Mixed Sports Medley Trivia Quiz

Answer: Germany

The harsh terms that the Treaty of Versailles imposed on Germany following that country's defeat in World War I ironically led to Germany developing and manufacturing state-of-the-art gliders. This was because the treaty imposed very stringent guidelines on Germany's manufacture of powered heavier than air machines. So while the rest of the world concentrated on developing powered craft, the Germans powered ahead with developing gliders.

Gliding, which is also known as soaring, is the skill of directing completely unpowered aircraft by using currents of air to stay aloft for as long as desired. Gliders are usually launched initially though by being towed up to the heavens by a powered craft and then released when the desired height has been reached. How serene and quiet it must be to be floating through the skies after that disconnection. Skilled pilots are known for staying up there like birds for over 1,000 kilometres. Quite amazing.

Answer: Stop shooting immediately

Archery has the ability to be extremely dangerous unless specific guidelines are followed. The order of "Fast!" means all archers must stop shooting immediately and return all arrows to their quivers. It is given whenever a very dangerous situation has unexpectedly arisen.

Answer: Birdie

Shuttlecocks, also known as shuttles, birds or birdies, have a conical shape noted for their high drag resistance when struck firmly by the badminton bat. Each individual shuttlecock has to be tested to make sure it delivers the correct speed, particularly so for professional tournaments.

This test involves hitting the shuttle straight over the centre of the net at an upward angle from the back boundary of the court. If the shuttle or birdie is correctly manufactured, it will land between 530-990 mm of the back boundary line at the other end of the court.

Answer: One spin or turn of the wheels only between dribbles or shots

A wheelchair basketball player may only touch the wheels on either side of their chair once after receiving or dribbling the basketball. Any more than that is known, as with able-bodied basketball, as travelling, and occurs the appropriate penalty. Touching those wheels of course usually means giving them a hearty push or spin.

The hands must then return to the ball to either pass it, bounce it, or have a shot at the hoop. It's a very exciting sport to watch and pretty dangerous to play.

Answer: The safe areas for batsmen around the wickets

A cricket pitch is marked out with various lines. The lines painted around the two wicket ends of the pitch are known as the creases. The player currently batting plays from what is known as the popping crease. The other end of the pitch is known as the bowling crease.

When making runs, the player currently in bat has to reach the popping crease with either part of his body or his bat, to be safe back in his ground. Otherwise, he risks the fielded ball that he has hit somewhere on the grounds being thrown back and hitting his wicket before he makes it there. That being the case, he's declared out by the unsympathetic umpire.

Answer: Snurfing

Snurfing was invented in Michigan 1965 by Sherman Poppen. An engineer by trade, this creative man, in order to teach his young daughter to snow ski, glued two water skis together, so he could either stand on this with her or attach a rope to the back and control it from above.

The idea took off like wildfire, and over the next ten years more than one million of these snurfers, as they were dubbed, were sold in order for people to take part in snurfing competitions everywhere. By 1977, updated and modified many times, those snurfers had evolved, both in shape and name, to the snowboards we know them as today.

Answer: Leaning right out facing away from the cliff face

Abseiling does have the ability to be very dangerous, but if all safety checks are adhered to, this danger is greatly minimised. There are several different methods to this sport, most of which are quite safe. Well, relatively speaking, that is. However, then we have the Down Under method.

The rest of the world seems to believe at times, given our geographical position, that Australians get around upside down. Abseiling, with one's back to the cliff or wall face, while leaning right out and looking downwards, would seem to endorse this belief.

The reason this style was invented was that a soldier could hold a weapon and shoot it if necessary at an enemy below. Let go of the rope to fire a weapon? Join the navy instead.

Answer: Ireland

I've never heard of it, have you? Yet it's a sport, invented in Ireland by a retired champion cyclist, that's been with us since 1891. With much the same rules as ordinary polo, cycle polo is played, of course, on pushbikes. Today it's played all over the world in various countries, and has even made its way into international competitions as well.

Answer: The Greco style forbids holds below the waist

Both styles of wrestling are presented in the Olympics as well as elsewhere, but Greco-Roman specifically bans holds below the waist. Particular emphasis is placed on throws instead, but arm drags, bear hugs and headlocks are also permitted. This specific rule, however, does make pinning an opponent's shoulders to the mat rather more demanding than in freestyle wrestling.

An interesting fact associated with Greco-Roman wrestling is that a handkerchief (called a bloodrag) must be carried by the opponents in their singlets. If an injury occurs that causes bleeding, that handkerchief must be used, not on the wrestler so injured, but to clean up the mat instead!

Answer: Darts

Axe throwing, which originated in lumberjack competitions, is a popular sport in Canada, the USA and the UK in particular. The reason for the comparison with darts is the relative size and pattern of the targets and the similar method of scoring points based on the placement of the implement.

This dangerous sport has two rules in particular that must be adhered to at all times. The first is that the area behind the target must be kept clear at all times (hear, hear!), and the second is that there must always be a first aid kit and trained medical personnel on hand during all competitions. Oh dear, that doesn't sound too good.