3 mins. duration

The first ever Extreme Ironing World Championships were held on 21 September 2002 in Munich, Germany. 12 nations including Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Belgium and Austria, battle to find the world's best extreme ironist.. the latest danger sport that combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well pressed shirt.

1.30 mins. duration

Titchbourne in Hampshire regularly hosts Ferret racing every year. This year 200 furry ferrets compete in the world championships by racing through pipes and obstacles against the clock.

'Fixer' the ferret wins £100,- for its proud owner and a silver trophy too.

2:36 mins. duration

This highly popular theme restaurant in the heart of London offers the football enthusiast the ultimate in Soccer entertainment.

After being welcomed by an animatronic George Best the diner then enters the main arena through a continental-style glass tunnel, accompanied by the sound effects of studs on concrete.

A myriad of sophisticated special effects , and a state-of-the-art audio and visual system then entertains with clips of memorable goals and magical moments on numerous strategically placed screens.

Soccer legends the world over have loaned their own treasured mementoes to the restaurant, providing a magical and historical collection of footballing heirlooms for the guests to marvel over.

Nottingham Forest voted Ebehard from DŸsseldorf Football Fan of the Century, he travels over 700Km every week to support his team and has missed only 3 games in the last 4 years. They have nominated him as their choice to be entered into the Hall of Fans, which is part of the Football Hall of Fame in London. We accompany Ebehard and his parents as they visit the Football Hall of Fame for the first time.

3 mins. duration

Fox Hunting in the UK has been hitting the headlines since Tony Blair pledged to ban it 5 years ago. It has been banned in Scotland but still continues in the rest of the UK.

What could be the last Fox Hunting season got under way at the beginning of November. Violent and non-violent confrontations between hunters and anti hunt saboteurs have become the order of the day.

Our film spends a day with notoriously troubled Chiddingfold hunt in Novemmber 2002 in West Sussex. We see both sides of the fenceÉ.the huntsmen in their traditional outfits and the animal rights activists who try to sabotage the event. We hear both sides of the story. Furthermore we have disturbing footage from the League against cruel Sports, which shows in graphic detail what happens to foxes when they are hunted down.

8:11 mins. duration

Fox hunting in Britain is a truly traditional pastime. But times change and with it, a new government, pledged to a free vote on the banning of this controversial sport has raised the issue of fox hunting to the top of the political agenda.

Whether the sport is banned or preserved, it is an issue of not only animal rights, but of geography and class that strikes as much at the divides of this country as its heart.

We go behind the scenes to profile a sport steeped in ceremony, providing a valuable insight into the cultural and moral aspects of fox hunting today. The film includes disturbing and thought provoking footage of foxes being dug out and terriers at work.

This sport is now very big in America but is also growing rapidly around the world, especially in Japan. The World Championships were held in Saint Andrews, Scotland more commonly know for it's links with the ancient game of golf. 7 days of matches with 89 teams from 22 different countries led to a nail-biting final for the men's open division to take place between Team DOG (death or glory) USA and Liquidisc from Finland. DOG won the final in extra time keeping the title within America for yet another year

In September visitors from many parts of the world descend on Egremont in Cumbria every year to attend the “Egremont Crab Fair”, which has been staged since 1267.

The games start off with strange competitions like climbing greasy poles and the fastest clay pipe smoker. The highlight of the day is – the World Gurning Championships.

To gurn means to growl like a dog, to look vicious or to make a face at someone.

To start off a yoke is put around the neck of the contestant – who then has to try and win over the jury with the ugliest possible expression…

There are three disciplines – Junior Gurning, Ladies Gurning and the World Gurning Championships.

2:44 mins. duration

The "Hash House Harriers" boast followers throughout the world, but what is it that makes eccentric Englishmen wear rabbit's ears and chase each other around the countryside for no apparent reason?

"Hashing" is a human version of "Hares and Hounds", the participants being bank directors, doctors, lawyers, artists, taxi drivers, and builders. While others spend Sundays lying in bed, Hashers roam the countryside in strange dress following the trail laid by a human hare.

The chase always finishes in a local "Hash House", otherwise known as a pub, where more conventional rituals take place.

2:20 mins. duration

The game takes place in the town of Haxey on the Twelfth Day of Christmas. It is a boisterous form of Rugby conceived following an incident involving the first Lady de Mowbray in the late 13th century.

The central participants in the game are the Fool, 12 Boggins and one King Boggin.

The game starts at the top of Haxey Hill where the Fool throws the 'hood' into the air. There ensues a huge scrum, often lasting several hours, as hundreds of villagers converge and try to outwit the Boggins by smuggling the 'hood' into a local public house. As soon as the landlord can reach out and touch it, the game ends, free drinks are served and the 'hood' is kept on the premises until the following year.

2 mins. duration

Henley has been an essential part of the English summer season since 1839. From 2nd to 6th July 600 crews and _ million guests will descend on this famous stretch of the Thames.

Often described as "the last great English garden party", we shall observe the international 'High Society', drinking champagne, eating oysters, watching races and messing about on the river.

2:10 duration

Sports with horses are an all-time regular. But have you ever seen horses playing football on their own? Alfie, the pony in our film, has acquired a taste for the British national sport! And visibly he enjoys his new pass-time very muchÉ

3 mins. duration

Horseball is the latest British equestrian sport, recently imported from France. This highly spectacular game originates from the Afghan Buzkachi and the Argentine Pato, combining the rhythm of basketball, the agility of trick riding and the dynamism of polo. It has been compared to a cross between rugby and basketball on horseback.

Two teams oppose each other. They are required to gain possession of a ball, especially fitted with 6 leather handles, pass it at least three times within the team as they race towards the goal and score by shooting through a hoop, which is suspended on a 3.5 metre pole.

We visit the most important international equestrian show, the 'Fieracavali' in Verona. It is here that the Horseball European championships take place. England, Germany, France, Belgium, Spain, Austria, Portugal and Italy compete against each other in a 4 daylong knockout tournament.

2:30 mins. duration

The latest craze from England! Table football using real people. There are 2 teams, 8 players on each side. The players are connected to poles, which are part of the 10 metres long and 15 metres wide inflatable Football pitch.

The game lasts about 20 mins. duration and can be seen every weekend somewhere in England. The principle is the same as the pub game except that spinning is neither permitted nor humanly possible.

2:09 mins. duration

Manchester has given birth to a new football hero: Kane Jackson. According to Kane's father, this 6 year old football star has been offered £10.000,- by a premier league football club if he promises to play for them when he comes of age.

Journalists and TV crews from Finland to Japan have besieged the family but Dad isn't telling who offered the money

3 mins. duration

3000 hardy runners brave the elements in Scotland's National Park near Glasgow for a particularly tough 2-day orienteering event. Dramatic scenery and plenty of rain and bagpipes.

3 mins. Duration

One of the most spectacular, yet little known UK sporting events, takes place from the 8th -10th August in the heart of the Lake District. The Lowther Horse Trials attract international competitors to it's superb location at Lowther Castle in Cumbria. One of the biggest events is the Four in Hands, among the competitors is Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh.

Four in Hands is English Carriage Driving with four horses controlled by one driver with a team. It's origins are ancient but as a sport relatively new and growing fast.

Elegant traditional carriages are driven against the clock over rough ground and water obstacles. It provides exciting visual images as the precarious sport requires great skill and dexterity over the combined power of four galloping horses.

The Duke of Edinburgh competes agaimst GEORGE BOWMAN who along with the Duke is one of the world's greatest drivers. From lowly origins (he was born into a Romany family) George is said to be one of the Duke's closest friends. They have competed together throughout hte world even achieving Olympic medal status.

After the event we join Prince Philip and George Bowman for a party at the castle.

3 mins. duration

It's one of Britain's finest sights, to see a motley bunch of people stampede across the Blackwater River a few days after Christmas, waist deep in thick black mud. The idea is simple; 150 competitors line up on the bed of the River Crouch at low tide and race 400 metres toward Maldon town. It's bleak, cold and wet, but for some athletes, it's the only place to be. The challenge has arrived Ð its man against mud. This year conditions were appalling; persistent rain and a strong current in the remaining river. The rain did not deter the large crowd who lined the wharf to watch the spectacleÉ

2 mins. duration

500 runners compete against 7 horses on the Man versus Horse Marathon in Wales. They run 22 miles and up to 1000 metres above sea level.

3 mins. Duration

A long suffering fan of Manchester City Football Club has called for the club's Maine Road ground to be exorcised to remove a 75 year-old gypsy curse.

Former Manchester schoolboys soccer star and war hero John Clarke say the gypsies cursed the club after they were turfed off the brickworks site when the club bought the land to build their new stadium in 1922. Not even their German star Uwe Rosler seems to be able to prevent City sliding into Division 2.

Psychic researchers Gary Dakin (well known TV Star consultant) and his assistant Lynn track down the evil spirits at Maine Road.

3 mins. duration

MUTV is the world's first daily football club channel. It launched on digital satellite and cable Thursday 10th September 1998, giving the four million Manchester United supporters in the UK and millions more abroad the chance to get closer to the news, action and stories from inside the world's biggest football club. We visit the state of the art studio overlooking the pitch at Old Trafford, which broadcasts six hours every day 7 days a week.

3 mins. duration

Over twenty of the most powerful minds on this planet battled for the title of World Memory Champion in London. The championships were part of the Mind Sports Olympiad, which attracted over 4000 super brains from all over the world. Mental skills were displayed in various disciplines like Chess, Backgammon, and Scrabble, Bridge, Go, Twixt etcÉall within the awesome surroundings of Alexandra Palace.

In previous competitions world records were set for memorizing a single deck of cards in 34.03 seconds, a 1620 digit number remembered in one hour and 2745 binary digits memorized in only 30 minutes. Dominic O'Brien from the UK became World Memory Champion for the 7th time and 13-year-old Christiane Stenger from Germany became Junior World Champ.

2:30 mins. duration

The Royal British Legion has teamed up with the world's top-selling board game for it's biggest ever charity challenge. Dozens of teams in fancy dress race against the clock to visit as many of the famous streets and landmarks on a Monopoly board as possible in one afternoon. Life size Monopoly through the streets of London!

During the Second World War, specially commissioned games of Monopoly were sent to Prisoners of War. These games contained silk maps hidden in one side of the board showing escape routes from the particular prison each game was sent to. Hidden In the other side of the board were a tiny compass and several files. The Monopoly money was replaced by the actual currency of the country the game was destined for.

3 mins. duration

The Welsh hamlet of Llanwrtyd Wells hosts one of the least significant events in adventure sports - The Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling World Championships!

Snorkelers wear wet suits, masks and cycle two laps through a 60-yard peat bog filled with dirty, gooey liquid. Even though they can't see anything the best can complete 120 yards in less than two minutes!

2:30 duration

Every year in July the dirtiest race ever takes place in Holland. The course is 3,5 km long and incorporates 21 canals as obstacles. The participants have to jump in and out of stinking muddy canals 63 times.

Teams of four men transport one woman in a rubber dingy so she doesn't have to enter the water. Not the fastest team wins but the team with the least muddy woman.

At the end of the day hundreds of filthy competitors take a communal bath in the open.

3:25 mins. duration

6th February saw the 40th. Anniversary of the Munich Air crash, when over half the people travelling on board a plane taking Manchester United from a European Cup game against Red Star Belgrade crashed at Munich airport after two abortive take off attempts.

Players who died were known as 'Busby Babes', because they were being developed by manager Matt Busby, who had been grooming them since they left school at fifteen. 8 players and fifteen others died.

We show archive footage of the crash and then visit United's memorial exhibition. Also at Old Trafford we speak to survivor Jackie Blanchflower. The reporter and United expert David Meeks tells us as it was. Vice President Sean Dooley reflects on the long-term effects of this tragedy.

1:40 mins. duration

John Russell, chairman of third division Scarborough, has kicked off a plan to increase the football club's income. He has patented goal advertising. "I can't believe nobody has thought of this before. The only parts of the ground without advertising are the goals."

Clubs from all over are lining up to buy covers to shroud their goals. Naturally the covers come off during a match; otherwise it could prove an interesting game.

2 mins. duration

Underwater Hockey was first invented in 1954 as a means of keeping divers fit during the winter months.

It is now a full-blown sport! We visit the British Octopush championships at London's Crystal Palace.

2:44 mins. duration

Manchester's bid to stage the Olympic Games in the year 2000 aroused athletic ambitions in the local business population.

Traditionally dressed, with bowler hats and umbrellas, 4 British executives show their mettle as they climb 500 stairs, run 3 miles of hotel corridors and swim 20 lengths of the pool.

Manchester's oldest hotel organised these mini Olympics to support the city's own efforts.