Tug-of-war is also traditional in the Basque Country. Usually two teams of eight compete, trying to drag the other team over a line by pulling on the rope.
There are free competitions in which the weight of the competitors is ignored and more structured events where there are weight categories of 525 kg, 560 kg, 640 kg and 720 kg per team
SAWING
Sawing competitions, also called trontzalaritza , are seen as a variation of aizkolaritza and involve sawing through pieces of wood. The log is either fixed horizontally on sawhorses at a height of 40 cm or at an angle with one end over the sawhorse and two members of the sawing team sitting on the lower end to stabilise the log, with two other handling the saw. The saw is usually 2 m long, the logs vary but can be over 1 m in circumference and usually between 10-20 in number
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STRENGTH GAMES, WOOD CHOPPING AND TUG OF WAR
The rural sports are very popular in the Basque Country. The legendary strength of Basque men provides the pretext for spectacular events that have their origins in farm work.
Historically, Basque strength games allowed farmers to measure their physical ability and endurance. Today, competitions are organized on the sidelines of celebrations in all regions of the Basque Country. Nearly 16 disciplines are officially registered. Among the most popular include tug of war, stone lifting, raising a bale of hay with a cable or at the end of a long stick, lumberjack competitions, and a race while saddled with an 80 kg bag.
BASQUE