Sock the Competition

While sock knitting is usually an event reserved for relaxation and gift preparation, the town of Rasskazovo (Tambov region) decided to raise the stakes and turn the peaceful activity into a national competition. 

Sixty-six knitters from thirty-three different regions of Russia competed in the challenge. Competitors came from all different walks of life: pensioners to school children, librarians to athletes, tax workers, museum workers, housewives, and servicemen. 

There were three different rounds in the competition: an introduction round, a speed-knitting round, and a freestyle round. The winner of the completion was Tatyana Porokhova from St. Petersburg, who knitted a set of socks with children's storybook characters on them. The runner-up, Galina Polugyaeva, knitted a set of socks themed with the different animals from the zodiac signs.

Other notable awards included "The Most Unusual Sock" which was given to an enormous sock, fittingly titled "A Sock for a Giant." The winner of the video competition discussed the process of creating a knitted Coronavirus cell costume. 

Overall, what really knocked the socks off the judges was just the sheer amount of creativity that the Russian people presented in the competition.