Ready, set, slow! England wins gold in world championships at the weekend - in snail racing

By WILL HALLOWELL, NEWS REPORTER Published: 01:28, 20 July 2026 | Updated: 01:28, 20 July 2026 Football may not have come home this year - but one sport England has excelled in this past week is snail racing.  Snailor Swift, trained by Sam Pemberton from East Anglia, came first in the quirky annual competition.  The mollusc didn't bask in the gleaming Jules Rimet Trophy - however Snailor did win a silver tankard stuffed with lettuce.  It beat 271 rival garden snails, with trainers from nine different countries, including Brazil, France and Spain, to slime along the challenging 13-inch course in three minutes and 13 seconds. The contest, which takes place at Grimston Cricket Ground in Congham, Norfolk, has been running for more than 60 years and attracts thousands of spectators every year. Although there are a number of imitations, it is the only recognised World Championship. Participants can bring their own snails, or even rent one for just £1. Organiser Ian Haynes said: 'There was a fabulous turnout and it was a great competition, with amazing support.' The Snail Racing World Championships get underway at Congham, Norfolk, on Saturday  Snailor Swift, trained by Sam Pemberton from East Anglia, came first in the quirky annual competition, and claimed the ultimate prize a silver tankard stuffed with lettuce Snail racing spectators crowd around the racecourse as the championships begin Nearly 300 garden snails participated in this year's highly anticipated tournament. Here, competitors get on their marks  The championships are part of Congham's Big Summer Bash fete and were originally started to help raise money for the 13th century village church. Today it attracts hundreds of entrants of all ages, many of whom have spent days training their molluscs for the big event. The snails race from the centre of a circle to the outside and once they are on the track owners are not allowed to touch them. The Snail Master starts the competitors racing with the shout 'Ready, steady, SLOW!' and keeps the course well-watered as snails prefer damp conditions. Heats are held throughout the afternoon with a grand final at the end of the day. The world record stands at two minutes and was set by a snail called Archie in 1995. Strict rules state only garden snails are allowed to race. Pictured is the moment snail number 88 is about to cross the finish line on the racecourse  The snails race from the centre of a circle to the outside and once they are on the track owners are not allowed to touch them Snail Master Nick Dickinson is pictured with contestants ahead of the mighty showdown in Norfolk on Saturday The racers and their human handlers get set for the occassion, which has been running for more than 60 years