Game Changers

Welcome to the wild world of . . . wacky sports!

Thanks to the Internet and infinite cable channels, crazy competitions are more popular than ever, and they are especially fun to watch when medicated. If you think cricket is strange, you’ll flip over this list of the world’s craziest sports.

Wife Carrying Championship

The wife or female companion attaches herself to the runner, typically with legs wrapped around his head, and the duo race other couples to win the woman’s weight in beer. Started in Finland, the race is apparently inspired by 19th-century marauders who kidnapped female villagers, which might explain why Dennis Rodman is a former participant.

Tuna Throwing

122 feet. That’s how far one competitor threw a frozen tuna by whirling it on a rope and flinging it like an Olympic hammer. This is an Australian sport, which is ironic since an Aussie famously caught a 600 pounder last fall.

Extreme Ironing World Championships

From mountaintops to underwater, competitors gather to de-wrinkle clothes. Medication might be required to understand this competition, though we’re guessing a cunning wife finally got her husband to iron by making it a damn sport.

La Tomatina

Each summer, people flood the Spanish town of Buñol to pelt each other with approximately 150,000 overripe tomatoes. Considered the world’s biggest food fight, participants usually wear white for maximum effect, though some dress in ninja outfits, watermelon helmets and other festive gear.

World Beard and Moustache Championship

While not exactly a sport, this facial hair fest is one hell of a competition. Just don’t go rockin‘ a Chad Kroeger goatee.

Tough Mudder

Launching an obstacle course craze, this global company does insane challenges like the Arctic Enema, Walk the Plank, Dirty Ballerina and the Ball Shrinker. If you plan to participate, you might want to medicate after the event.

National Pororcoa Surfing Championship

Tidal bores appear on the Amazon River each year and create the longest waves in the world, some reaching 13 feet in height. At one championship, Brazilian surfer Picuruta Salazar road a single wave for 37 minutes covering nearly eight miles of river. Just beware of the dreaded candiru (Google it).

World Pooh Sticks Championship

Inspired by a Winnie-the-Pooh book, this British sport involves racing sticks down a river, though fear the man who came thinking it was an eating contest.

US Air Guitar Championships

You don’t need a real guitar to be a rock star! The national champs head to Finland to battle Japan, Russia, Romania and other air guitar powerhouses for the world title.

Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

Millions turn to ESPN each Independence Day to watch competitive eaters liberate their belts and eat as many hot dogs as possible in 10 minutes. The current record is 68.

World Championship Punkin Chunkin

“We’re Gonna Hurl!” is the tagline for this Delaware-based contest that chucks pumpkins from cannons, slingshots and catapults. The record is nearly 5,000 feet. And you thought Joe Biden was the craziest thing from Delaware.

World Toe Wrestling Championship

Leave it to the Brits to make playing footsie a sport. Competitors must lock toes and force the other foot to the ground, and the league unsuccessfully made a bid for Olympic inclusion.

Chessboxing World Championship

Surely the GZA’s fave sport, this event unites the skills of Bobby Fischer and Muhammad Ali with alternating rounds of chess and boxing. As taught in Wu-Tang’s “Da Mystery of Chessboxin’,” make sure to think first before you move.

Cooper’s Hill Cheese Roll

The eight-pound cheese wheel can reach speeds of 70mph in this British sport, which inspires Benny Hill-like blunders as wheel pushers run, tumble and slide down the hill in pursuit.

The Running of the Nudes

This self-explanatory race occurs in Pamplona, Spain as a humorous protest against the Running of the Bulls. Thank you, PETA.

World Gurning Contest

Possibly over 700 years old, this contest involves pulling the skin to create the ugliest possible face. As this is a British sport, make sure the person is actually gurning before declaring him the winner.

Buzkashi

Saving the most offensive for last, Buzkashi is a polo-like game in which competitors ride biting horses and attempt to get “the ball”—a headless goat carcass—across the goal line. Ladies and gentlemen, we introduce you to the national sport of Afghanistan!