Preview: Oil Wrestling in Turkey

Nichole Sobecki

Tomorrow we will post a beautifully shot audio slideshow of an ancient wrestling tournament that has taken place in Turkey for several centuries. Nichole Sobecki, an Istanbul-based reporter and photojournalist, talks about the event during a three-minute slideshow of black-and-white images of the greased wrestlers.

Nichole writes about the event:

There is only one wrestling tournament in the world at which contestants slather themselves with buckets of olive oil. The dramatic finals of the ancient Kirkpinar Oil Wrestling tournament took place this June 27, 2010, near the northwestern Turkish city of Edirne. While the tradition dates back almost 650 years and the Ottoman Empire, the rules have changed little. Drench yourself in olive oil - three tons are consumed at each year's tournament - and fight hard to win the respect of your countrymen.