Streakers

Streaking may not be an entirely British phenomenon, but we have certainly got it down to a fine art.

Nowadays streaking is a fairly common occurrence and rarely does a major sporting event go by without the minor disruption of a display of nakedness. Wimbledon, The Ashes, Royal Ascot, and the Snooker Championships have all experienced their fair share of attention-seeking, flesh-bearing individuals, much to the amusement of sport fans and players alike.

The first reported streaker at a major sporting event was in 1974, at Twickenham during an England vs France rugby union game.

Mark Roberts is Britain’s most prolific streaker, taking his naked exploits worldwide.

Calling himself ‘The Streaker’, his now infamous bare-faced cheeks have graced the international fields of the Superbowl, the European Synchronised Swimming championships and the UEFA Cup Final to name but a few.

He cites his most recent display at last year’s Turner Prize presentation as a ‘pinnacle’ in his history of ‘performance’, for which he was recently cleared of disorderly conduct following a trial.

But beware, those with any naked intent at this year’s London Olympic Games risk a severe fine of £20K should they be caught.

It’s a very curious national obsession, but who doesn’t raise a smile when a streaker provides some light-hearted relief to the action!

Image credit: Flickr; Rob Young