AssetID: 53234243
Headline: RAW VIDEO: Britain Triumph In 'Litter Picking World Cup' In Japan
Caption: It’s been a lean year for British sport - with England’s women’s football team and men’s rugby team suffering heartbreak in their respective World Cups, and the men’s cricketers’ own world title defence collapsing in embarrassing circumstances. However, an intrepid trio of Brits have saved face - by triumphing at the inaugural litter-picking World Cup in Japan on Wednesday (22November2023). The famously tidy Japanese have turned clearing up rubbish into an international sport - dubbed ‘SpoGomi’. The British team, named The North will Rise Again, consisted of Alexander Winship, Jonathan Winship, and Sarah Parry. They beat competition from 20 other countries - including old rivals France, Germany, and Australia - to win the SpoGomi World Cup 2023. SpoGomi involves teams of three collecting litter with plastic tongs in a 5-square-kilometre area in Tokyo's bustling Shibuya district. Contestants have an hour to gather rubbish and a limited time to separate and weigh it. Points are awarded based on the type of litter, with burnable and non-burnable items earning 10 points per 100 grams. Cans and bottles are worth 12 points, and PET plastic bottles 25 points. Cigarette butts, deemed the most valuable, fetch 100 points per 100 grams.The sport’s rules forbid running, picking through litter bins, or shadowing other teams. The British team dominated from start to finish, collecting nearly 3,000 more points than the second-placed team from Japan. They accumulated 57kg of plastic bottles, cigarette butts and other items from the streets of Tokyo in total - way ahead of their nearest rivals - the home Japanese team. The feat bagged them the win and the coveted title of ‘Samurai litter pickers.’ There was a family feel to the British team, as Parry competed with her boyfriend, Alexander Winship and his brother, Jonathan. SpoGomi is a growing ‘sport’ - as 1,746 teams participated in heats worldwide - with the UK qualifier held in Hackney. The British team hope their success doesn’t just land them the accolade of world champions - but inspires a new generation of tidy Brits to look after our environment.
Keywords: litter picking,japan,world cup,sport,environment,tidy,offbeat,world champions,fun,uk,tokyo,photo,feature,video
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