11 ridiculous sports you probably never knew existed

Whilst the world championships in sport follow each other in endless waves, new, more 'creative' kinds of sport are appearing at the speed of light.
Sol Neelman has been recording the latter through his photographs since 2007. We thought we'd share some of his discoveries with you – they're both fascinating and amusing at the same time. It's your choice, of course, whether you want to make any of them your new hobby!

1. Clay jumping

The participants jump belly-down into the clay, often causing delight amongst the spectators when this results in a shower of clay raining down on them.

2. Frog racing

The world record for distance jumped by a frog is held by Rosy, who managed to do a six-metre triple jump. She's held the record for 25 years...

3. Tricycle racing

Wearing a crazy costume (the more eccentric, the better) is obligatory for this sport. As with other more traditional sports, the first to the finish line wins. Whether they manage to get there on a child's tricycle or not is another matter.

4. Tennis with a burning roll of toilet paper

The rules are the same as in normal tennis - except that the 'ball' is a little more dangerous and unconventional.

5. The dirty obstacle course

The same as an ordinary one, but with a lot more mud.

6. Bubble football

Again, this is similar to the ordinary game, but with one significant twist - every player has to wear a large inflated bubble. It adds a whole new dimension to the competition!

7. Dog surfing

The winner here is the intrepid canine which can stay on the board for the longest. The game has several categories based on weight.

8. Ostrich racing

The 'jockeys' who ride the ostriches here are essentially not much better than spectators - for their journey together doesn't usually last long. The freedom-loving birds invariably throw off their riders a few metres from the starting line, hurtling towards the finish line at 60 kilometres an hour.

9. The home-made aircraft competition

The goal here is to 'fly' as far as possible - and crash as elegantly as possible into the water once you hurtle off the six-metre-high ramp. The originality of your flying machine's design is also judged. No propellers or motors are allowed!

10. Portaloo racing

This is a winter sport - because the portaloos are equipped with skis.

11. The junior rodeo

This one's fairly self-explanatory. Children sit on the back of sheep - and cling on for dear life. It's not as dramatic as it sounds...

Source: Sol Neelman