RACING

A 'race' is a competition of speed. 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''.

Contents

Types of racing

Unassisted human racing

Cycle racing

Ski racing

Animal racing

Aircraft racing

Motorized racing (motorsport)

Boat racing

Other types

Etymology

See also

Types of racing

Unassisted human racing

Using only the human body's own muscles:

★ Running:

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★ Cross country running

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★ Marathon

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★ Road running

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★ Track running in Athletics

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★ Fell running

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★ Relay Race

★ Amateur Radio Direction Finding

★ Orienteering

★ Racewalking

★ Swimming

Cycle racing

Bicycle racing:

★ Track cycling, such as a Points race

★ Road bicycle racing, such as the Tour de France

★ Mountain (offroad) cycling

Ski racing

Skiing with skis, on snow:

★ Alpine skiing such as Slalom skiing or Downhill skiing

★ Cross-country skiing

Animal racing

Animals alone, or with human riders on the animal's back or in a conveyance:

★ Camel racing

★ Dog racing

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★ Greyhound racing

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★ Dogsled racing, such as the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race

★ Horse-racing, see also United Kingdom horse-racing and Equestrianism

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★ Chariot racing

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★ Flat racing

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★ Thoroughbred horse races, such as Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing or a Derby.

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★ Trotting

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★ Steeplechase

★ Pigeon racing

★ Pig racing

★ Ostrich racing

★ Snail racing

Aircraft racing

★ Air racing

Motorized racing (motorsport)

Machines powered by motors, on land:

★ Auto racing (also known as ''automobile racing'', ''motor racing'' or ''autosport'')

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★ Board track racing

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★ Drag racing

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★ Sand Drag Racing

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★ Dirt track racing

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★ Grand Prix motor racing

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★ Midget car racing

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★ Open wheel racing

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★ Champ Car

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★ Formula One, Formula Ford, GP2 Series (Replacement for Formula 3000)

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★ Indy Racing League

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★ A1 Grand Prix

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★ Offroad racing

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★ Production car racing

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★ Rally racing

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★ European Rallycross

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★ SCCA RallyCross

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★ Road racing

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★ Sports car racing

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★ Sprint car racing

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★ Stock car racing

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★ NASCAR

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★ Touring car racing

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★ Truck racing

★ Kart racing

★ Motorcycle racing

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★ Tarmac (aka Road Racing)

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★ Grand Prix motorcycle racing

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★ Pocketbike Racing

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★ Production Bike Racing

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★ Superbike racing

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★ Off road

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★ Motocross

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★ Supercross

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★ Beachcross

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★ Track Racing

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★ Flat Track

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★ Speedway

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★ Grasstrack (aka Long Track)

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★ 70% Tarmac 30% Off Road

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★ Supermoto

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★ Supermotard

★ Snowmobile racing ("land" = land or frozen lakes/rivers)

★ lawnmower racing

Boat racing

Boats on water:

★ 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.

Other types

Some races involve multiple modes of transport:

★ Adventure racing

★ Kinetic sculpture racing

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.

See also

★ Sport

★ Gambling

★ Totalisator

★ Pacemaker

★ Nuclear arms race

★ Space Race

★ Racing game

★ Surf lifesaving