Men and women compete in mixed teams, combining their collective weight to brawl with adversaries by trying to pull the other team over the finishing line. The sport is strenuous but also relies on tactics and teamwork. It takes strength and rhythm, standing your ground and knowing which moment to attack.
This year, on the last weekend of June, Engelberg’s tug of war club in central Switzerland hosted the international tournament for the first time. Almost 40 teams from eight nations competed in six categories. Many were preparing for the World Games for tug of war, which will take place in Poland in late July.
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Alpine Environment
My grandmother has lived in the same Swiss village for 100 years
Bodycams: essential for good law enforcement, or a privacy risk?
Did you ever come across bodycams in your place of residence and if so, how do you think the use of bodycams alter the relationship between the public and (transport) police?
What can be done to protect biodiversity in your country?
Swiss voters are set to decide on a people’s initiative calling for better protection of ecosystems in the country. Have your say on the September 22 vote.
Two dead after glider crash in southern Switzerland
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Two people died after their glider crashed in canton Valais on Friday afternoon. The police said the victims were Swiss nationals, aged 72 and 46, who had apparently taken off from canton Aargau.
Scientists alarmed by poor state of biodiversity in Switzerland
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Over 100 researchers have sounded the alarm over the state of biodiversity in Switzerland stating that "rapid and effective" measures are needed to strengthen its protection.
Nestle Chair says CEO change was prompted by growth concerns
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The abrupt replacement of Nestle SA’s chief executive officer was prompted by worries over the food and beverage company’s growth outlook, Nestlé Chair Paul Bulcke told Swiss newspaper Le Temps.
Four out of five donor hearts for Swiss children come from abroad
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Four out of five donor hearts which are transplanted into Swiss children come from outside the Alpine country, according to the director of Swisstransplant.
Climber dies on the Matterhorn in southern Switzerland
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A climber died on Thursday after falling with a partner while descending the Matterhorn, near Zermatt, in southern Switzerland. The other mountaineer suffered minor injuries.
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The Dalai Lama has arrived in Switzerland for a short visit. Hundreds of Tibetans welcomed him at an airport hotel in Opfikon, near Zurich, on Friday.
Sudan: Swiss among mediators calling for continuous flow of aid
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The seven parties, including Switzerland, who led ten days of talks on Sudan in the Geneva region, are calling for the new flow of aid to “continue and accelerate”.
Coo d’état: Basel struggles to enforce pigeon-feeding ban
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Police in the Swiss canton of Basel City have issued only eight fines since the ban on pigeon feeding came into force in July 2020.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
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Culture clash sees Koreans wrestle by the Matterhorn
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The festivalExternal link, which took place 2,500 metres above sea level in front of the iconic Matterhorn on September 12-14, featured masterclasses for young locals given by several Swiss wrestling champions, fights, a “wrestlers’ brunch” and the appearance of four invited Korean Ssireum wrestlers. There are similarities between Korean and Swiss wrestling (Schwingen): both take…
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From August 30 to September 1, Burgdorf, the capital of the Emmental region, is hosting more than 250,000 spectators at the Federal Wrestling and Alpine Games Festival, held once every three years to find the nation’s champion “schwinger”. “Once upon a time, there was a Swiss national sport for insiders and wrestling fans,” Ernst Schläpfer,…
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.