There are a lot of dislocations and sprains at the finger wrestling championship

Men dressed in traditional clothing attempt to drag an opponent over a marked line on a table at the Fingerhackeln Championships in Bernbeuren, Germany, on Sunday Photo: Matthias Schrader/AP

Despite the threat of dislocated fingers and muscle strains, more than 150 Bavarians competed in the unique German national championship «Fingerhackeln» on Sunday.

Finger wrestlers met at a large beer tent in a small southern village Bernbeuren. Around 1,000 visitors greeted the all-male competitors as they gulped down their national beer and world-famous German sausages as live Bavarian music filled the air.

Finger wrestling is a famous sport in the Alpine region of Germany. and neighboring Austria, originated as a way to resolve disputes.

Popular tradition

Two participants sit on opposite sides of a solid table and each thread one finger (usually the middle one) through opposite sides of a small leather loop. . When the referee signals the start, the competitors try to quickly drag each other across the table. The contraction usually lasts several seconds, and the fingers often fall out of their sockets. The winner moves on to the next round.

“This tradition has been popular in beer gardens and pubs throughout the region for a very long time,” said Marie-Therese Eierstock, head of the Fingerhakler Gau Auerberg association. founded in 1961 and organized this year's championship.

Only men are allowed to participate. At Sunday's tournament, the youngest competitor was 15 and the oldest was 70, Ms. Ayerstock said.