World Champions?

[antipodean]

The more perceptive of you may have noticed that my avatar has changed back to the emblem of the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, who this week became Rugby League World Club Champions by beating Leeds Rhinos 28-20. After celebrating wildly (I've been a fan since I was conceived), this event gave me pause for thought. Rugby League is sport played mainly in the Australian states of New South Wales and Queensland, the North Island of New Zealand, and Yorkshire, so the concept of a "world championship" is, to be blunt, rather silly. This lead me to thinking - which I find painful but do resort to on the odd occasion - how many other totally spurious "world champions" are there out there?

For instance, I've always wondered why the winners of the Baseball World Series are hailed as world champions when no team outside the US or Canada participates.....

Are the NFL super-bowl or AFL grand-final winners "world champs" by virtue of the fact their sports are only played at a professional level within their respective competitions?

Is there such thing as world championship for Thai kick-boxing? Sumo wrestling?

I invite everyone to nominate their candidate for most ludicrous "world championship" event.

[kiramdear]

Here's one that may be using the term a bit loosely:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Curl ... mpionships