most obscure sports in the world

Bo taoshi is Japanese for pole pulldown , and as far as intensity is concerned this sport is hard to beat. Each team has 150 people that are divided into 75 attackers and 75 defenders. The goal? Knock down the other teams pole. By the way, the number for 911 in Japan is 119.

According to the Extreme Ironing Bureau this is the latest danger sport that combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well pressed shirt. Originating in England it is now a world wide phenomenon that has taken place underwater, on mountainsides, and while parachuting.

According to some sources this popular summer camp game originated in Israel. Its played a lot like dodgeball, except it takes place in a wooden octagon and you have to hit players beneath the knees to get them out.

Every year from the top of Cooper s Hill near Gloucester, England a round of Double Gloucester Cheese is rolled and a herd of competitors go rolling after it. Although they are theoretically supposed to catch it, the cheese can reach speeds of up to 70 mph, so generally speaking, whoever crosses the finish line first wins the cheese.

This modified form of polo was started in Switzerland in 1985 but since then it has spread internationally. In the United States it is played exclusively in Aspen, Colorado (yes, its still a rich people sport).

We owe it to the Swedes for coming up with a sport such as this. Its simple really trained bunnies hopping over obstacles. Its not really a new concept as Equestrian Show Jumping has been around for years, but come on, they re bunnies.

Just as the name implies, its hockey except the puck is on the bottom of a pool. So, as you may have guessed this is certainly a sport where lung capacity plays a significant role. Also, you don t use a stick but rather a pusher which almost resembles a small blade.

Dominated by women, this sport has witnessed a resurgence in the past 10 years. It is played by two teams, each of which are skating around a single track. One member of each team is called a jammer and it is their job to lap the players on the other team in order to score points. And yes, injuries are common.

Every June in the Welsh town of Llanwrtyd Wells competitors line up to prove they can beat a horse to a finish line that is 22 miles away. Why? Rumor has it that in 1980 the owner of a local pub, Gordon Green, overheard two patrons arguing over whether a man could beat a horse in a marathon. Well, there was only one way to find out.

Not only are you swimming 120 meters through a bog, you are not allowed to use conventional swimming strokes, relying only on the power of your flippers. And just like most of the contenders on this list, this obscure sport was started in the United Kingdom over a bet.