Turkiye’s annual Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival to kick off Friday

By Emre Asikci

ISTANBUL (AA) - Türkiye's traditional Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling Festival, marking its 662nd anniversary, will kick off in the northwestern Edirne province on Friday.

Thousands of fans from different age groups, cultures, and regions visit every year to see wrestlers competing for the Golden Belt and the title of Baspehlivan (chief wrestler).

Since 1362, wrestlers have reunited to fight for the title. Türkiye's deep-rooted traditional festival involves physical and mental struggle without having any equipment.

About 2,500 wrestlers will compete at a field in Sarayici, which is one of Edirne's most crucial recreational sites.

- Prize pool

The winner of the festival will get a whopping 1 million Turkish liras or almost ($40,000) in prizes while the runner-up will earn 250,000 liras ($9,500).

Third-place wrestlers will take home 125,000 Turkish liras ($4,800)
The festival will give out 3 million Turkish liras ($115,000) to wrestlers who will be ranked in all categories, with travel and tour fees.

- Since 1362

According to the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, this festival originated in the 14th century Rumeli (southeastern Europe), and with its long celebrated history, it is one of the oldest wrestling festivals in the world.

Oil wrestling is a type of wrestling where the wrestlers wear leather pants tied with a rope at the waist and cuff and clash on grass after being covered in olive oil.

The three-day event was added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2010 on behalf of Türkiye.