Elmalı Grease Wrestling

Elmali, Turkey, located about 70 km from Kaş, in the mountain region north, hosts Kırkpınar, a grease wrestling or yağlı güreş tournament every year where the wrestlers douse themselves with olive oil.

This is the 658th year of oil wrestling and the dates are August 6 - 8. There will be celebrations in Elmalı all the week before..

The event takes place in the large stadium. Wrestlers come from all over Turkey, to engage in this highly competitive sport made popular long ago in Ottoman times. The contest lasts for three days and over 100 wrestlers participate.

For photos from the competition of 2009 see:
Elmalı Municipality Web Site.