Swinging: Where tradition meets sporting competition

Wrestling is more than sportit is Swiss culture you can touch.
In the sawdust ring strong athletes compete in their two-piece pants to put their opponent on the ground with both shoulders.
Who gets a wrestling festival live immediately senses the mixture of power, fairness and traditionan experience for tourists and locals and locals alike.

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What makes Schwingen so special?

Unique combination of sport and tradition

While other martial arts focus purely on performance and competition, wrestling is closely linked to Swiss culture and folk festivals associated with Swiss culture and folk festivals:

• Traditional clothing: Wrestlers wear robust pants with grip loops, usually over a Edelweiss shirt.

• Sawdust ring instead of arena: The soft surface protects the athletes and gives the competition a special atmosphere.

• Natural prizes instead of money: Bells, wreaths or agricultural products are often the prizes - money hardly plays a role.

This combination of sport and originality is what makes swinging so unique in the modern sports world.

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Fairness and respect are paramount

Wrestling lives from comradely cooperation and fairness:

• The winner wipes the loser according to old tradition the sawdust from his back.

• Strength alone is not enough - Technique, stability and tactics are crucial.

• Respect among opponents is firmly anchored in the culture, gross unsportsmanlike conduct is unusual.

These values contribute to the fact that swinging is seen by many as a honest sport which tradition and fairness and fairness.

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Pure excitement - live in the sawdust ring

Anyone who only knows swinging from television is missing out on the unique live atmosphere.
A visit to a wrestling festival shows why this sport is a national treasure:

• Cheering spectators amidst a backdrop of mountains and nature

• Yodelers, alphorn players and traditional costumes create an incomparable ambience

• Exciting fights in the tightest of spaces, where every move decides on victory or defeat

This mixture of excitement, tradition and closeness to nature makes swinging a unforgettable experience.

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A sport for generations

Swinging is a sport that tradition and modernity combines tradition and modernity:

• Even children and young people start in local wrestling clubs with the training.

• Family-friendly folk festivals allow young and old to experience sport together.

• At the same time, top wrestlers today professional training plans and are present in the media.

This keeps swinging lively and fit for the futurewithout losing its roots.

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Wrestling festivals: sport meets folk festival

A wrestling festival is always also a cultural event:

• Yodelers, alphorn players and traditional costumes provide the perfect Swiss backdrop

• Culinary highlights and a convivial atmosphere attract visitors

• Natural prizes instead of money: Bells, wreaths and agricultural products

Whether Swiss Wrestling and Alpine Festival (ESAF) or regional mountain festivals - every event offers authentic Switzerland to experience.

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The highlights of the Swiss wrestling festivals

1. Swiss Wrestling and Alpine Festival (ESAF)

   • Only all 3 years

   • Biggest wrestling event with tens of thousands of visitors

2. Central Swiss and Bernese cantonal wrestling festivals

   • Ideal for tourists in the mountain regions

   • Less crowded, very authentic

3. Local mountain and alpine festivals

   • Particularly approachable and traditional

   • Perfect opportunity to experience swinging up close

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Tips for your visit

• Book tickets earlyespecially for the ESAF

• Be there earlyto witness the march-in of the wrestlers

• Outdoor clothing and camera - dirt, rain and sun are part of the experience

• Authentic Swiss cuisine enjoy on site

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Famous wrestlers and their fascination

These athletes have made wrestling famous far beyond the country's borders:

• Christian Stucki - Wrestling king 2019

• Matthias Sempach - Master technician and crowd favorite

• Kilian Wenger - Young king who combines tradition and modernity

Your successes make you want to live in the sawdust ring in the sawdust ring.

🏆 Wrestling kings since 1950

Origin and early traces

• 15th century: First traditions of Alpine cattle drives and pastoral festivalsat which wrestling competitions took place. Wrestling was considered pastime of the herdsmen in the summer months on the Alps.

• 17th century: In chronicles and woodcuts depictions of peasant wrestling matches appear, which are very similar to modern-day wrestling.

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The transition to organized sport

• 1805: First traditional wrestling festivals in Central Switzerland, mostly in connection with Alpine and alpine festivals.

• 1895: Foundation of the Swiss Wrestling Federation (ESV)the sport is officially organized.

• 1895 – 1910: Introduction of clear rules and the typical Zwilch pants with grip loops.

• 1920s: Swinging establishes itself as a an integral part of federal festivals and is gaining popularity throughout Switzerland.

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Modern developments

• 1980s: More professional training and the first attempts to cover the sport in the media.

• 1990s: Introduction of scoring rules and standardized competition formats to create fair comparisons.

• 2010s: Swinging experienced through TV broadcasts and social media.

• 2019: With the Swiss Wrestling and Alpine Festival in Zug (ESAF), the sport breaks spectator records, over 400,000 visitors on site, millions on screen.

Conclusion: Experience tradition and feel Swiss culture

Swinging is tradition, sport and experience all in one. Anyone visiting Switzerland should take a wrestling festival not be missed, it is a piece of genuine Swiss identitythat you won't forget.