http://www.odditycentral.com/events/the-game-of-gostra-running-up-a-greasy-wooden-pole-in-malta.html The Game of Gostra – Running Up a Greasy Wooden Pole in Malta By Spooky on August 26th, 2013 Category: Events Every year, on the afternoon of the last Sunday in August, brave young men from all over Malta compete in the traditional game of “gostra”, trying to run all the way to the top of a long greasy pole and snatch one of the three prizes. Dating back to the Middle Ages, the game of gostra was practiced all through the festive summer months, in various locations around the islands of Malta and Gozo. A wooden pole measuring about 10 meters long was mounted on a coal barge and towed to harbor towns and seaside villages around the Maltese coast, where it was smeared with grease and animal fat. Brave local men would try to run up the pole and reach one of the symbolic flags at the top in order to claim a prize. Today, the traditional game is only held in the towns of Msida and Spinola Bay, in honor of St. Joseph and St. Julian. The pole stretches out into the water, and only half of it is covered in grease, but in order to have a higher chance of reaching the flags before slipping off the slippery wood, most competitors prefer to run up the pole, hoping they can maintain their balance long enough to snatch one of the coveted prizes. This sometimes causes them to fall awkwardly hitting the log on their way down into the sea, and injure themselves. Each of the three flags on a gostra pole has a religious meaning - the blue and white flag of the Madonna, the yellow and white Vatican standard and the Belgian tricolor representing the ancestral homeland of St. Julian – and they are all associated with a special prize for whoever manages to reach them. Photo: Peter Grima Has video +++++++++++++++ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2401919/Feast-St-Julian-Contestants-grapple-crazy-game-religious-festival-Malta.html By Olivia Williams Published: 18:05 EST, 25 August 2013 | Updated: 12:48 EST, 26 August 2013 82 View comments In the traditional 'gostra', a game stretching back to the Middle Ages, Maltese young men, women and children have to scrabble their way to the top of a very greasy pole. If they manage the tricky feat, they need to then uproot one of the flags to claim their hard-won prize. The comical sight of contestants slithering to victory happens every year on August 25 for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside the capital Valletta. Scroll down for video Energetic: A man running up the pole covered in grease during the religious feast of St Julian in Malta Energetic: A man running up the pole covered in grease during the religious feast in Malta Skilful: One man manages to grab a flag on the pole in the town of St Julian's Skilful: One man manages to grab a flag on the pole in the town of St Julian's Victory: An agile young man is just inches away from collecting his prize Victory: An agile young man is just inches away from collecting his prize Celebrations start from days before the actual date, with the town covered in lights and flags. On the day of the feast, there is a procession around town carrying a statue of St. Julian followed by brass band music . More... Lend us a tenor: Opera star Joseph Calleja explains the beauty of his home island Malta Crazy dancing komodo dragon caught on camera showing off for a photographer in Indonesia Then it is time for the climax of the festivities - the much-loved pole competition. Residents of all agilities can enter, making it an exciting and unpredictable spectacle. From May to September in Malta, there is hardly a weekend when a town or a village is not celebrating the feast of its patron saint or other saints revered in different churches. Unlucky: It can be very easy to sli right off and take a tumble, much to the amusement of the crowd Unlucky: It can be very easy to sli right off and take a tumble, much to the amusement of the crowd Wipeout: The foam and grease comes sliding off as this contestant goes falling into the sea Wipeout: The foam and grease comes sliding off as this contestant goes falling into the sea Popular: The crowd watches an unlucky competitor in the afternoon sunshine Popular: The crowd watches an unlucky competitor in the afternoon sunshine Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2401919/Feast-St-Julian-Contestants-grapple-crazy-game-religious-festival-Malta.html#ixzz39w4egl4T Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook [[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[ http://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/people-falling-off-a-greased-pole-is-exactly-as-fu People Falling Off A Greased Pole Is Exactly As Funny As You Think So close, yet so far. From a religious celebration in Malta. posted on Aug. 28, 2012, at 9:35 a.m. Gavon Laessig BuzzFeed Staff .. . . 1. DARRIN ZAMMIT LUPI / Reuters A competitor grabs a flag as he slips off the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the religious feast of St. Julian, a patron of the town of St. Julian’s, outside Valletta, Malta, August 26, 2012. In the traditional “gostra”, a game stretching back to the Middle Ages, young men and women have to make their way to the top and try to uproot one of the flags to win prizes. From May to September in Malta, there is hardly any weekend when a town or a village is not celebrating the feast of its patron saint or other saints revered in different churches. 2. DARRIN ZAMMIT LUPI / Reuters 2012 3. DARRIN ZAMMIT LUPI / Reuters 2012 4. DARRIN ZAMMIT LUPI / Reuters 2012 5. 2009 6. 2009 7. DARRIN ZAMMIT LUPI / Reuters 2012