snail racing world championships

Video. Ready, steady, slow — snails slug it out at racing world championships

More than 150 snails slugged it out at the annual world snail racing championships on Saturday — an event that's been running since the 1960s.

More than 150 snails slugged it out at the annual world snail racing championships on Saturday — an event that's been running since the 1960s.

The gastropod games are held on top of a table, which has a special damp cloth spread out on it. The cloth has three circles marked on it. The snails are placed around the middle rim and the first one to reach the outer circle is deemed the winner.