The 665th edition of Turkish oil wrestling’s most storied tradition is set to bring together generations of champions, rising contenders and renewed title stakes when the action unfolds in Edirne next month.
The historic Sarayiçi Er Meydanı will host the Kırkpınar Oil Wrestling from July 3-5, where 40 başpehlivans will compete in one of the most demanding tests in traditional sport, wrestling covered in oil under a single-elimination structure that rewards endurance as much as technique.
Qualification has been shaped by the CW Enerji Oil Wrestling League, where last year’s top 32 secured direct entry into Kırkpınar’s main draw. The remaining spots were filled through the latest qualifying stage at Sekapark Golden Belt Oil Wrestling, adding eight more contenders who will enter the draw from the fifth pot.
That group includes Onur Susuz, Süleyman Başar, Tanju Gemici, Serhat Elvan, Hasan Güzeller, Ünal Karaman, Tolga Turan and Ali Yanatma, all arriving as outsiders but now placed inside the main bracket.
The direct-entry list is stacked with proven winners and familiar names who have shaped the modern era of the sport. Ali Gürbüz, Recep Kara, Orhan Okulu, Ismail Balaban, Yusuf Can Zeybek, Mustafa Taş and others headline a field that mixes multi-time champions with emerging challengers trying to break through at the highest level.
