Traditional Gostra pole climbing competition takes place in Malta

Sep 4, 2015 Contestants recently showed their prowess at clambering up a greasy pole as they took part in a traditional festival in Malta. The annual Gostra festival is held to mark the feast day of Saint Julian, patron saint of the town of St. Julian’s.

The 10-metre pole, which is slathered with grease, is attached to a barge and draped at a precarious angle over the harbor. The aim of the game is to run as far up the pole as possible and remove the flags at the end in order to bag your prize.

For some competitors the style in which they fell off the pole seemed to be slightly more important than reaching the flags.

The day’s excitement was crowned with hunters firing their rifles from a building over the harbor as a salute to Saint Julian, the patron saint of hunting.