In Appenzell, 122 wrestlers will compete on Sunday for the anniversary wrestling festival. The competition only takes place every 25 years. Yet, the significance among the athletes is disputed. Here are the key questions and answers about the festival.
On Sunday at 8 AM, the opening of the anniversary wrestling festival of the Swiss Wrestling Association (ESV) will take place in Appenzell. Here’s what you need to know about the event.
What is the anniversary wrestling festival?
The ESV celebrates its 125th anniversary in Appenzell. The association was founded in 1895. Originally, the event was supposed to take place in 2020 but had to be postponed due to the rampant COVID-19 pandemic at that time. Since large events were scheduled every year—2021 with the Kilchberger, 2022 with the Eidgenössischen (Esaf) in Pratteln, and 2023 with the Unspunnen festival—the anniversary event was moved to the present time.
How often does an anniversary wrestling festival take place?
This special event is only held every 25 years. Accordingly, on Sunday in Appenzell, only the fifth “anniversary winner” in the history of wrestling will be awarded.
What is the significance?
If one were to apply the standard “the rarer, the more valuable,” then the victory at an anniversary wrestling festival should be rated very highly in the career of a wrestler, as most athletes never get the opportunity to compete for this title. Nevertheless, the importance within the scene is disputed, with perceptions ranging somewhere between highlight and filler. The title of king at the Eidgenössischen (which takes place every three years) is considered the highest honor, followed by victories at Unspunnen and Kilchberger (every 6 years). The wrestling king of 2016, Matthias Glarner, even recently wondered in an interview with the Berner Zeitung: “How much interest do wrestlers actually have in this festival?”
Who are the winners of past anniversary wrestling festivals?
Only avid wrestling fans can rattle off the winners of previous anniversary festivals by heart. In 1995, the event was “integrated” into the Eidgenössischen in Chur. The then wrestling king Thomas Sutter was thus also the anniversary winner at the same time. There has only been one explicit anniversary festival so far: in 1970 in Baden, where Karl Meli triumphed. The other two took place in 1945 and 1919, also within an Esaf. In 1945 in Bern, Willy Lardon and Peter Vogt won, and in 1919 in Langenthal, Robert Roth and Gottlieb Salzmann.
How large is the participant field?
122 wrestlers are registered for Sunday in Appenzell. 32 from the Bern canton, 32 from Central Switzerland, 31 from Eastern Switzerland, 14 from Northwestern Switzerland, 12 from Southwestern Switzerland, and 1 guest from Canada (Thomas Badat). For comparison: an Esaf has 280 wrestlers participating, Unspunnen has 120, and Kilchberger has 60.
Who are the favorites?
In Appenzell, the best wrestlers from Switzerland will compete. High-level sports are therefore guaranteed. Three names stand out from the strong participant field: Fabian Staudenmann, Samuel Giger, and the reigning wrestling king Joel Wicki. These three athletes are seen as very strong contenders for the title.