Herculean Basques shed blood, sweat and tears during the annual Bilbao Strongman Contest at the Arenal open space. For some, the event is the highlight of the city's Aste Nagusia festival (Big Week in English and Semana Grande in Spanish).
The 'games' are not your typical athletic events. The Aizkolaris category sees axe-wielding men race to chop a 45-inch-thick log in two and Trontzalaris consists of two-man teams who have to shave 22 slices off a 70-inch log with a huge two-metre saw.
There are also speed lifting events and ox-drawn stones, but the most eye-catching event is the Barrenadores League on the final day when teams of four men have to burrow a series of holes in a block of granite using nothing but willpower and a steel javelin.
There are also speed lifting events and ox-drawn stones, but the most eye-catching event is the Barrenadores League on the final day when teams of four men have to burrow a series of holes in a block of granite using nothing but willpower and a steel javelin.
AU
BE
DE
DK
ES
FR
IE
IT
SE
NO
NZ
UK
US