Extreme Ironing (also calledEI) is anextreme sport in which people takeironing boards to remote locations and iron items of clothing. According to the Extreme Ironing Bureau, extreme ironing is "the latest dangerous sport that combines the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well-pressed shirt."[1]
Part of the attraction and interest the media has shown towards extreme ironing seems to center on the issue of whether it is really a sport or not. It is widely considered to betongue-in-cheek.[2]
Some locations where such performances have taken place include amountainside of a difficultclimb; a forest; in acanoe; whileskiing orsnowboarding; on top of largebronze statues; in the middle of a street; underwater; in the middle of theM1 motorway;[3] in akeirin cycle race;[4] while parachuting;[5] and under the ice sheet of a frozen lake.[6] The performances have been conducted solo or by groups.
Extreme ironing was invented in 1997 inLeicester, England, by resident Phil Shaw in his back garden.[2] Shaw came home from what he recalls as a hard day in a Leicester knitwear factory.[7] Shaw had a number of chores to do, including ironing. Preferring the idea of an evening outrock climbing, he decided to combine the two activities into a new extreme sport. In June 1999, Shaw, who uses the nickname "Steam", embarked on an international tour to promote the activity. The stops included theUnited States,Fiji,New Zealand,Australia andSouth Africa. An encounter with German tourists inNew Zealand led to the formation of a group called "Extreme Ironing International", and the German Extreme Ironing Section or GEIS.[citation needed] This has yet to popularize in North America.
A more extreme form of extreme ironing has been developed that includes bungee jumping. Bungee ironing is what some would call the ultimate in the thrill of extreme ironing.[8]
The first competition for extreme ironing took place inGermany in 2002. Eighty teams competed in an obstacle course in which the competitors had to iron different articles of clothing in different dangerous settings. These settings included hanging from a tree, scaling a wall, and climbing under the hood of a car. A common misconception would be that competitors are scored only on how dangerous the location of their ironing is. But, the most significant part of scoring is actually how many wrinkles are left on the clothing and how the competitor chooses to iron the clothes. Competitors are scored for the quality of the pressing, style, and speed. Quality of the pressing counts for half of the points scored.
The sport gained international attention in 2003 after a documentary entitledExtreme Ironing: Pressing for Victory, was produced for Britain'sChannel 4 by Wag TV. The program followed the British team's efforts and eventual Bronze and Gold placings in the1st Extreme Ironing World Championships in Germany. A side-story looked at the rivalry between the EIB (Extreme Ironing Bureau) and a breakaway group called Urban Housework who were trying to establish their own extreme sport based around vacuum-cleaning. The film later aired on theNational Geographic Channel.[5]
In 2003, John Roberts and Ben Gibbons fromCheltenham,Gloucestershire[9] and Christopher Allan Jowsey (boots) from Newcastle,Whitley Bay[citation needed], ironed aUnion Jack just aboveEverest Base Camp. This is believed to be the world altitude record for the sport. The reported height was 5,440 metres (17,850 ft) above sea level.[9]
In 2003, theRowenta Trophy was won by a group fromSouth Africa by ironing across a gorge at the Wolfberg Cracks.[10]
In 2004, the EIB traveled to the US on the Rowenta Tour to recruit additional ironists and ironed atMount Rushmore,New York City,Boston andDevils Tower.[citation needed]
On 18 April 2011, tenor Jason Blair was filmed ironing on theM1 motorway in London, UK, a section of which had been closed following a fire.[11][12]
In 2012, Extreme Ironing pioneer Steam came out of retirement to take on a new challenge and run the Hastings Half Marathon in March wearing an ironing board, pressing garments on the way.[13]
In March 2008, a team of 72 divers simultaneously ironing underwater set a new world's record for number of people ironing underwater at once.[14]
On 10 January 2009, 128divers including sixfreedivers, attempted to break the previous world record, managing to confirm 86 divers ironing within a 10-minute period. The event took place at the National Diving and Activity Centre (NDAC) nearChepstow,Monmouthshire, and was organised by members of the Yorkshire Diversinternet forum. In addition to breaking the world record, the event raised over £15000 for theRoyal National Lifeboat Institution.[15][16]
On 1 May 2010, a group of Dive Centers inKey Largo, Florida, attempted to claim the record. The event was part of theConch Republic Days in the Florida Keys and was attempted by Keys Diver, Silent World Dive Center, and Captain Slates Atlantis Dive Center. The attempt took place at the historic site of theChrist of the Abyss at Key Largo Dry Rocks.[needs update]
On 28 March 2011, Dutch diving club De Waterman fromOss, Netherlands, set the new (official) world record extreme underwater ironing. A group of 173 divers set the new world record in an indoor swimming pool in Oss. De Waterman organized this event to mark their 40-year anniversary.[17]
On 16 June 2018, a freediver, Roland Piccoli, ironed a T-shirt at a depth of 42 m (138 ft) in the world's deepest pool (Y-40) in Montegrotto Terme Italy.[18]
Extreme Ironing has inspired other forms of unusual extreme activity, such asExtreme Cello Playing.[19]
The activity rose high enough in thezeitgeist to land an appearance on the long-running soap operaEastEnders. The 2 August 2004 episode featured a reference to the then-current altitude record holders the Hot Plate Brothers. As the party-lovingKat andZoe Slater are preparing to go out, they are invited to the launch party atAngie's Den where celebrities—including the brothers—are supposed to appear.
It is also mentioned inNetflix's showDino Girl Gauko Season 1, Episode 6.[20]
The idea, which combines the thrills of an extreme sport with the satisfaction of a well-pressed shirt, is thoroughly explained in this tongue-in-cheek manual...
That's because Phil is a star of Extreme Ironing (National Geographic, Saturday).
