Learning how to wrestle “Schwingen”-style on the Polyterrasse

The Kilchberger Schwinget wrestling festival held a few days ago has once again shown that “Schwingen” – a traditional Swiss form of wrestling – continues to attract interest and is proving popular not just in rural areas, but in towns and cities too. Now the Academic Sports Association Zurich (ASVZ) is bringing the sport of “Schwingen” to ETH Zurich: from 24 to 26 September, to mark its 75th anniversary, the ASVZ is organising the “Schwinget @ Polyterrasse” – with guests including “King of the Schwingers” Arnold “Nöldi” Forrer. The event ist open for everyone.

For three days, the area in front of ETH’s Main Building will be dedicated to the traditional Swiss style of wrestling, or “Hosenlupf” (“Breeches-lifting”) as it is known in Swiss German. Schwingklub Zürich, a local Swiss wrestling club, will be offering training sessions on the first evening, giving people the chance to enter the sawdust arena themselves and put their wrestling skills to the test.

Those who dare can also sign up for the students’ wrestling tournament on Friday afternoon. And this contest is not just open to strong, burly men – women are welcome to take part too. “If enough female participants enter, we will create a separate women’s category,” says Silvana Ulber from the ASVZ. Otherwise the women will compete with the men.

The “Bad boys” show how it’s done

After the students’ tournament, Nöldi Forrer and three champion Swiss wrestlers – Adi Laimbacher, Urban Götte and Christoph Bieri – will showcase their sport and offer tips on how to be a successful “Schwinger”, with throws such as the “Brienzer”, the “Hüfter” and the “Bur”.

The highlight of the event will be a demonstration by these four “Bösen” (“Bad boys”), as the top traditional Swiss wrestlers are known. This will involve the contestants battling each other in five-minute bouts, surrounded by flag-wavers, alpenhorn-blowers and yodellers.