TUG OF WAR HOLTEN 2022
World Championship Tug of War
During the World Championship Tug of War, matches take place in various weight classes by men, women and mixed teams. The mixed team consists of 4 men and 4 women. The World Championship for adults and youth take place in Holten. In the youth teams there are two categories, under 23 and under 18. The winning team of each separate weight class may call itself world champion.
For more information about various weight classes and categories, click here.
In each weight class and category only one team from one country may take part. A choice is made by a match from each country to decide which team may take part.
WC TWIF club matches tug of war
TWIF (Tug of War International Federation) club matches is a World Championship for club teams. During this W.C. matches are held by various weight classes by men, women, youth and mixed teams. For more information and categories, click here.
Each tug of war club can appoint a team or teams to take part in the W.C. Various teams from one country may take part in the W.C.
The programme
Tug of war Holten 2022 starts on Wednesday 14th September 2022 with the weighing in of all teams and sporters. On Thursday 15th and Friday 16th of September al W.C. matches will be held and on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th September all W.C. (adult and youth) country matches will be held. Every evening there is a prize presentation of the matches held on that day.
For the programme, Click here
The Dutch Team
The Dutch team is the team that ends first in the selection matches in a weight class. This team (from one club) may represent The Netherlands in the World Championships. Thus every weight class and each category has its own Dutch team representing The Netherlands.
About Tug of War
“Team, are you ready? Pick up the rope. Take the strain. Pull!” These magical words start every tug of war match. But what is the magic behind the match?
Two teams (having equal maximum team weight), are opposite each other along a 36 metre rope, now on the ground. In the middle of the rope is a ribbon placed exactly on the middle line of the tug of war pitch. 4 metres (from the middle line) is a ribbon determining how far the teams must pull. So, when the 4 metres ribbon is pulled over the middle line then that team wins.
When the referee shouts “pick up the rope”, both teams grab the rope. The referee may let the rope be moved from left to right letting the ribbon be positioned exactly on the middle line.
Then the “stretching part” starts and both teams tighten the rope. A middle line check takes place and “pull” starts and both teams use all their force to pull. Leaning on the ground with arms or sitting on the ground is not allowed. The team may get a warning if they do so. Three warnings results in a win for the opposite team.
A match consists of two pulling turns. After the first one, a change of team position takes place. This is to avoid that the ground has an advantage or disadvantage for one of the teams. A game can end in a draw when both teams reach a win.
Once the game starts, power and stamina are important. Also tactics and willpower. How do we see to that the other team slackens? How do we keep up our own strength? And, of course how do we pull the line? A mental and physical game!
Tug of war is team spirit, tactics, technics, power, endurance and willpower. This combination of physical and mental exertion make tug of war magical!
About OKIA
The organisation of the W.C. Tug of War 2022 has been appointed to the Tug of War club OKIA .
2021 is a jubilee year for OKIA (stands for Onze Kracht Is Achteruit) (our power in in reverse) On 28th December OKIA exists for 50 years .During those years there has been lots of success ,promotion and championships included. In 1992 OKIA first became Dutch champion in class 640 and in 2019 the OKIA men’s team became Dutch champion in class 600. The peak of the last 50 years being te European title in the club and country team in 2001.
For more information about OKIA see www.okia.nl.