An Idea Born in a Pub
In 1976, a conversation at the Neuadd Arms Hotel in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales, led to the creation of bog snorkelling. Gordon Green, a local businessman, suggested a race through a water-filled trench in a peat bog, using only flippers and a snorkel for propulsion.
The World Championships
The first official Bog Snorkelling World Championship took place in 1985. Since then, competitors from around the world have traveled to Wales to race through the 60-yard trench, aiming for the fastest time while avoiding the thick, murky water slowing them down.
Strict Rules and Unusual Costumes
Participants must keep their faces submerged and cannot use traditional swimming strokes. Many competitors embrace the event’s eccentricity by wearing costumes, including superhero outfits and inflatable accessories. The fastest recorded time, set in 2018, is 1 minute and 18.81 seconds.
A Growing Global Trend
Bog snorkelling has inspired similar events in Australia, Ireland, and Sweden. It remains a highlight of Llanwrtyd Wells’ annual sporting calendar, attracting hundreds of participants and spectators despite the challenging conditions of the bog.
In 1976, a conversation at the Neuadd Arms Hotel in Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales, led to the creation of bog snorkelling. Gordon Green, a local businessman, suggested a race through a water-filled trench in a peat bog, using only flippers and a snorkel for propulsion.🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/gXZlcIN7Bt
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