Turkish oil wrestlers get to grips with each other
Some 2,200 oil wrestlers began fighting bouts at a stadium in the northwestern Turkish city of Edirne today, competing to win a golden belt in a contest dating back to the 14th Century.
Organisers said a record number of wrestlers were taking part in the annual Kirkpinar tournament, in which participants don leather trousers and pour olive oil over their bodies before competing in a grassy field.
Among those challenging for the golden belt and a winner's prize of 50,000 lira ($14,000) was Umit Kinali, 32, a bodyguard from Bodrum in southwest Turkey.
'My grandfather was an oil wrestler and I want to continue our family tradition,' said Kinali. 'Wrestling is fun,' he added, before competing in a bout.
Sixty wrestlers will f ight their way through qualifying to compete on Sunday in the final of the 656th edition of the annual contest in Edirne, near the border with Greece and Bulgaria.
The stands in the 25,000-seated Sarayici stadium were sparsely filled on Friday, but were expected to be full on the final day of a contest which the festival's official website describes as the world's longest continuously held sporting event, launched in 1357.
Wrestlers' divisions are not set by weight alone, as is the way the sport is categorised in other countries. Pairs are chosen by judges who consider size, age and track record - which means that people can often end up battling opponents of with completely different physiques.
Oil wrestling is the national sport of Turkey and is also practiced in parts of northern Greece.
Going for gold: Some 2,200 oil wrestlers began fighting bouts at a stadium in the northwestern Turkish city of Edirne today, competing to win a golden belt in a contest dating back to the 14th Century
Oliing up: Organisers said a record number of wrestlers were taking part in the annual Kirkpinar tournament, in which participants don leather trousers and pour olive oil over their bodies before competing in a grassy field
Crunch time:Â This is the bizarre sport of oil wrestling, which dates back thousands of years to the city of Babylon but is still practiced in northern Greece and is the national sport of Turkey.Â
Luck of the drawer: Unlike boxing, divisions in oil wrestling do not take into account weight, age and track record - meaning there is often little similarity in physiques between the competitors. Here a 17st wrestler takes on his 6st opponent
Job done: The heavier participant easily came out on top in his bout with a somewhat scrawny opponent
Definite winner: Berke Horuz wins his bout against a motionless Caner Garip
Free reign: The wrestlers are allowed to roam around as the fight takes them, and are typically followed by a referee
Aiming high: Young wrestlers look on as others compete against each other during the 656th annual Kirkpinar festival
Ambitious: Sixty wrestlers will fight their way through qualifying to compete on Sunday in the final of the 656th edition of the annual contest in Edirne, near the border with Greece and Bulgaria
Cooling off: Men oil themselves up before trying to place each other in a hold. Because they are greased up, the easiest way to do this is by getting your hand down their trousers. This wrestler took a moment to cool off under a fountain in today's heat
Worth the wait:Â The stands in the 25,000-seated Sarayici stadium were sparsely filled today but are expected to be full on the final day of the contest, described as the world's longest continuously held sporting event, launched in 1357
 Grappling youths: Two sets of oily young hopefuls fought side by side in the sun today under the eyes of a referee
Challenging for the belt and a winner's prize of 50,000 lira ($14,000) was Umit Kinali (pictured), 32, a bodyguard from Bodrum in southwest Turkey. He said: 'My grandfather was an oil wrestler and I want to continue our family tradition'
Fair and square: A young wrestler consoles his opponent after their match. Fights take place simultaneously in a large field, and unlike most combat sports there is no set field or arena
Looking on:Â The stands in the 25,000-seated Sarayici stadium were sparsely filled but are expected to be full on the final day
Berke Horuz wins: There are few official rules in the sport, which relies largely on an unspoken code of conduct
Metal studs across the back of the kisbet trousers are used to denote the fighter's gym, or since professional training operations are rare, more commonly features the name of their hometown
Competitions are typically held once per year, in summer, and draw crowds in their thousands to watch
Psyching themselves up:Â Teen wrestlers rest before their match
Traditional Zurna players perform at the festivities in the city in northwestern Turkey
Resting up: A youngster takes some time out as he waits for his next boutÂ
Oil wrestling is believed to be the closest to ancient Greek wrestling in style. It mainly differs because of the kisbet, which is thought to have been first used as a modesty covering for Muslim competitiors in Turkey. The Greeks would have competed naked, as they did in all sports
Unlike Greco-Roman wrestling, which relies heavily on technical ability, oil wrestling is more a test of endurance
Fun in the sun:Â Spectators follow wrestling matches during the 656th annual Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival in Edirne, Turkey
A teen wrestler shows off his core and upper body strength as his companion washes oil off his body in between bouts
Slippery: An oil-covered group of youths wait for their next fixtures to be announced. The men usually oil one-another as a sign of respect before games
The sport is believed to have developed as a method of training specialist troops in the Ottoman army, before being adopted by the wider public
Traditionally the competition could last for several days, as the men fought for hours to best one-another. Today it all takes place in a single day with the matches limited to a maximum of 40 minutes
The trousers the participants wear are made of thick leather in a traditional design called kisbet. In years gone by they were made of buffalo, but in recent years manufacturers have changed to calfskin. While they are made to be durable, sometimes they are torn apart in the fighting
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