'Snailor Swift' becomes world snail racing champion

20 hours ago

Alex Pope

News image — Cheers all round as "Snailor Swift" fends off competition to become a world snail racing champion

PA Media/Getty Images A snail crossing a black line, with a number 88 on its shell. It is crossing some white cloth. It is next to an image of Taylor Swift, with long blonde hair, in a sequined leotard, with a necklace and her arms out stretched. — Cheers all round as "Snailor Swift" fends off competition to become a world snail racing champion

Ready, steady, slow was the order of the day at the World Snail Racing Championships - but not for the speedy snailsake of Taylor Swift.

In total, 271 slimy specimens were under the starter's orders at Grimston Cricket Club in west Norfolk, with the chance to become global champion.

Cheered on by a 600-strong crowd from across the world on Saturday, the tiny molluscs had to progress through 18 heats, with 15 snails in each.

And with her dominance clearly not defined to just the music stage, the pop star's namesake "Snailor Swift" was ready for it and declared the winner, ahead of others including Christopher Slowlan and Snailifer Lopez.

Stephen Huntley/BBC A large group of people standing around a white table, with a cloth and snails on it. Two men have white T-shirts and hats on. A camera stand is to the right. — "Snail Master" Ian Haynes (left) said the event would definitely return in 2027

Ian Haynes, the Snail Master, said it was great to see people "keeping a quirky, bonkers tradition alive", which has been running since the 1960s.

Luna and Floor were two snail enthusiasts who took part, but it appeared there was no bad blood when they did not win.

Floor said: "We used to race snails in Doesburg in the Netherlands where we're from, but we now live in Norwich and brought in these snails from our allotment."

She said their entrants - Michael Snailin, Christopher Slowlan and Snailifer Lopez - had undergone their own training by "veggie-loading".

Stephen Huntley/BBC A young girl, smiling at the camera and wearing a hat with a blue jumper on. Other people are behind her, but you can only see their legs. Dried grass is behind her. — Peaches entered the competition with Shoobidoowah - a snail she found in her garden

Tom Peytoureau has form - he is a French snail racing champion, which he said was a tradition born in his country.

His snail, Coquiette, won the second heat, but would not shake off his bad form and did not progress much further.

"It's because you guys drive on the left," he said.

Stephen Huntley/BBC A man in a white T-shirt and a hat, shaking a woman's hand, holding a tankard with lettuce in. Other people are standing around. — The owner of Snailor Swift, Sam Pemberton, receives her award - some bright green lettuce

Haynes said about 600 people attended from across the country and abroad, including France, Germany, Poland, the US and Brazil, and it was the busiest event since it started again in 2023 after being paused by the Covid pandemic.

"It's just bonkers every year," he said.

Funds from the event go to the local community and St Andrew's Church.

"Nothing sensible has come from it whatsoever, but the snail trainers take it very seriously," he said.

"They use lots of different techniques, from giving them cucumber to stay hydrated to also keeping them in the dark, so they are ready to go off and find some darkness.

"A few people have tried to entice the snails with cucumber, but we have to reprimand them for doing that.

"It's just all very good natured and good fun."

The eventual winner was Sam Pemberton with Snailor Swift, who slithered 13.5in (34cm) over the finish line - at the speedy time of three minutes and 13 seconds.