The first and only World Extreme Ironing Championships was held

Описание: This was the first-ever competition for the British sport of extreme ironing, and it was held in the picturesque village of Valley, Bavaria - not far from Munich - back in September 2002.
Competitors from ten different nations turned up to battle it out for glory, with a total of 12 teams in the mix (three of which were representing Britain). The judging criteria was a combination of creative ironing skills and the quality of the creases in the clothing, which included items such as tea towels, T-shirts, and even boxer shorts. And let me tell you, the stakes were high - the winner walked away with a Hawaiian vacation, a washing machine, and other household goods.

Now, let me give you a taste of the action. James 'Basket' Ireson, a 24-year-old engineer from Leicester, pulled off a spectacular stunt early on in the competition, hanging upside down with his ironing board using ropes and a pulley mechanism. And things did get a little hairy at times - the paramedics were called in once after a member of the German team crashed through a car window during a daring press from inside the vehicle.

But what about the challenges, I hear you ask? Well, let me break it down for you. There were five separate challenges that participants had to perform ironing in. The first challenge involved a broken car, with ironers allowed to perform in, around, or even on top of it. The second challenge was a real test of nerve - ironing in the middle of a fast-flowing river. Next up, participants had to climb up a tree to iron their clothes. The fourth challenge was a real test of strength and agility - climbing a wall and then ironing. And finally, the freestyle challenge allowed ironers to do their thing anywhere they wanted.

And who emerged victorious from this epic battle of the ironing boards? Why, it was Team GB who took home the first-ever championship title. But let's not forget the bravery and skill of all the competitors who took part in this truly extreme event.