Snails sprint through the rain at World Championship in Norfolk

The Snail Racing World Championship returned to Norfolk this year, attracting competitors from London, France, and South Korea.

The races took place on Saturday (19 July), on a damp cloth-covered tabletop marked with concentric circles, with snails starting on the inner rim and racing toward the outer edge.

Each race began with the call of “ready, steady, slow.”

Despite heavy rain, the event went ahead as spectators gathered, drawn by growing interest on social media and curiosity about the unusual competition.

Organiser Nicholas Dickinson said, “Snails like really damp conditions, so today is really good racing weather.”