What it takes to be a world champion toe wrestler

Lisa ‘Twinkle Toes’ Shenton is a world champ toe wrestler.

The English farmer has emerged victorious on the ‘toedium’ seven times in a sport that takes its toll on the whole body not just the toes, she says.

The 45-year old got into to wrestling when a colleague took her to a pub to watch a bout, she told RNZ’s First Up.

“I just was waiting there with several other people just drinking pints of beer and then my boss was like why don't you have a go you'd be really good at it you've got really strong legs, why don't you have a go? And I was like yeah why not? You know five pints in, it's a great idea."

Although she lost against the woman who went on to win that year it got her hooked, she says.

“I thought right next year I'm gonna come back and compete and I did, I didn't touch a drink - well that's a lie I did have one pint, but then I took it really serious and I won and then I took it from there really,” she says.

The sport is like arm wresting she says, competitors link big toes and aim to push their opponent’s foot to touch the board placed either side of the teodium.

“Your bottom has to be on the floor and then your non-competing foot has to be up in the air and your hands on the floor as well just behind you. So, it's a lot of core,” she says.

She’s been world champion seven times over the 18 years she’s been competing, with breaks for injuries and recuperation.

“I've had a couple of back operations and various injuries so I've had a few years where I've not competed or I have competed and I shouldn't have competed because I was waiting for a back operation.”

You need strength throughout the body to compete at top level, says Shenton, who lives in Stoke-on-Trent.

“The first time I did it I couldn't walk the next day and this year I pulled my forearm, so it's an all over body strength that you need, because you're keeping one leg in the air while you're pushing with the other… you're using all the inside of your leg, your thighs, your core muscle, your shoulders.”

Top toe wrestlers also suffer from broken toes and blisters, she says. Being a UK size four foot (size six in NZ), she found hooking onto her opponent's bigger toes quite a struggle, so she does toe yoga to ensure they are properly stretched.

This year she lost in the semi-final but is set on regaining her title.

“I don't want to sound like a sore loser, it wasn't my year this year there's a few controversial decisions which has only spurred me to get stronger, to get better and make sure people understand the game even more.”