Over 200 Gastropods Compete on a Circular Tabletop Track in the 2018 World Snail Racing Championship

Snail Races 2018

In July 2018, more than 200 snails took part in World Snail Racing Championship in the Norfolk parish of Conghan, England. The race, which has taken place over the last 25 years, pits these slow moving gastropods against each other on a circular table top track, which raises money for a good cause. The winner was a snail named Hosta, who was named such for eating plants of the same name.

Over 150 snails slugged it out in the annual World championships on Saturday 21st July 2018. The Championships have been running since the 1960s. The gastropod games are held on top of a table, which has a special damp cloth spread out on it. The cloth has three circles marked on it. The snails are placed around the middle rim and the first one to reach the outer circle is deemed the winner. …this year’s winner is a snail called Hosta (after the green plant) owned by Jo Waterfield from Grimston near King’s Lynn. Hosta covered the 13 inch course in 3 mins 10 secs. …One hundred and ninety snails battled it out this year and there were 11 snails in the final.

via RT, Boing Boing

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.