Champion Crab Races Day

It's quite possible you've been to a stock car or horse race, but have you ever been to a crab race? Hermit crabs are the crustacean of choice for such competitions. According to one explanation of a typical crab race event, crabs compete in around 12 to 14 heat races, with the winner of each heat moving on to the championship race. Before a race, the crabs are clustered under an upside-down bowl that is at the center of a 6-foot diameter racing ring. The bowl is lifted and the crabs are off to the races, with the first one to cross outside of the ring being declared the winner. After the championship race, the owner of the winning crab receives an envelope of prize money.

One of the most prominent organizations involved with crab racing is the National Crab Racing Association (NCRA), which was started by Jim Morgan in 1979. They have been associated with today's holiday, but it is unclear if they started it. NCRA gets their hermit crabs from Florida Marine Research, the top importer of hermit crabs in the world. They put the crabs through a training program and the best ones go on to the crab racing circuit across the United States and in Canada. Each year one cab is given the Morgan Trophy—it is not known if this is handed out on Champion Crab Races Day.

How to Observe Champion Crab Races Day

The day could be celebrated by getting a hermit crab, becoming a crab racer, and hosting your own crab race. Picking up a book about hermit crabs might be a good idea, so you get a better understanding of the animal—you don't want to end up getting yourself pinched! You could also look for a crab race to attend today or on a future date. Perhaps you could make plans to attend the Great American Crabs Races or a race sponsored by the National Crab Racing Association.

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