "slow" is what the sport is all about. Snails are placed in a circle and head toward an outer circle as a finish line that is 13 inches away.
“We take this seriously,” snail racer John McClean told Reuters.
“We have got training slopes. We look at diet, we are drug compliant as well. It is the whole thing when you look at elite sports.”
The competition has been held since the 1960s with each race lasting several minutes. Competitors are able to select a snail from the organizers’ stash or bring their own.
There were 190 snails participating, and 11 in the final heat. The eventual champion was Hosta, a snail Jo Waterfield of Grimston found in her garden.
"He spent all summer eating my hostas. I told him that if he didn't win I'd squash him!"
A good time was had by all. -via Boing Boing
Previously: A much faster snail race.