The teams fight in 'Redneck Olympics'

Take the wild, untamed and disrespectful tendencies of Florida and his people, mix them in a glass and imagine the result. The answer is the Florida Man Games, an event inspired by Whacky headlines and Sunshine State Shenanigans who returned on Saturday for their second year.

Thousands of patrons of all ages, many with shirts of the American flag, tank tops, cowboy boots or flip -flops, entered St. John's fairgrounds to grant a sunny day full of celebrations. Teams that represent Florida, represented by Panhandle to Fort Myers, carried in competitions with the slip of hurricane supplements in the grocery business and navigated an obstacle course while withdrawing the police.

The day started seriously with a challenge “Eat the Butt”, in which the competitors tried to dial a plate with pork pistons as soon as possible. Around the same time, two Wild Card teams were selected from the crowd, including one with participants in Orlando.

Kristin wants to travel for the games with a group of friends from destin and wore matching shirts with the inscription “Florida: America's sea bodies”. She was selected with two of her friends to compete with the Tampa waste pandas.

“It's like the Redneck Olympic Games Florida Edition,” she said. “We love it … everyone is only here to have fun. There are no fights. We welcome the police and the MPs who are here. They are just good, old -fashioned adults who have fun. “

The first competition, the weapon pool-no-duel, began with the first purely female team at Florida Man Games, the Gainesville Ball Busters, which was exposed to the Tampa Trash Pandas. Sermons of two participants took a pool and tried to push each other from their feet with sticks with pads at both ends. This soon followed by Human Beer Pong, in which the teams tried to sit down each other while they were wearing inflatable bubbles called Knockerball.

Other events and shows that did not have to do with the actual “playing” such as Lawnmower Racing, a Hellzapoppin -Freeak -Show and a few games from the Midget -Wrestling warriors to break up the day and keep the audience going.

Tristin Whettine von St. Augustine was chosen by chance to take part in the unconventional breed that contained a comment by Nascar driver Jeffrey Earnhardt.

“We were so excited to see another racing driver who turned his engine. Another man came up and loved our enthusiasm and asked me if I wanted to drive, ”he said. “He found the right guy because I have a landscape building business. He also selected my brother. “

On the festival site, the guests of Barbecue stormed food sellers, tried an obstacle course for Ninja Nation, attended an alligator from Gatorland or did a chance with a mechanical gator ride.

The Hanky ​​Spanky team from St. Augustine, the reigning champion of the first games in Florida Man, found himself after the first two events and placed it somewhere in the middle of the ranking.

While team member Larry Donnelly said that he was upset about the placement of the group, he remembered the spirit of the games and the widespread attention of the media that came from the event of the past year and attracted global attention.

“We are here to have fun with friends. The turnout is good, the venue is really nice. Pet [Melfi] Has done a lot, ”he said, referring to the founder of the event. “I carried out interviews with men in London. We were in the news in Australia. “

When the afternoon continued, Hanky ​​Spanky's luck seemed to turn, starting with the “Florida Sumo Cage Match and Beer Chug”. The greatest member of the team, Justin Carter, defeated the Cooter commands from Interness.

At all the events, the audience enjoyed comments and interviews after the game after the Canadian stand-up comedian Che Durena and in Florida Social Media Stars Omgiatwicks, Kevin Flynn, the man behind @floridaman Instagram and Mike Busey, the owner of the central floridas sausage castle.

The competitors of the Hurricane Party Prep: The competitors were commissioned to the Hurricane Party Prep: Corrocery Gang Brawl.

During the first matchup, the event was interrupted by a real man from Florida, who hurried the field and grabbed stocks to confuse confusion from the nearby spectators and Pete Melfi, the founder of the event. In true florid way, it was soon led away by the deputies of the sheriff.

The last competition, which seemed to grasp the most fascinating, was the extended obstacle course for arrests, even though it arrived behind the schedule for an hour and a half. The competitors had to navigate hurdles and slide down a tarpaulin covered with baby oil on a mattress before stealing a catalyst and then tried to escape the actual police officers.

After the points had been rated, the ranking showed that Hanky ​​Spanky was taken first with the Orlando Slimeballz, followed by the amphetamines of St. Augustine Beach. A “Florida Woman” bonus challenge, which was previously skipped a day, was the decisive factor for the games won.

Three members of each team worked with a spinning to strike a mannequin with water balloons. Donnelly's wife, Kristy, fired the winning shot and secured Hanky ​​Spank's victory and 5,000 US dollars to be divided into team members.

“We locked ourselves up, we grin it and are heavily planned. I am so proud of all my boys here and my wife. It's great, ”said Larry Donnelly. “It is quite a event and a long day. We have enforced. We waited all year round. “

Find me @pconnpie on Instagram or send me an e -mail: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com.

Originally published: March 2, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. EST