Cossack fun. Shashka Championship.

The amazing festival-fair in Tutaev about which I am writing for the third time gave me another interesting event. I watched the shashka competition.

This is a classic Cossack fun. In order to show mastery in the cabin, Cossack athletes must cut a plastic bottle of water several times in a row, while the bottle itself should not fall.With each new round, the number of bottles in front of the athlete increases.Interestingly, all competitors must be dressed in the traditional Cossack uniform. This is a prerequisite for the competition.The Cossack movement is reviving throughout Russia. Honestly, it is strange for me to meet Cossacks in the area of ​​the city of Yaroslavl, since it seemed to me that the Cossack is a more southerly person. On the Don River, closer to the Caucasus, this is normal. Protection of the outskirts of the Russian state is the main task of the Cossacks.

But recently, the concept of "Cossack" has blurred and now it is something more. So in the Russian outback, in the city of Tutaev, 20 kilometers from Yaroslavl there are Cossack detachments.While I looked at the competition, I found out that not only Russian people take part in it. One of the competitors was a Swiss citizen Benjamin Forster.I heard him being asked why he is here today? Forster replied that he was a native Swiss, but with a Russian soul.

By the way, he went to the semi-finals in competitions.

Of course, in order to understand the art of fighting with a shashka, you need to devote a lot of time and effort. I saw this show for the first time in my life and it became interesting for me to learn more about this sport.Most likely, this is not just a sport - it is a way of life. It requires immersion in the Cossack culture. In addition, the shashka itself is a very important element. A shashka is a long-blade chopping-stabbing melee weapon. Characteristic of a shashka is the absence of a guard and not so pronounced bending as a saber. The shashka was relatively cheap to manufacture and became very popular in the army.Of course, today a shashka is a symbol of history, it is a traditional Cossack weapon and the possession of such weapons is an honor for the owner.And one moment. Despite the fact that the audience is about ten meters from the athlete, there is still a chance that the shashka will break out of his hand and fly away. This is a terrible thing. Therefore, athletes put a saber to the hand.

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