Snails sprint through the rain at World Championship in Norfolk
The races took place on Saturday (19 July), on a damp cloth-covered tabletop marked with concentric circles, with snails starting on the inner rim and racing toward the outer edge.
Each race began with the call of 'ready, steady, slow.'
Despite heavy rain, the event went ahead as spectators gathered, drawn by growing interest on social media and curiosity about the unusual competition.
Organiser Nicholas Dickinson said, 'Snails like really damp conditions, so today is really good racing weather.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
Russia hopes swimming return paves way for end to sporting neutrality
LONDON, Aug 1 (Reuters) - One of the key figures behind diplomatic efforts that secured Russian swimmers' return to elite competition at this week's world championships is now hoping to end Russia's sporting neutrality as officials push for wider Olympic participation. The Russian Olympic Committee was banned for violating the Olympic Charter in relation to Russia's February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, but some of its athletes competed as neutrals at last year's Paris Olympics and sports such as swimming are gradually welcoming more Russians back into the fold. Dmitry Mazepin, President of the Russian Aquatic Sports Federation and Vice President of the ROC, told Reuters he would do his best to ensure that Russian athletes compete under their national flag in time for the Los Angeles 2028 summer Olympics and urged the sporting community to end double standards. "If you are in the wrong sport, you will be punished," Mazepin said in a telephone interview, pointing to sports like tennis and ice hockey, where individuals have been allowed to continue competing, while many swimmers have been left out in the cold. "I'm happy for the moment that my athletes and swimmers can compete everywhere," he said. "Unfortunately with the neutral flag, but they can compete." Mazepin ceded majority control of Russian fertiliser giant Uralchem in March 2022 and was sanctioned by Britain, the EU and Canada after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He said negotiations on swimming participation included personal meetings with World Aquatics President Husain Al-Musallam and countering what he called "political" opposition from certain countries, particularly Nordic states. The doping scandals that plagued Russian sport for years no longer form a part of opposition to Russians' participation, Mazepin said. "It's always about political cases," Mazepin said. "We do not discuss any doping issues." Mazepin said sanctions have caused him problems, such as his being unable to attend the short course world championships in Budapest in December, or take meetings at IOC headquarters in Lausanne. He was, however, able to attend this week's World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. In October 2023, the IOC suspended the ROC for admitting regional sports organisations under the authority of the National Olympic Committee of Ukraine as members. The four Ukrainian regions of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia were annexed after referendums that Western nations have dismissed as shams. Mazepin said the ROC had made changes, now structured by federation rather than geography, and was pushing the IOC to remove restrictions based on its new structure. A final decision will ultimately come down to new IOC President Kirsty Coventry, but previous IOC statements suggest any significant relief for Russia is unlikely while it continues to wage war in Ukraine. The IOC has condemned Russia's "senseless war", describing it as a violation of the Olympic Charter for which it holds the Russian and Belarusian states and governments solely responsible. Mazepin criticised what he views as another double standard - that nations involved in other conflicts around the world have not also been punished in sporting terms. "We, as the Russian sports community, are asking why we were punished and others were not touched," Mazepin said. Mazepin is also dreaming of a Russian return to Formula One. His son Nikita raced for the U.S.-owned Haas team before Russia invaded Ukraine and the deal was ended. Haas terminated a sponsorship contract with Russian potash producer Uralkali, then controlled by Mazepin, in 2022 and repaid the balance last year after legal action and a visit by bailiffs at the Dutch Grand Prix. Mazepin said politics was still keeping Russia away from the sport for now. "But we are dreaming of a comeback," he said.
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
‘A super hard day': Heartbreak for Sarah Gigante as Tour de France Femmes challenge fades
Australia's Sarah Gigante was forced to settle for sixth place in the women's Tour de France as Pauline Ferrand-Prevot claimed victory for the hosts. Starting the day second in the GC, Gigante (AG Insurance - Soudal Team) lost ground on the Joux-Plane descent and finally finished the stage seventh. 'It was two hours of pain, heartbreak and hope all in one,' she said at the finish. Ferrand-Prevot's victory was never in doubt and she launched an attack to clinch the final stage and increase her overnight lead. The 33-year-old had put herself largely in control by winning Saturday's eighth and penultimate stage with an audacious solo breakaway on the last climb. That gave her an overnight lead of 2:37 seconds over Gigante and 3:18 over Demi Vollering. Sunday's ninth stage from Praz-sur-Arly to Chatel was a 124km trek featuring three big mountain climbs. But Ferrand-Prevot did not face any big attacks and instead launched one of her own with 6km left. The crowds cheered her all the way to the finish line and, moments later, the tears flowed as she lay on her back, exhausted but elated. Vollering was 20 seconds behind in second place and Kasia Niewiadoma followed in third place as they sprinted to the line. Earlier, Ferrand-Prevot was with Gigante, 24, and a few others when they tackled the mammoth climb up Col de Joux Plane – an 11.6km grind with a gradient of 8.5%. Gigante is known to have trouble descending at speed and was dropped on the long downhill. She could not make up the time, especially with no teammates to help her, and lost her podium spot, finishing sixth overall, six minutes and 40 seconds behind the winner. 'It was a super hard day, I was already feeling not so strong physically going up the Joux Plane,' she said at the finish. 'I was hoping to get away and have a head start before the downhill, but I was pretty much getting dropped by the top. And then of course the descent was just so hard. It was a long day out.' Sign up to Australia Sport Get a daily roundup of the latest sports news, features and comment from our Australian sports desk after newsletter promotion The other Australians to complete the Tour de France Femmes were Neve Bradbury (71st), Lauretta Hanson (75th), Ruby Roseman-Gannon (78th) and Emily Watts (114th). Having won Olympic gold in mountain biking and conquered the cobblestones of the Paris-Roubaix classic, Ferrand-Prevot added another line to her glittering CV with a Tour victory.
Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Telegraph
Trains cancelled because it is too dry
A train company has blamed dry weather for its decision to cancel services. South Western Railway (SWR) has said the 'driest conditions for around 200 years' have forced it to halve the amount of trains that run from London Waterloo to Exeter St Davids from Aug 11. The dry conditions forced the speed limit between Gillingham, Dorset and Axminster, Devon to be reduced after the tracks between the two towns dried out, shrinking the clay soil embankments that support them. The problem, known as a 'moisture soil deficit', means trains between London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids will run every two hours rather than hourly. Trains between Waterloo and Yeovil Junction will also be delayed by 25 minutes. SWR has not said when the restrictions will be lifted and further dry weather could lead to more speed restrictions being introduced. An SWR spokesperson said: 'Because track levels have been disturbed, our trains cannot travel safely at their normal speeds. 'Most of the route west of Salisbury is made of single track, with only a small number of places for trains travelling in opposite directions to pass each other. 'With speed restrictions stretching over 12 miles, trains will not be able to pass each other at their allotted times, and so it will not be possible to run services to the normal timetable. 'Our amended timetables have been designed to provide customers with a reliable service until the speed restrictions can be removed.' SWR announced that once soil moisture levels improve and the ground begins to rehydrate then engineers will be able to stabilise the embankments and restore the track levels. Once this is done, the timetable will go back to normal, SWR have said. Storm Floris to bring gales and rain The restrictions come as Storm Floris is set to bring travel chaos to Britain with powerful winds and rain forecast for Monday. Amber weather warnings have been issued for most of Scotland, lasting from 10am to 10pm, while a yellow alert for wind is in place for northern parts of England from 6am on Monday to 6pm on Tuesday. National Rail warned there could be delays and cancellations on the railway on Monday and high winds could topple trees and damage power lines. LNER, the train operator, has warned passengers not to travel north of Newcastle on Monday as a result of the forecast. Those intending to travel on Monday can do so on Sunday, the operator said, with tickets also valid until Wednesday. Avanti West Coast advised passengers not to travel north of Preston on Monday as it expects its Scottish-English routes to be 'heavily affected' by Storm Floris. The operator said services will probably be impacted in Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Haymarket, Glasgow Central and Edinburgh. Tickets dated for Monday for these areas will be accepted on Sunday and Tuesday, it added.
