The World Tin Bath Championships in the harbour
When: 9th July 2016
Where: Middle Harbour, Castletown, Isle of Man
£: Free to watch
What is it?
The 45th World Tin Bath Championships will take place on Saturday 9th July at the Middle Harbour in Castletown, Isle of Man.
The championship is an annual event that raises money for charity. The race first took place in 1971. Since then it has grown into a popular event with a whole day of entertainment. Last year the event raised more than £6000 for charity.
The quirky race usually attracts around 100 competitors, as well as many spectators. The event often has entries from as far away as New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and the USA.
But what are the World Tin Bath Championships? The championships, as you might have guessed, involve intrepid competitors paddling in tin baths around the harbour. Some participants don fancy dress and customise their tin baths. Past events have seen pirates, captains, ducks, gorillas, nuns and Vikings take to the water.
Each competitor must paddle in a tin bath, which is allowed one wooden outrigger and two buoyancy aids attached to it. The winner is the first to finish the course, or the one covering the greatest distance.
And if that isn’t crazy enough for you, there will also be a Snake Race taking place in the harbour. This challenge sees teams of six people racing against one another, whilst sitting backwards on an inflated tube.
For the kids, there is a contest called the Rope Drop. The aim of the Rope drop is to hang onto an aerial rope slide, before letting go and trying to land in a rubber ring, floating in the harbour. Not an easy challenge!
The World Tin Bath Championships is organised by the Castletown Ale Drinkers Society (which might explain a few things).
Castletown is a fishing town in the south of the Isle of Man. The town was the island’s capital until 1869, it has a rich heritage, and can trace its roots back as far as 1090.
More info: www.castletown.org.im/tinbaths