German arm wrestling tournament draws 100 competitors
Jenipher Camino Gonzalez with dpa
April 7, 2018
Germany is holding an annual competition to find the best arm wrestler in the country. The sport was popularized among the German public by a 1987 movie, "Over the Top," starring Sylvester Stallone.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Willnow
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A hundred athletes gathered in the small municipality of Rodenbach, west of Frankfurt, on Saturday for the German Arm Wrestling Championship.
For the event, competitors are categorized by weight, age and gender and divided according to whether they are left- or right-handed. Those under the age of 21 are allowed to compete but require signed parental permission to participate.
The intense one-to-one matchups take place on a small table. Competitors perform standing, with hands grasped together, under the supervision and direction of referees. Their goal is to force the back of their challenger's hand to touch the opposite side of the table.
The development of competitive arm wrestling in Germany has its roots in the popularity of the American film "Over the Top," featuring Sylvester Stallone.
The sports drama tells the story of Lincoln Hawk, an American trucker, who competes in the World Armwrestling Championship in Las Vegas in the hope of rebuilding his life and winning back his son. The classic underdog story took much of its footage from the real "Over the Top" World Armwrestling Championship of 1986.
The movie gave the sport a boostImage: picture-alliance/Mary Evans Picture Library
One of the biggest teams at the German championships on Saturday is, in fact, called the "Over the Top" Arm Wrestling Club. Based in Hanau, near Rodenbach, the team is hosting the tournament and hoping to defend its title, having won the team standings last year.
The "Over the Top" team has brought along one of its best performers, Katrin Mook, a 21-time German champion who last year became a double world champion, winning with both the right and left arm in Las Vegas.
The very first arm wrestling tournament in Germany took place in the southern city of Munich in 1985. Five men and two women qualified to attend the legendary 1986 World Championship in Las Vegas. Today, there are arm wrestling teams in all 16 Germany states, and athletes can compete year round in a number of regional, national and international tournaments.
The best German beards
Bearded gentlemen in Germany have gathered in Schömberg, in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg, to choose men with the best facial hair.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Schmidt
The full range of facial hair
Beards come in different sizes and shapes. In the German championship on Saturday, contenders participated in six categories, including "The Dali moustache," "the Chinese goatee" and "Verdi's full beard."
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Schmidt
Stiff competition
One of 135 contenders lines up with his exquisitely styled beard. Participants have to present themselves individually before the jury, stretch their chins and let judges pull their beards to test if they are real.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Schmidt
Lord of the (bearded) rings
Jürgen Burkhardt, who participated in the "Free Style" category, did his beard in spirals. The total length of the strands is 1.80 meters (5.9 feet). He, clearly, takes his facial hair seriously. "Every beard and every human being are different," he said.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Schmidt
When in doubt, grow a moustache
A competitor shows off his moustache at the competition in Schömberg. Iconic surrealist painter Salvador Dali is believed to have once said, "Since I don't smoke, I decided to grow a moustache. It is better for health." More recent studies have shown beards do, in fact, have some antibacterial properties.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Schmidt
Where to find the most facial hair
Internationally, Germany is currently No. 1 when it comes to bearded gentlemen, but facial hair growers from the United States are putting down their razors in an effort to claim the title. American beard wearers begin early, growing a full beard by the time they are in their mid-20s.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Schmidt
Top of the chops
Judges rate beards on a scale of five to 10 and are sometimes quite miserly with points. Many participants go home with a five on their scorecard.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Schmidt
Where have all the bearded men gone?
German beard growers are worried that the trend of long facial hair may slowly die out. Despite the growing number of hipsters sporting well-combed and tastefully trimmed beards, some fear a decline in the attention to detail many men give their beards and moustaches.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Schmidt
The secret to lustrous locks
Here are some tips for eager beard-lovers from Schömberg's participants: Never use hairspray as it dries hair, wax is the better styling choice. Drinking from a straw will also go a long way in keeping your beard and moustache hair healthy and shiny.
