Fun and entertainment are a major aspect of life and people around the world have different ways in which they engage in it.
While some entertain themselves by going hiking, watching a sporting event or even binge-watching movies, some Australians prefer to have a cockroach race.
Yes, you read that right. The cockroach race is an event that is famously held on Australia Day (26th January). And no, it is not a group of cockroaches agreeing among themselves to gather and see who is fastest on the track.
Australians actually get the cockroaches and p
repare them to race each other. The cockroach races have to be one of the craziest Australian customs because only the thought of getting several cockroaches together to have fun with them is a really random and unexpected one.
The races are usually hosted at a pub and there is always a lot of money at stake. It is a gambling activity upon which punters choose a cockroach by its name and place bets.
At the beginning of the race, the cockroaches, w
hich had been kept in glass bottles, are released onto the 6-metre ring and the winner is the first to reach the finish line.
The Australians hilariously prove with this custom that, yes, there can indeed be a cockroach version of Usain Bolt, the world’s fastest man.
While this custom might sound off and even laughable to o
ther people around the world, Aussies actually take their cockroach races very seriously.
In fact, in a bid to add to the humour, the races are touted as “the greatest gathering of thoroughbred cockroaches in the world”, though of course, no such breeding has taken place!
You might want to have a rethink about how you’ve condemned this custom i
n your head already when you get to know that the cockroach races go a long way in helping humanity. At most events, the proceeds are donated to charity.
In January this year, the 39th annual Australia Day cockroach race was held at the Story Bridge Hotel. The first race kicks off at 12noon, launching a jam-packed program of 12 races, including a steeple chase.
There are even race rules and guidelines that prepare participants for this unusual race
and equip them for a chance at victory. The last race happens around 4.30 pm and the music and fun continue into the evening.
Even more shocking is the fact that for this strange sporting event, the Australians create dedicated stadium seating and even corporate boxes to watch the races in style.
