German men compete for title in battle of the strongest fingers

Competitors in the Fingerhakeln competition in Bernbeuren, Germany (Matthias Schrader/AP)

Despite the threat of dislocated fingers and strained muscles, more than 150 Bavarian men came together on Sunday to compete in Germany’s unique national championship of “Fingerhakeln” – finger wrestling.

The all-male competitors met in a big beer tent in the small southern village of Bernbeuren, with around 1,000 people cheering them on as they gulped down their national beer and world-famous German sausages while Bavarian live music filled the air.