Today, the conventions of the Olympics are fairly totally plotted out. Each host metropolis provides its personal local flavor, after all, however it does so inside the scope of the overarching guidelines and bylaws laid out in the Olympic Charter. For the most half, the viewers is aware of what to count on from one video games to the subsequent. Whether it is the giddy fanfare that surrounds the Opening Ceremonies, the stirring efficiency of the winners’ nationwide anthems, the glistening tears so widespread in the course of the medal ceremonies, or the kaleidoscope of Olympic sports activities themselves giving the world’s better of the most effective their likelihood to shine. Occasionally, you would possibly see a brand new sport added or an outdated one dropped (the 1998 introduction of those rowdy snowboarders comes to mind). But, by this point in Olympic historical past, it’s rare to see an array of latest events get tried out in a single games. But in the course of the considerably haphazard 1900 Olympic Games, that’s just what happened. The video games, which took place in France and accompanied the World’s Fair, bore little resemblance to the Olympics of at present.

Actually, a few of the sports activities (many of them unofficial) that debuted there weren’t ever tried as Olympic sports once more — as a result of, boy, had been they bizarre. Poodle grooming and van driving have been in the combination. Remember being within the schoolyard, viciously yanking a rope with no regard to blisters, all so as to ensure your opposing classmates ate dirt? Good occasions. But now think about grown men doing it. Scary stuff. Starting at the 1900 Summer Games, nevertheless, tug-of-battle was a minor yet hotly contested Olympic occasion. Teams had been generally composed of people from different nations and the foundations had been considerably haphazard. In the course of the 1900 video games, rivals from Sweden and Denmark teamed up in an try to squash the French, and the Scandinavians had been successful. The destiny of the American crew within the event’s debut is much more bizarre: Some sources say they by no means competed, while others say they had been disqualified. Teams have been tugging their hearts out till the 1920 Olympics.

After that, the sport was discontinued. What’s in a name? Some sports historians question whether or not the athletic exhibition that came about over the summer of 1900 in Paris ought to be considered a true modern Olympiad at all. It was so below-promoted as the Olympic Games, that some victors left not even knowing they have been Olympians. But most view these Games because the true successor to the first modern Olympics in Athens in 1896, despite the strangeness. Considered to have been a demonstration sport — a sporting event held through the Olympics, however not technically thought-about an official sport of the video games — scorching air ballooning fans saw their hopes of changing into official rise and fall all during the 1900 Olympic Games. All in all, 61 males and 3 ladies competed in ballooning, which consisted of 18 occasions. Judges marked contestants on numerous points, like distance, duration and elevation. Hot air ballooning hasn’t been the one odd aerial sport of note at the video games.

Kite flying debuted in 1900, whereas canon taking pictures and pigeon taking pictures have been given a shot in the identical year. Spectators would have finished well to seek cowl when these guys got going. As the Olympic torch takes its 70-day trek across the United Kingdom earlier than arriving at the 2012 Opening Ceremony, will probably be traveling by some pretty unconventional modes of transportation, amongst them, a sizzling air balloon. Others embody zip wire, bike sidecar, cable automotive and horseback. Firefighting and lifesaving may be vital skills for public servants, however in comparison with sports like canoeing, gymnastics and cycling, they appear a bit out-of-place at the Games. Although neither was ever added officially to the list of Olympic sports, that doesn’t suggest practitioners have no place at the games. For instance, Australian surf lifesavers — who patrol Australia’s extensive beaches as their day job — have a long history of making sturdy showings in a number of related aquatic sports, including swimming, water polo, kayaking and rowing.