Cockroach Racing

Brisbane, Australia
An Australia Day Celebration
Localization
Only in Australia would they celebrate their national
holiday by racing cockroaches.

On a day when most countries would be flag raising,

parading the streets and celebrating their nationhood
Australians head to the pub for some serious
cockroach action.

A sport that has become a bit of a tradition.

Cockroach Racing is
a popular event that
occurs every year in
Brisbane, Australia.
They occur on
Australia Day – the
26th of January each
year.  Australia Day is
the national holiday
which commemorates
the day where white
settlers first came to
Australia, on January
26, 1788.

At the Story Bridge Hotel in Brisbane

they've been racing the insects
every hot summery January 26 for
the past 21 years.
History of the races

As the story goes the Story Bridge Hotel Cockroach

Races were started when two old punters sat in the bar
arguing over which suburb had the biggest and fastest
roaches.
They decided to race some roaches the next day and
history was made.
The races have now been held at the Story Bridge
Hotel for 28 years...with this years event being the
29th...
Now described as "the greatest gathering of
thoroughbred cockroaches in the known universe" the
event has not come of age that much.
There's a bit of sponsorship, TV cameras,
microphones and live bands but much of the tradition
has remained the same.
Race Rules

Racing is simple....

….the races are held in a circular track and roaches are

then let go from an upturned bucket in the
middle...first to the edge is a winner.

Things are made a little more difficult in the

steeplechase events where a circular fence (garden
hose) is used to enhance the spectacle and test the
roach talent.
The winners in last years:
- Soft Cocky
- Cocky Balboa
- Cocky Dundee
- Drain Lover
- Priscilla-Queen of the Drains.
Miss Cocky Competition
More than a beauty competition, 'Miss Cocky' is all
about poise and sophistication... the winner is to be a
true ambassador of Cockroach racing for the year to
come.

Kissing the
winning roach
is also not out
of the
question......
The end…