What the Hell Is Extreme Ironing?

How do you deal with the mundane atrocities of household chores like ironing? Ironing albeit humdrum, is essential and unavoidable. To spruce things up, a Leicester man metamorphosed the boredom of ironing into the thrills of an extreme sport.

Ironing on the cliffs, below and beyond

Extreme ironing involves ironing at extreme locations like over the cliff of a mountain, in the air or under the sea and getting pictures clicked. It is an unconventional blend of sports and performance arts. An iron board is carried on the back, all through the adventure (climbing, kayaking, hiking, racing, etc.). Commercially available irons are used for Extreme Ironing. In cases when these irons can’t be used; cordless irons or hot plate heated with auxiliary structures such as a gas cooker are used.

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Glimpse at the history

Legend has it that Phil Shaw from Leicester returned home one afternoon to a crumpled pile of clothes. Thinking he would rather rock climb than iron clothes, Phil combined the two. Later in 1999, he went for an International tour to promote the activity and met German backpackers who immediately took to the idea. That’s how a sister organisation was launched in Germany. Australia, Croatia, Iceland, America and others followed suit. The first and only Extreme Ironing World Championship was held in Munich, Germany in 2002. 80 teams from ten countries competed on an obstacle course arrayed in the shape of an iron, pressing boxer shorts and blouses while scaling a climbing wall, hanging from a moss covered tree branch and squeezing under the hood of a car.

Extreme Ironing in 2018

While there haven’t been any follow up World Championships, this extreme sport hasn’t lost its spark. Ironists continue to attempt Extreme Ironing even today. The latest feat in the sport has been achieved by a freediver who ironed a T-shirt at a depth of 42 meters in the world’s deepest pool in Montegrotto Terme, Italy.

For those intrigued by this outrageous household chore and would want to know more; there is a documentary titled Extreme Ironing: Pressing for Victory and a book Extreme Ironing authored by Phil Shaw. And internet is flooded with images and videos.

From the October 2018 issue of FHM India.