Toe-tally exciting, toe-curling event returns to Royal City
Forget minds and hearts of steel, what the Gryphons need now are toes of steel. In conjunction with his support of the Guelph Gryphons, the Guelph Storm, and the Guelph Royals, Mayor Cam Guthrie is ecstatic to be welcoming back a new sporting event to town: toe wrestling.
Just in time for the approaching warm weather and flip-flop season, Guelph is set to host the upcoming Toe Wrestling Competitions and is encouraging all Guelphites to strengthen their toes in preparation. Often, the bigger the feet the better, so this is not a time to be ashamed if you have big flippers — bring them out and show Guelph what you can really do!Local high school student, Tasha Podiatry, has expressed her excitement about the upcoming event. “My dad has been entering the competition for decades and has been training me to take up the family torch this year,” said Podiatry. “This is something that’s really important to us. My dad and I train twice a week to strengthen our flexor digitorum brevis muscles. It’s something we like to do as a family. Often, we’ll treat ourselves after training by going out to get pedicures.”
Indeed, toe wrestling has had a long history in Guelph, unbeknownst to many new Guelphites and even Mayor Guthrie himself. The long-standing tradition hit its peak in the ’80s, but slowly began to fade thereafter. Back in 1984, Guelph did very well in the Southwestern Ontario Toe Wrestling Competitions, with Kitchener-born — though Guelph-residing — two-time silver medalist Gregory Bunion.
Recently, Mayor Guthrie’s daughter, Adelaide, has expressed an interest in the toe wrestling sphere and has inspired interest to bring the sophisticated sport back to the Royal City. Beginning in June of this year, Guthrie has decided to open up the playing field and encouraged new toe wrestling teams to form.U of G student, Alice Hopsalot, is supportive of the decision to bring back the sporting event. “It’s the new frontier. So what if you have strong arms or a wicked six-pack? Strong toes are what it’s all about. That’s what I look for in a guy. You can tell a lot about a man by the state of his toes,” said Hopsalot.
[trx_infobox style=”regular” closeable=”no” icon=”icon-users-group” color=”#000000″ bg_color=”#FF5B5B” top=”inherit” bottom=”inherit” left=”inherit” right=”inherit”]If you’re feeling curious about how exactly toe wrestling works, here is the lowdown on the rules:
- Toe wrestling involves competitors going toe-to-toe
- Bare feet must be used only
- It is common courtesy for each player to remove the other player’s shoes and socks
- Players must link toes and each player’s foot must touch flat on the other person’s foot, or else be disqualified
- Players interlock their toes and try to “pin” down their opponent’s foot
- Three rounds are played, with the best two out of three being the winner
- Rounds are played first with the right foot, then the left, and again with the right if necessary
If interested in the upcoming toe wrestling competitions, the City of Guelph will be posting the exact time and location of the event on its website over the coming weeks. Keep your eyes peeled competitors, and know that we’ll be crossing our toes for you.
Photo courtesy of Pexels via CC0