Ten sports you did not know existed

The world is filled with numerous sports, some more popular than other. Football may be the most popular sport in the world, but other sporting codes like kayaking or squash cannot be overlooked. In another category you get sports that are almost primarily played in one region such as hurling, which is Ireland’s national sport – but not played by any other nation. Read here about some of the world’s lesser-known sports.

1.Bandy
Bandy is a form of ice hockey mixed with football and was first introduced in Great Britain in the 19th century. It is much faster than ice hockey and goalkeepers do not play with sticks. The main aim is to score a goal and because of its fast pace, normally a lot of goals is scored which makes for an interesting and exciting sport.

2.Foot Volley
Foot Volley is basically the same as volleyball but players must hit the ball over the net using any piece of their body except their hands and arms. Simply put – one can also refer to it as reverse volleyball. Footvolley began as an informal sport on the beaches of Brazil.

3.Hurling
Hurling is a fast team sport that involves 15 team members whose main goal is to move the ball (sliotar) into the opposition goal or over the crossbar using a curved stick known as a hurley. The goal is H-shaped like a rugby goal and has a net like a soccer goal – there are no goalkeepers in hurling.

4.Shuttlecock
Shuttlecock (or Jianzi as it is known in China) is played indoors and outdoors by individual, pairs or teams and involves one juggling the ball with any part of the body (expects hands and arms) with the goal of successfully returning the cock to the opposition without it touching the ground. Points are won for successful passes and lost when the shuttle hits the ground. Skill level and juggling ability is high in this demanding sport – practice here makes perfect.

5.Pelota
Pelota is the fastest game in the world – and also one of the most difficult racquet sports to master. Players use bizarrely shaped rackets which are strapped to their wrists and then aim to sling a ball against a wall as hard as possible to stop the opponent from returning the ball.
A point is scored if the ball hits the floor twice after hitting the wall – in the same manner as squash. A well-hit Pelota ball can also travel up to 300 kilometers per hour.

6.Sombo
Sombo is a Russian combat sport that uses many wrestling techniques such as throws, pins and locks. Sombo was developed in the former Soviet Union in 1920 when Josef Stalin wanted his army to improve their hand-to-hand combat skills. Sombo matches usually last five minutes with points awarded for various moves. A fighter can also win outright if he can throw the opponent on his back while remaining standing.

7.Kendo
Kendo can be described as a Japanese form of fencing and samurai sword fighting. Modern Kendo fighters use a bamboo stick known as a shinai rather than a real sword. Kendo matches feature two competitors in traditional black gear with their face and hands fully protected. The main aim of this sport is to strike your opponent with your shinai. Different body parts equal different point amounts. Mental discipline and finesse are just as important as all-out attack. Traditional etiquette is important and fighters bow to other before and after matches.

8.Horseshoe Pitching
This is a familiar pastime in the United States but, through its popularity, has also become a sport. The main aim of horseshoe pitching is to throw a horseshoe at stakes in the ground. A player stands on a platform, 12 metres away from the stake. The players who can pitch their horseshoe closest to the stake get the most points. The best possible outcome is for the horseshoe to land around the stake.

9.Roller Hockey
Roller hockey is a fast game that is based on a combination of ice- and field hockey. The only difference is that hockey players play on roller skates. The sport of roller hockey dates back to the 1870s and 1880s in Britain. The first world championships took place in 2005.

10.Truck Racing
This is probably the biggest form of motor racing, in terms of size, where trucks race around a circuit. Races commence with a rolling start and truck racers need to concentrate on taking the 5-tonne truck around a circuit normally designed for small racing cars.