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The Other Summer 2012 Olympics in London.

Published on July 25, 2012 by elissamichelezacher in Sports

The Chap Olympiad, held every year, is an alternative to those who prefer a life of more refinement and less extertion.

Cover of The Chap: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The-chap-48.jpg

I say, dear chap (and chapettes). In London at the start of July was held the Chap Olympics. An event hosted by the Chap Magazine, it is slowly growing in notoriety.

The Chap is a British publication that is 12 years old. Its premise is that life in the UK needs to return to a more dandified mode of dress and behaviour. This infers the wearing of tweed, brogues, moustaches and cravats for gentlemen and dresses styled like 1930-1950 for ladies as well as such actions as pipe smoking, drinking tea and G&Ts; protesting modern art and architecture, political correctness and corporate culture; upholding tradition; acting with courtesy and not taking oneself entirely seriously. Actors Stephen Fry and Joanna Lumley are celebrated “chaps”.

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The magazine hosts the Chap Olympiad in Bedford Square Gardens. The event is 6 years old and going strong. An “Olympic Pipe” it lit as part of the Opening Ceremony and passed around the competitors as the National Anthem, “God Save the Queen” is played by a brass band. The “athletes” parade holding martinis and after the Olympic Pipe is placed on the Olympic Pipe Rack, the games begin. The ten competitive events are selected in the days prior to the Olympiad and change slightly every year. The sought-after award is the Golden Cravat, although the Silver and Bronze are not to be sneezed at. The awards are not for winning but for “style”. Bowler Hats and Cucumber Medals are also awarded; the victors sashay around the square to show off their prizes.

The Sunday Times says the Chap Olympiad is one of the top summer events to attend in London.

The events include:

Three Trousered Limbo: pairs in said trousers, while calypso music plays, try to get under a lowering pole; points are deducted for glimpses of pants (that’s what Brits call underpants).

Cucumber Sandwich Discus

Moustache Wrestling

Pipe Smoker’s Relay

Yelling at Foreigners: obtaining “gentlemanly essentials”, such as kippers or a trouser press, from a shopkeeper who speaks little English.

Quill Throwing

Hop, Skip and G&T: leaping whilst holding one’s drink; deductions for spillage

Martini Knockout Relay: making one’s own drink

Umbrella Jousting: jousting on bicycles

Moving Hat Stand: tossing one’s trilby with panache onto a moving stand

Swooning

Bounders: behaving like a cad, the winner is the one who is slapped the loudest whilst maintaining a smile

The ladies competition is Dressage: ladies mounted on chaps wearing horse masks run an obstacle course