Germans With the Strongest Fingers Compete in ‘Wrestling’ Competition
By Associated Press
Men dressed in traditional clothes try to pull the opponent over the table at the German Championships in Fingerhakeln or finger wrestling, in Bernbeuren, Germany, Sunday, May 12, 2024. (Matthias Schrader/Associated Press)
Despite the threat of dislocated fingers and strained muscles, over 150 Bavarian men came together Sunday to compete in Germany’s unique national championship of “Fingerhakeln,” or finger wrestling.
The “finger wrestlers” met in a big beer tent in the small southern village of Bernbeuren. Around 1,000 visitors cheered on the all-male contestants as they gulped down their national beer and world-famous German sausages while Bavarian live music filled the air.
Finger wrestling, a well-known competitive sport in Germany’s Alpine region and neighboring Austria, originated as a way to settle disputes.
In each round, two competitors sit on opposite sides of a solid table and each hooks one finger — usually the middle finger — through opposite sides of a small leather loop. As soon as a referee signals the start, a contestant tries to pull the other across the table swiftly. The whole thing usually lasts a few seconds, and digits put out of their joints are common. The winner moves to the next round.
“This tradition has been popular for a very long time in beer houses and pubs across the region,” said Marie-Therese Eierstock, the head of the Fingerhakler Gau Auerberg association, founded in 1961 and organized this year’s championship.
Customarily, only men are allowed to participate in finger-wrestling competitions.
At Sunday’s tournament, the youngest competitor was 15 years old and the oldest 70, Eierstock said.
A competitor warms up for his bout at the German Championships in Fingerhakeln or finger wrestling, in Bernbeuren, Germany, Sunday, May 12, 2024. (Matthias Schrader/Associated Press)A competitor warms up for his bout, at the German Championships in Fingerhakeln or finger wrestling, in Bernbeuren, Germany, Sunday, May 12, 2024. (Matthias Schrader/Associated Press)(Matthias Schrader/Associated Press)(Matthias Schrader/Associated Press)A young boy in traditional clothes watches a bout at the German Championships in Fingerhakeln or finger wrestling, in Bernbeuren, Germany, Sunday, May 12, 2024. (Matthias Schrader/Associated Press)
You don’t have to be an Olympic-level athlete to wear On’s shoes or apparel, but the company will use the 2024 games to continue growing its footprint.
Companies are making money, the economy is cooling down, and a rate cut or two possible by the fall? It might be time to break out the cautious optimism.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell reported that rates would likely remain elevated due to sticky inflation. Zillow breaks down how this could impact the housing market.
Amanda Chin, SVP of Marketing for the Golden State Warriors, stops by Cheddar to debut Valkyries name and logo and talks why women sports is good for business.
