I've always considered myself a sports enthusiast, but recently I stumbled upon a fascinating realization - there's an entire world of athletic activities beginning with the letter E that most people have never explored. Just last week, while researching obscure sports, I came across a tournament schedule that mentioned "their fates, however, will be known after the close of the second phase of elims on Saturday." This phrase stuck with me because it perfectly captures the drama and uncertainty that makes sports so compelling, especially these lesser-known E-sports that deserve more attention.
Let me start with Elephant Polo, which I had the pleasure of witnessing during my trip to Nepal back in 2018. Imagine traditional polo, but played atop majestic elephants instead of horses. The World Elephant Polo Championships have been running since 1982, with approximately 16 teams competing annually across various categories. The equipment is specially designed - standard polo balls are replaced by larger, soccer-sized balls, and the mallets can extend up to 8 feet long. What surprised me most was the strategic depth; since elephants can't gallop like horses, the game becomes more about positioning and precise shots rather than speed. The elephants seem to genuinely enjoy themselves, often trumpeting excitedly during crucial moments.
Then there's Ekiden, a Japanese long-distance relay race that I attempted during my university exchange program in Tokyo. Unlike typical relay races, Ekiden involves teams of runners covering marathon distances divided into stages. The most famous is the Hakone Ekiden, where university teams compete over two days covering 217.9 kilometers between Tokyo and Hakone. Each runner wears a tasuki - a narrow sash that serves as the baton - passed between teammates. The atmosphere during these events is electric, with entire communities lining the routes to cheer on participants. I remember struggling through my 10-kilometer leg, but the experience gave me profound respect for the discipline and teamwork required.
Eton Fives is another hidden gem that caught my attention during my visit to England's prestigious schools. This handball game played in a three-walled court dates back to the late 19th century. What makes it unique is the asymmetric court design featuring various obstacles and a small protruding block called the "pepper pot." Players wear padded gloves to hit the ball against the front wall, similar to squash but with bare hands. There are currently about 40 active Eton Fives courts worldwide, primarily in British schools and universities. The game requires incredible reflexes and spatial awareness - skills I found much more challenging to master than they appear.
Extreme Ironing might sound like a joke, but it's actually an official sport with international competitions. Participants take ironing boards to remote or dangerous locations and iron items of clothing. The Extreme Ironing Bureau, founded in 1999, has documented activities including underwater ironing at 30 meters depth and mountain-side ironing at elevations exceeding 3,000 meters. I tried this myself during a camping trip last summer, setting up my ironing board beside a waterfall. While my friends thought I'd lost my mind, there was something strangely satisfying about combining domestic chores with adventure sports.
Equestrian Vaulting represents one of the most beautiful sports I've ever witnessed. It combines gymnastics and dance on horseback, with competitors performing routines while the horse canters in a circle guided by a longeur. The horse maintains a consistent speed of about 15 kilometers per hour while vaulters execute stunning moves. During my visit to the German Vaulting Championships in 2021, I saw athletes performing handstands and pyramids on moving horses with what seemed like impossible grace. The sport demands incredible trust between human and horse, developed through years of training.
Elephanta Cricket is a variation I discovered in rural Sri Lanka, played with shorter boundaries and heavier bats. The game typically features 8-player teams and matches lasting about 4 hours. What fascinated me was the local innovation - using coconut tree trunks as stumps and handmade balls from rubber and cloth. The community tournaments I observed drew crowds of nearly 500 people, with passionate cheering that rivaled professional cricket matches.
Eskimo Roll Kayaking isn't just a survival technique but a competitive sport involving performing as many rolls as possible within time limits. The current world record stands at 1,003 rolls in one hour, achieved by American kayaker Mark Hamilton in 2018. I've been practicing kayaking for three years now, and I can barely manage five consecutive rolls before getting dizzy. The control required to maintain rhythm while upside down in water is phenomenal.
Earthball involves teams pushing a giant inflatable ball, typically 6 feet in diameter, across a field. The game originated in the 1970s and has seen resurgence recently, with organized tournaments in California drawing up to 30 teams. I participated in a local earthball match last spring, and the sheer physicality surprised me - it's like rugby but with a ball larger than the players themselves. The strategy involves entire teams pushing together while opponents try to redirect the massive sphere.
Endurance Riding tests horse and rider over distances of 80 to 160 kilometers across varied terrain. The sport requires incredible pacing strategy and veterinary checks throughout the race. I followed the Mongol Derby in 2022, considered the world's longest horse race at 1,000 kilometers, where only about 40% of starters typically finish. The bond between rider and horse in these events is unlike anything I've seen in other equestrian sports.
Eclipse Footbag might be the most accessible sport on this list, involving kicking small beanbags in choreographed sequences. What began as hacky sack has evolved into a competitive sport with international championships. The current world champion, Czech athlete Jan Weber, can perform over 200 consecutive kicks without the footbag touching the ground. I've been practicing during my lunch breaks and can barely reach 15 kicks, but it's incredibly satisfying to see gradual improvement.
These sports remind me why I fell in love with athletics in the first place - it's not just about competition but about human creativity and pushing boundaries. That tournament schedule I mentioned earlier, where fates would be decided after elimination phases, reflects how every sport contains stories of triumph and heartbreak. While mainstream sports dominate headlines, these E-sports offer unique communities and experiences that deserve recognition. Whether you're drawn to the elegance of equestrian vaulting or the absurd fun of extreme ironing, there's an E-sport waiting to capture your imagination, just as they've captured mine.