Sport
Slap fighting is having a moment. But is it safe?
BritSlap — The booming underground sport sees two competitors take turns striking each other without defending themselves. Critics warn of concussion and long term brain damage, but its devotees see it as a release. George Nash reports from a Liverpool meet, which includes the first ever female fight.
Written by: George Nash
Revenge of the nerds: Inside the Microsoft Excel Championships
The Obsessives — The revolutionary software turns 40 years old today, and since launching has transformed businesses across the world. But it also has a competitive underbelly, where behind the spreadsheets lies a world of brains, brawn and all-out bloodsport.
Written by: Ginnia Cheng
Sandro Dias breaks a skateboarding record, dropping in from a skyscraper
The Skate Ramp Building — The 22-storey CAFF building, shaped perfectly like a skate ramp, is located in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Huck’s founder and publisher Vince Medeiros explains what Mineirinho’s feat means to locals.
Written by: Vince Medeiros
How Munich’s inner-city surfers saved their beloved river wave
The Eisbach spot — Caused by underwater concrete blocks, a wave along the Eisbach canal has been a surfing destination for decades. But a tragic accident led to authorities banning the sport, seemingly permanently, until the local community rallied.
Written by: Sam Haddad
Inside the UK Bus Driver of the Year Competition
Terminating here — The annual tournament takes place in Blackpool, where over 100 bus drivers from around the UK are invited to show off their proficiency behind the wheel, from bus stop manoeuvres and the dreaded ‘tailswing test’, to a notoriously hard theory quiz. George Francis Lee reports.
Written by: George Francis Lee
Meet the fishing collective reclaiming the sea for Black Brits
We Are Black Fish — Black people have long been excluded from Britain’s rural and coastal spaces. Speech Debelle and Alexis Lee’s community “hook up” events are changing that – one gathering, one cast, one fire at a time.
Written by: Naomi Clarke
Eric Cantona calls for boycott of Israeli football at Together for Palestine
More than sport — The legendary striker took to the stage at Brian Eno’s benefit concert at Wembley, which raised around £1.5 million for Palestinian charities working on the ground in Gaza.
Written by: Isaac Muk
The UK’s oldest weightlifting gym is under threat. Can it weather gentrification?
The weight of history — The Bethnal Green Weightlifting Club has been open since 1926. Emma Fowle meets the people fighting to keep the East End institution, the history it preserves, and the community it serves alive for the next generation of strength stars.
Written by: Emma Fowle
With Yi-Wo, Thomas Campbell sends surfing towards the surreal
Glide art — In his new audiovisual spectacle 10 years in the making, the legendary filmmaker has redefined the art and style of waveriding movies. Chris Nelson caught up with him to hear about his process and evolution.
Written by: Chris Nelson
Vibrations and victories at the World Worm Charming Championships
The magic below — Every year, the small town of Nantwich in Cheshire turns the quiet art of coaxing worms from the earth into an internationally known sport, as competitors shake, stomp, and strum their way to glory.
Written by: Ella Glossop
