It's a trip!: 48 feet and a stomach evacuation incident

19 June 2005

48 feet and a stomach evacuation incident

I can't belive we missed this.

Yesterday was the 9th World Stinging Nettle Eating Championship held at the Bottle Inn in Dorset, England.
The competitors eat the leaves from stinging nettles
provided by the pub, and the amount eaten is counted by the lengths of stems left over.

Apparently the favorite was disqualified when he had a "stomach evacuation incident" at around 42 feet (I'll have to remember that terminology next time I call in sick!--sounds very impressive). The winner ate 48 feet of stinging nettles in one hour. I wonder how he's feeling today?
I think I'm most upset that we weren't asked to supply the nettles from our garden. We have some over 6 ft tall...

There are tons of strange competitions and festivals in Britain--although most aren't as painful as eating nettles.
There's the ever-popular Cheese rolling in Gloucestershire, Bog Snorkelling in Wales, and the fancy-dress Walrus Dip on Boxing day (26 Dec). God, I love this place!

posted by Julie at 10:35 PM 6 comments

6 Comments:

Mike said...: We all jump in White Wells on New Years Day, this is a pool in a stream running down from a Yorkshire moor.

The average temperature is usually fucking freezing.; Sun Jun 19, 11:36:00 PM GMT+1
eyes_only4him said...: hmm..sounds very intersting..what is a nettles?..sorry..I feel stupid.but i have no clue....
in a town not far from where i grew up in michigan..they had a bolongna festival..and i thought that was weird..lol; Mon Jun 20, 03:25:00 AM GMT+1
Bill said...: I've eaten stinging nettles but I cooked them first. That removes the sting. The texture has something to be desired, it is like sandpaper.; Mon Jun 20, 03:39:00 AM GMT+1
Anonymous said...: Why would you want to eat them? Doesn't sound too fun. (Guess it's all in the name of the golden nettle the winner takes home right? (Do tell me they get something! LOL)); Mon Jun 20, 02:23:00 PM GMT+1
Jen said...: "Stomach evacuation incident" sounds like there should have been sirens and maybe a drill beforehand.

Davin participated in a hotwing eating contest shortly before our wedding. And by hot, I do mean HOT! They were so hot that I got a blister on my tongue from the sauce the one time I tried to eat one. He ate 37 and stopped (losing the title) because he realized the wedding was 3 days away and, as he said, he didn't want to be walking down the aisle with "flaming diarrhea." I love that man of mine!; Mon Jun 20, 07:53:00 PM GMT+1
Julie said...: Yorkshire--you're crazy!!

bill--so are you (but I have to ask why on earth you ate nettles??)

christina--nettles are awful--if you brush against them it feels like you've been burned, and it lasts for hours. apparently it does the same to your tongue...

sheri--i can't find any info about a prize at all!! Maybe they're just in it for the masochism aspect?

jen--you've got a good one there!; Mon Jun 20, 09:12:00 PM GMT+1