LONDON (REUTERS) - Ready, set, chug! Dozens of the world's leading "Beer Milers" travelled to north London for the first ever intercontinental drinking race, called the Beer Mile World Classic.

Competitors have to drink one beer before running each of the fours laps, totalling 1.6km.

"Basic rule is you need four beers. They must be minimum 5% alcohol, they have to be 355 ml, or 12 ounces. They can be out of a can or out of a bottle. And at the start of every lap, you start with chugging a beer. When you're finished, you throw it to the side or pour it over your head to show that it's done and continue on," said race organiser Corey Gallagher.

Canadian Corey Bellemore won the Men's Elite Race setting a New Beer Mile World Record time of 4:34:35. He drank his beer in just 8 seconds on some laps.

"Just tried to chug the beers as quick as I could, hold them down," Mr Bellemore said.

The Beer Mile is one of the most popular sub-cultures of extreme sports known as "digestive athletics", with thousands of registered competitors worldwide.