# Competitions where failure is the attraction **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [March 24, 2025, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitions-where-failure-is-the-attraction/1016065 "2025-03-24T23:33:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitions-where-failure-is-the-attraction/1016065/1 "2025-03-24T23:33:51Z")
We had guests the other night and the conversation somehow drifted to [Cheese Rolling](https://youtu.be/-6hiCbK2T-8?si=EyPdcy9nRA7QFX95) which prompted someone to find relevant YouTube videos on their iPad. We quickly discovered everybody had a favorite YouTube rabbit hole based on amusing competitions. The common denominator was that the crashes and failures were more interesting than who reached the finish line first (or at all). We spent the rest of the night watching: [Soap Box Racing](https://youtu.be/ptSMzOf2rbc?si=qObpNPMIXXy_sRiL) and [Wife Carrying](https://youtu.be/pbRj1R6jW2w?si=vDCGDLfznooZkzqW). ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitions-where-failure-is-the-attraction/1016065/2 "2025-03-24T23:34:04Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ptSMzOf2rbc/maxresdefault.jpg "MOST SPECTACULAR CRASHES OF 2024 #greatestcrashes #2024 #redbullsoapboxrace #legendsofsoapboxracing") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptSMzOf2rbc) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitions-where-failure-is-the-attraction/1016065/3 "2025-03-24T23:34:31Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/pbRj1R6jW2w/maxresdefault.jpg "Wife Carrying World Championship 😍") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbRj1R6jW2w) ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitions-where-failure-is-the-attraction/1016065/4 "2025-03-24T23:40:15Z")
Wasn’t that the whole point of shows like [Takashi’s Castle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Takeshi%27s_Castle) and the like? Not that I’m denying it’s fun, and physical/slapstick humor always appeals to my inner 12 year old, even if my 50 year old self says I should be ashamed of myself. I frequently ignore the adult me, it’s boring. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitions-where-failure-is-the-attraction/1016065/5 "2025-03-24T23:42:08Z")
I don’t find people getting hurt funny. But failing at something that is already ridiculous in nature tickles me. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [March 24, 2025, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitions-where-failure-is-the-attraction/1016065/6 "2025-03-24T23:49:23Z")
I’m not even sure there is any way to “win”: > **[Human-Powered Flying Machines Take Over Long Beach! | Red Bull Flugtag](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaBfojrGJl0%2F)** > > The Flintstones, more than 105,000 spectators and one huge ramp... what can go wrong? The hundreds of thousands that secured a spot to see this crazy event i... ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitions-where-failure-is-the-attraction/1016065/7 "2025-03-25T01:33:38Z")
Nobody ever did it better (or worse) than Vinko Bogataj, nor came closer to immortality for doing it. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/jKEDD1i4oGk/hqdefault.jpg "VINKO BOGATAJ AGONY OF DEFEAT WIDE WORLD OF SPORTS") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKEDD1i4oGk) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitions-where-failure-is-the-attraction/1016065/8 "2025-03-25T01:40:32Z")
Who can remember what the “thrill of victory” was without cheating? Everybody knows that the “agony of defeat” was a skier. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/competitions-where-failure-is-the-attraction/1016065/9 "2025-03-25T12:52:54Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > I’m not even sure there is any way to “win”: Successful human-powered flying machines do exist, if that’s what you mean. I’m sure that if the Gossamer Albatross entered that “competition”, they’d be able to “win”. It’s tough, though, and unless you’ve got a crack team of aeronautical engineers and an Olympic-level cyclist flying it, yeah, you’re probably going to crash.