Racing Through History Trivia Quiz

Answer: Greyhound

This attempt to race greyhounds on a straight track failed miserably. In 1921, the invention of the mechanical hare made racing on an oval track possible and the sport of greyhound racing was born. The first professional dog-racing track, complete with audience stands, was opened in Emeryville, California. By 1926, it had made its way to Britain, where the first race was held at Manchester's Belle Vue Stadium.

Answer: Steamboat

In 1956, a London lawyer named Bernard Morgan conceived the idea of a race between 20 of the worlds remaining large sailing ships. At the time, he did not realize how popular this race would become. The 50th anniversary race occurred in 2006 and was attended by Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh, who had participated in the very first race. Over the years, the courses have changed and now draw millions of fans and hundreds of ships.

The definition of a "tall ship" is a traditionally rigged sailing vessel. You could expect to see all of the options except a steamboat, which does not have sails.

Answer: Rouen

This 76 mile (122km) race from Paris to Rouen had sixty-nine entrants. In many ways it was an attempt to popularise the horseless carriage that was so new and somewhat controversial. The winning car took almost seven hours to get to the finish line and was then promptly disqualified because it was steam powered and required a stoker. Automobile racing has come a long way since its humble beginnings.

Answer: Africa

Racing ostrich is a long-standing practice in many parts of Africa. Special riding gear is made for the ostrich, including bits, saddles and reins. There is even buggy racing using the ostrich. These animals are notoriously hard to ride and it is a dangerous sport. It has recently spread to North America, where it can be seen every year at Ostrich Festival in Chandler, Arizona.

Answer: True

This .75 mile (1,200m) race took place at the Parc de Saint-Cloud in Paris. The original wooden bicycle complete with its iron tires can be seen at the Ely Museum in Cambridgeshire, England. Cycling has come a long way and new materials are used to build both the bike frame and the tires. Cycling is one of the most popular sports in Europe and some form of cycling has been in every one of the modern Olympic games.

Answer: Harness racing

A sulky is a two-wheeled cart that is ridden by a driver in harness racing. Standardbreds are usually the horse of choice in this dangerous variation of horse racing. This sport is popular all over Europe, Australia, New Zealand and North America. Depending on the country, there are minor race variations concerning the length of the race, the weight of the sulky, and the use of a whip.

The Prix d'Amerique is usually considered to be the most prestigious harness racing event. It is held yearly, in the month of January, at the Vincennes hippodrome in Paris, France. First held in 1920 this wonderful racing event brings in many thousands of visitors and millions of Euros.

Answer: Balloon racing

The Gordon Bennett Cup is the world's oldest and most prestigious event in hot-air or gas ballooning. The location of the race is held in an appropriate location in the country of the previous winner. The idea of this race differs from many other forms of racing in that the object is to be the team that is able to fly the farthest away from the launch site before setting back on the ground.

In 1995 a German team managed to stay aloft for over 92 hours after taking off from Switzerland and landing in Latvia.

In 2005, the Belgian team set a distance record when they piloted their balloon 2,100 miles (3,400 km) from Albuquerque, New Mexico all the way to Squatec, Quebec, Canada before touching down.

Answer: Hong Kong

Dragon-boat racing is an ancient Chinese form of boat racing, with some of the most spectacular and flamboyant races taking place in Hong Kong harbour. A dragon-boat is a human-powered teak-wood boat that look somewhat like long elaborate canoes. These paddling races have taken place for centuries and are often parts of certain festivals such as the Duanwu Fesival or the Duen Ng observance. One aspect of these races is the veneration of the dragon, which holds such an important place in east Asian cultures.

Answer: Foot race

While it might be kind of hard to believe, this 3,100 mile (4,989 km) race is a footrace. Called an "ultra-marathon" this multi-day race takes place in Queens, New York. First started in 1985, with a distance of 1,000 miles, it has grown not only in length but in the number of participants. Runners average about 60 miles a day and must finish within 51 days.

Answer: True

The Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash was an unofficial and possibly illegal coast-to-coast race that occurred four times in the 1970s. With a variety of starting points on the north-eastern coast of the U.S. and ending in Redondo Beach, California, this was not a high speed race.

It was, in part, a protest against the newly enacted national speed limit laws. There was no set course and each driver was free to choose the course that he thought would get him to the Pacific coast the quickest.

The race took place on public roads and speed limits were undoubtedly broken.