I just learned that 2 of my nieces were chosen for the US National underwater hockey team, and will be competing in the World Competition this July in Australia. (The second time they have made the team together. How’s THAT for a sports dynasty?!)
I’m thrilled for my nieces and their families, and cannot deny their level of commitment and accomplishment, but is there a - um - sillier or more obscure athletic activity that has a World Championship? Somewhat related, is there another sport with an international governing body which NO ONE makes a dime off of? ;). (The players make their own sticks and gloves, and their fins/goggles/snorkels are not unique to UWH.)
Why do you think this sport is sillier than any other? Just because it’s obscure? It’s far less absurd than Curling, and that’s played at the Olympics.
ETA: It looks like fun, and I’d definitely try it out if there were a group nearby.
You know, that is a very valid observation. I play golf, which can certainly be described in a manner that sounds ridiculous. As can any mainstream sport like soccer/football/baseball/basketball/hockey… Not a great spectator sport, tho!
It looks fun, but what the top players are actually doing - all the while holding their breath - is pretty amazing. The elder of my nieces is a pretty top competitor in Cross-Fit - at age 40. And we’ve discussed the exercises she does to increase her breath-holding ability.
Nice to achieve in whatever activity you enjoy! My sister and BIL are eager for the excuse for an Australia vacation!
Curling is just shuffleboard on ice. What’s absurd about it? I’ve never played, but it seems a pretty logical game. I might not really consider it so much a sport, but hey.
Curling requires a VERY specific dappling pattern on the ice surface in order for the stone to curve correctly. Then, one team member shoves the stone while two others FRANTICALLY sweep the ice to make it go where they want.
Didn’t the outfit that owns the trademark whine about it being used for that sport and thus the sport is officially just Ultimate? I would think lending the name to the sport would be great for their business.
As to a silly sport, I personally cannot think of any sport sillier than Quidditch.
I tried Underwater Hockey a couple of times in my younger days (hey, the Aussies have been multiple World Champs I seem to remember). Basically I remember it being bloody hard work, and yet deeply(!) tactical - because players have to surface to breathe at irregular intervals (depending on how physical they have been in their last shift), teams need to ‘time’ when players or groups of players are underwater (much of the time is spent cruising on the surface waiting for the right moment to dive) - as a newbie I several times had the problem of makicg a dash (!) for goal, only to run out of air, surface to breathe and when I went down again the puck was gone down the other end of the pool!
The breath-holding capacity of the good players was staggering to us beginners.
Omg I watched that video and just…omg!!! I don’t know about you guys, but I’ve spent a lot of time as a kid and an adult just messing around in the pool and one of the few things you can do during messing around time is diving down, wiggling around on the floor, coming up, and then doing it again ad-nauseum. IT IS EXHAUSTING. Seriously just watching those kids made me tired.
Swim team coaches must love it when their players pick up this sport as a side gig. Those kids probably have the lung capacity of a gorilla!
I think the sport itself decided not to use the trademarked name, as Wham-O novelty flying disc products gained popularity and direct competitors. Wham-O has and continues to sponsor Ultimate events.
Interesting. Never heard of it, but does ultimate football ever go by “ultimate”? The flying disc game has been know as “ultimate” since I first heard of it in the early 90s. Few people called it “ultimate Frisbee,” just “ultimate.” But there were no other “ultimate” sports to disambiguate from.
I don’t know. Perhaps I’m biased because I encountered Ultimate Football before I encountered Ultimate Frisbee, so I guess I always assumed that it was developed first. On the other hand, I’m not sure I’ve played Ultimate Football since that one chance encounter early in my life.
But to me, “Ultimate” has always been a generic description of the game, where it can then be modified depending on what you are throwing around. If you told me you were playing “Ultimate Softball” I’d have a pretty good idea how that game was played.