Racing
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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A race is a competition of speed, against an objective criterion, usually a clock or to a specific point. The competitors in a race try to complete a given task in the shortest amount of time. Typically this involves traversing some distance, but it can be any other task involving speed.
Running a distance is the most basic form of racing, but races are often conducted in vehicles, such as boats, cars and aircraft, or with animals such as horses.
A race may be run continuously from start to finish or may be made of several segments called heats or stages (stages are also known as legs). A heat is usually run over the same course at different times. A stage is a shorter section of a much longer course or a time trial.
Early records of races are evident on pottery from ancient Greece, which depicted running men vying for first place. A chariot race is described in Homer's Iliad.
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[edit] Types of racing
[edit] Unassisted human racing
Using only the human body's own muscles:
[edit] Cycle racing
- Track cycling, such as a Points race
- Road bicycle racing, such as the Tour de France
- Mountain (offroad) cycling
- BMX (Bicycle Motocross)
[edit] Ski racing
[edit] Animal racing
Animals alone, or with human riders on the animal's back or in a conveyance:
- Camel racing
- Dog racing
- Greyhound racing
- Dogsled racing, such as the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
- Horse-racing, see also United Kingdom horse-racing and Equestrianism
- Pigeon racing
- Pig racing
- Ostrich racing
- Snail racing
[edit] Aircraft racing
[edit] Motor racing
Vehicles powered by motors, on land:
- Auto racing (also known as automobile racing or autosport)
- Kart racing
- Lawnmower racing
- Motorcycle racing
- Grand Prix motorcycle racing
- Pocketbike racing
- Production Bike Racing
- Superbike racing
- Track racing
- Flat Track
- Speedway
- Grasstrack (aka Long Track)
- Motocross
- Supercross
- Beachcross
- Supermoto (aka Supermotard)
- All-terrain vehicle
- Snowmobile racing
[edit] Boat racing
- Drag boat racing
- Dragon boat racing
- Hydroplane racing
- Jet sprint boat racing
- Offshore powerboat racing
- Outrigger Canoe racing
- Rowing
- Sailing or yacht racing also match race such as America's Cup races or team racing.
[edit] Other types
Some races involve multiple modes of transport:
[edit] Etymology
The word race comes from a Viking word. This Viking word arrived in France during the invading of Normandy and gave the word raz which means "swift water" in Brittany, as in a mill race; it can be found in "Pointe du Raz" (the most western point of France, in Brittany), and "raz-de-marée" (tsunami).
A race and its name are often associated with the place of origin, the means of transport and the distance of the race. As a couple of examples, see the Dakar Rally or the Athens marathon.
