Action, emotion and exhaustion from the University of Nottingham where teams from across the globe vied for supremacy in an ancient test of strength
“Pick up the rope! Take the strain! Steady! Pull!” When the referee barks those commands, eight adrenalin-fuelled competitors on each team muster every ounce of strength in their bodies and attempt to haul one another across the crumbling earth. Clutching a rope made of hemp or polypropylene, the first team to tug their opponents four metres from their starting position is the winner. Competitors seek an optimal foothold in the ground by digging in their steel-plated heels – but strictly no spikes are allowed – while coaching staff guide and encourage them to victory as exhaustion takes it toll. In the round-robin stages, each contest lasts two ends and the top four teams reach the semi finals; the knockout rounds and final are decided over three ends. Competitors range from their teens to the 70s, with varying age and weight categories. All have one thing in common: a fierce desire to win.
The Swiss team in the senior mens 600kg category final v the Basque Country.
