Snails slug it out at racing world champs

The Manila Times

Snails slug it out at racing world champs  The much anticipated World Snail Racing Championships took place on Saturday, July 6, in Congham, Norfolk.  Crowds gathered despite the rain to watch the finest gastropod athletes compete, with over 150 snails taking part in the championships, which have been running since the 1960s.  Jeff, the snail, was crowned victor, making it through the afternoon heats, gaining a spot in the subsequent grand final, winning with a time of 4 minutes and 3 seconds.  Unfortunately, this time was short of the record set back in 1995 by Archie, the snail, who finished the course in an astonishing two minutes and twenty seconds.  Video by HUTC  Subscribe to The Manila Times Channel - https://tmt.ph/YTSubscribe  Visit our website at https://www.manilatimes.net    Follow us:  Facebook - https://tmt.ph/facebook  Instagram - https://tmt.ph/instagram  Twitter - https://tmt.ph/twitter  DailyMotion - https://tmt.ph/dailymotion    Subscribe to our Digital Edition - https://tmt.ph/digital    Check out our Podcasts:  Spotify - https://tmt.ph/spotify  Apple Podcasts - https://tmt.ph/applepodcasts  Amazon Music - https://tmt.ph/amazonmusic  Deezer: https://tmt.ph/deezer  Tune In: https://tmt.ph/tunein   #TheManilaTimes  #worldnews  #snail  #worldchampionship

Transcript

00:00It's so well lit.

00:21And what's the name of the second?

00:25Speedy.

00:27I don't know, but it came up in that name when I was eight.

00:30Yeah, and your name.

00:34The time of the first week was 4 minutes and 58 seconds.

00:37That was faster than the final last year.

00:45Okay, 58. I reckon 58's got the best chance of winning this heat.

00:51I like the orange.

00:57Just to remind you, anyone can enter if you want to enter a snail.

01:01But you haven't brought one, you can rent one from our stable.

01:05Just need to join the queue to register.

01:08Pay your registration fee, which is the princely sum of £1.

01:13It's fantastic. It always is every year.

01:15The competitors get really excited about the racing.

01:18The snails, it's very good conditions for snail racing this year.

01:21A little bit damp just a few minutes ago, but generally these damp conditions,

01:25not too warm, is fantastic for snail racing.

01:28For those of you who are watching and thinking this is boring,

01:30I can assure you if you have a snail in the race, you will say it's not boring.

01:34I guarantee that.

01:36You need ones that are reasonable sized.

01:38The smaller snails tend to find it harder to compete.

01:41But a reasonable size, ones that have been cared for in the weeks leading up to the competition,

01:45fed some nice greens, cucumber, lettuce, so that they're really ready to go

01:51and feeling well fed and watered, ready to do some good racing.

01:56Ready, steady, slide.

01:58And they're off! And they're off at a snail's pace!

02:03So they start inside the inner circle, the red circle,

02:06and it's the first one to cross the 13.5 inch course

02:09and get a nose onto the outer black ring that wins the race.

02:17Pinnacle, thank you.

02:18Well, it's nuts.

02:19I like the pace of the race more than anything else.

02:23The race can start, you can run off for a cup of tea and a cake, come back,

02:27and if you're lucky, it's kind of finished.

02:29Regardless of the weather, it always works.

02:31If it's sunny, it's great to be out in it.

02:32If it's rainy, the snails love to be out in it, so everyone's a winner.

02:42These snails here, they've been thriving in the Hamilton stable for the past year.

02:48Entirely organic food.

02:51So there's no artificial enhancement in the food products that they have.

02:56And they're completely outside.

02:58We've brought them in fresh today from outdoors.

03:02And actually keeping them penned up in this Tupperware box for a while,

03:06it fires up the gastropod adrenaline, if you like.

03:10Heading towards the finish line.

03:12About another two and a half inches to go.

03:16Come on, let's scream for Jeff.

03:31And we have a world champion, ladies and gentlemen.

03:35Jeff, this year's world champion.

03:37Trained by Simon, we have Jeff, trained by Simon.

03:42A round of applause for Simon, ladies and gentlemen.

03:46He's got a rigorous training programme.

03:49And he loves his green leaves.

03:51So we feed him plenty of nice green leaves.

03:54So ladies and gentlemen, I give you the winner of this year's world champion snail racing,

04:00Jeff, trained by Simon.

04:11I know he paced himself in the heat.

04:13He was a little bit slower in the heat.

04:14But then he went for it in the final.

04:16And I think he just blasted out there.

04:19It was great.

04:26Oh, Jeff, nearly.

04:29Let's have a close-up of Jeff.

04:31Come on, we need to see your face, Jeff.

04:44And we have a world champion, ladies and gentlemen.

04:47Jeff, trained by Simon.

04:49Trained by Simon.

04:50And we have a world champion, ladies and gentlemen.

04:53Jeff, trained by Simon.

04:55Trained by Simon.

04:56And we have a world champion, ladies and gentlemen.

04:58Jeff, trained by Simon.

05:00And we have a world champion, ladies and gentlemen.

05:03Jeff, trained by Simon.

05:05And we have a world champion, ladies and gentlemen.

05:08Jeff, trained by Simon.

05:10And we have a world champion, ladies and gentlemen.

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