World’s first sperm race to take place before live audience of 1,000
It is the Ksh129 million event that will draw thousands of spectators and plenty of betting slips.
But rather than heavyweight boxers or expensive racehorses battling it out, two sperm samples will go head-to-head on a microscopic racetrack.
The ‘world first’ organised race between sperm, which measure around 0.05 millimetres long, is set to take place at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles next week.
The startup behind the idea, Sperm Racing, has designed a racetrack that mimics the reproductive system, copying ‘chemical symbols, fluid dynamics and synchronised starts’.
Viewers will be able to watch the sperm’s movement through high-resolution cameras, and the ‘winner’ will be the first sperm to cross the finish line.
Declining male fertility
While the event will undoubtedly raise a few eyebrows, its founders argue there is an important message behind it – that of declining fertility.
‘Sperm racing isn’t just a joke,’ Eric Zhu, one of the startup’s founders, wrote in its manifesto.
‘It’s not just some viral idea for the internet to laugh at. It’s something much bigger.
‘Male fertility is declining…a lot. It’s happening quietly, steadily, and nobody’s really talking about it. And sperm motility – how fast your sperm moves – turns out to be a massive factor in fertility.
‘It’s measurable, trackable, and just like running a race or lifting a weight, it’s something you can actually improve. But no one’s turned it into something people care about.
‘So, we did.’
The race will involve ‘two competitors, two samples and one microscopic finish line’.
The race will take part over a 200-millimetre distance – the equivalent of 20cm, or around two-thirds of a standard ruler.
Similar to Premier League football games, the event will be live-streamed complete with stats, leaderboards and instant replays.
There will also be ‘play-by-play’ commentary during the ‘weirdest, most entertaining event you’ve ever seen’.
‘Sperm racing isn’t just about racing sperm,’ the website reads. ‘It’s about turning health into a competition.
‘It’s about making male fertility something people actually want to talk about, track and improve.
‘Health is a race, and everyone deserves a shot at the starting line.’
A million dollars
According to Traded, an online outlet that publishes news about venture capital and other investments, the startup recently raised $1 million (£755,000) for its sperm race.
Sperm swim at an average speed of 5 millimetres per minute and reach the egg within 15 to 45 minutes of ejaculation.
If the sperm swim in a relatively straight line, the race could be expected to last around 40 minutes.
A healthy adult male typically releases between 40 and 300 million sperm per ejaculation, with an average of around 200 million.
It is estimated that around 7 per cent of men in the UK are affected by infertility, and half of fertility problems within a heterosexual couple are due to the man.
Male infertility can have various causes, including low sperm count, poor sperm motility and structural issues. In around half of male infertility cases, the cause is unexplained.
Treatment options range from lifestyle changes and medications to surgery and assisted reproductive technologies.
Lifestyle changes could include quitting smoking, limiting alcohol consumption and maintaining a healthy weight.
