Yes, you read that right — the first-ever live sperm race has officially taken place, and 20-year-old Tristan Milker of USC has claimed the win in this truly one-of-a-kind showdown held in Los Angeles on 25 April.
Racing against 19-year-old UCLA student Asher Proeger, Milker’s victory unfolded in front of a live audience at LA Centre Studios and was also streamed online. This wildly unconventional event was the brainchild of 17-year-old Eric Zhu, who says he set out to “change the sperm paradigm” by turning sperm health into a spectator sport.
“It’s so, so stupid,” Zhu said before the event, “but it just might work.”
A Crowd-Pulling Phenomenon
Tickets for the event — yes, people paid to watch sperm race — sold out within 48 hours, forcing organisers to switch venues. Despite the change, demand only grew, with a waiting list that ballooned to over 900 hopeful spectators.
Doors opened at 6pm on Friday (local time), with the main event preceded by an “undercard” sperm race between influencers Noah Boat and Jimmy Zhang at 8.15pm. By 10.05pm, the spotlight was on Tristan and Asher, following a press conference and a weigh-in (though thankfully, not for the sperm).
To top off the night, Ty Dolla $ign performed at half-time, DJ’d by Westside V — because why not?
How the Race Worked
Forget go-karts or Formula 1. In this microscopic race, two sperm samples swam a 20cm drag track modelled after the female reproductive system. The course, built on a microfluidic channel on a microscope slide, was fitted with chemical cues, synchronised starts, and fluid dynamics to replicate natural sperm navigation.
High-res cameras tracked each sperm’s progress using imaging software and displayed the action — stats, leaderboards, and instant replays included — on big screens for the crowd.
As for how sperm swim, it turns out they’re a lot more versatile than most people think: they can spin, slither, and glide, reaching speeds of up to 28mph in optimal conditions, all in pursuit of one goal — the egg.
The race winner? The sperm that reached the finish line first, verified using advanced imaging tech. Milker’s swimmers came out on top.
The Brains Behind It All
Zhu conceived the idea while talking with friends about sperm health — a topic, he said, that’s rarely discussed openly in a health-focused context. “Wouldn’t it be kinda sick to race sperm?” he thought.
With three partners — Nick Small, Shane Fan, and Garret Niconienko — Zhu founded Sperm Racing, a start-up backed by $1.5 million in funding from crypto investors, gambling firms, and venture capitalists. According to Zhu, “someone wired us $360,000 without signing any contracts whatsoever.”
A Bigger Purpose
While the event might seem outlandish, its aim was serious: raising awareness about declining male fertility. Sperm counts worldwide have halved in the past 50 years, with no signs of stabilising. A 2017 global study found that sperm concentration among men in Western countries dropped by 52.4% between 1973 and 2011. Total sperm count fell by 59.3%.
Though not the sole measure of fertility, sperm health is increasingly seen as a vital indicator of overall health. Factors like stress, obesity, and environmental toxins may play a role.
As Zhu put it, “If you look at cigarettes, 50 years ago, no one was talking about [the negative health effects].”
Now, thanks to a high-energy, meme-worthy night of racing, sperm health might finally be having its moment in the spotlight.
