Office Chair Racing Competition

The Office Chair Racing Competition is an entertaining event held in multiple countries, aiming to promote urban vitality, relieve stress for white-collar workers, or raise funds for charity, among other purposes. The following provides an introduction from three aspects: event format, origin and development, and unique events in different regions.

Event Format

• Participation Method: Participants compete by sliding on office chairs, with track lengths ranging from 30 meters to 200 meters. There are both individual races and relay races. For example, in the competition in Hasuda City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, approximately 170 participants were divided into 56 teams, with 3 people per team competing in a relay that lasted for 2 hours. In the competition on Jiaozi Financial Avenue in Chengdu, China, companies served as the units of participation, with each team consisting of 3 people (2 men and 1 woman) competing in a relay based on total time.
• Competition Rules: Rules vary by region. Okayama Prefecture in Japan stipulates that the office chairs used in the competition must be uniformly purchased and cannot be modified. The competition system includes a 30-meter straight-line preliminary and an 180-meter circular track final. The competition in Hasuda City, Saitama Prefecture, Japan, is conducted in two rounds. First, there is a preliminary round, and the winning teams compete for the chair gold award. The three participating players need to sit on office chairs, kick the ground with their feet, and move backward while taking turns to complete the 2-hour relay.
• Protective Measures: Participants are required to wear helmets and knee pads to ensure safety during the competition.

Origin and Development

The event originated in Bad Koenig-Zell in central Germany, aiming to raise funds for charity. Three office chair races have been held here. In 2009, Taharayoshi established the Ozsquare Japanese F1-style office chair racing competition in Japan, where the winner is determined by who runs the most laps within two hours. On June 29, Olten in Switzerland held an office chair racing competition, allowing participants to use their own modified office chairs. The first office chair racing competition in Chengdu, China, was held on Jiaozi Financial Avenue on June 17, adopting the format of a corporate team relay race.

Unique Events in Different Regions

• Japan: The event in Hasuda City, Saitama Prefecture, aims to promote urban vitality. The competition site is located in the central business district. On the day of the event, the roads around the venue are closed, and staff lay a dedicated track about 200 meters long one week in advance. The winning team from Kyoto ran a total of about 25 kilometers in 2 hours and received 90 kilograms of locally produced rice from Yamagata Prefecture.
• Germany: The office chair race in Bad Koenig-Zell in central Germany aims to raise funds for charity. The competition formats are diverse, including individual races and team relays.
• Switzerland: The event in Olten allows participants to use their own modified office chairs, adding more creativity and personalization to the competition.