But what if you’re like me. Still legal in over 23 states. What if you say “Up yours winter, I’m gong to ….” Well, what? You go to Germany, rip off all your clothes and throw yourself down a giant hill.
Well, that’s what I’d do.
Ladies and gentlemen, the Telegraph UK introduces us to the Naked Sledding World Championship.
Have you ever fancied getting all your kit off (well almost all your kit off) and hurtling down a hill on a toboggan watched by some 25,000 people?
No? Can’t say I blame you.
Yes? Well next month you have a chance to make your dream come true by taking part in what must be the most eccentric alternative winter olympics event ever devised – the Naked Sledding World Championship, now being hosted for the fifth time.
The event takes place – surprise, surprise – in Germany, a country famed for its love of all activities that involve FKK – Freikörperkultur (Free Body Culture, or plain nudity to you and me), and will be staged on Saturday February 15 on the slopes above the spa town of Braunlage in the picturesque Harz Mountains.
Held on a bi-annual basis, the Naked Sledding World Championship involves two races – one for men and one for women – the winner of each receiving a prize of €1,000 (£830) – and the prestige of being the best in the world for ballsy displays of bravado on the toboganning front. Given what they are doing – racing down a 90-metre-long iced piste – the dress code is helmets, boots – and underpants. But apart from that, those taking part are starkers (or should that be stark raving bonkers?).
In the past, contestants have been drawn from countries including Germany, Norway and Austria, but this year, those behind the event – the local RTL 89.0 radio station – are inviting two entries from Britain.
Competition for places will be tough. In the last championship, in 2012, from 5,000 entrants, only 30 were selected. And those that were certainly needed to be good sports: a crowd of 25,000 cheered them on as they raced down the mountain and even more are expected for this year’s event.
“This is not a race for the shy and retiring,” said a spokesman for chillisauce.co.uk, a UK-based event agency that specialises in arranging stag, hen and activity weekends away and which is inviting applications. “We’re looking for contestants who are up for a laugh. And although the selection policy in the past seems to be slightly skewed toward those who look good naked, don’t let that put you off.”
For those more interested in watching rather than participating, chillisauce.co.uk plans to lay on a trip to Braunlage for the weekend of February 15/16.
Bottoms up!
Chilli Sauce are the nice people who ran a dating bus that visited toilets. Well, a lot of my dates in the 80’s started that way so I can see the allure. If you click on their name it will take you to a page where you can learn to play soccer in swim fins or get a girl to lick your ….. lollipop.
Not for the shy.
Oh well, never let it be said that you came to this site and walked away bored.
Now get out there and get sledding!