NORWEGIAN GLIMA CHAMPIONSHIP by Tyr Neilsen

The most prominent Viking Wrestling prize in Norway is Norges Glima Mesterskap, the Løse-tak (Loose-Grip) Norwegian Glima Championship, organized by the Norwegian Glima Federation.

This national competition has been held each year since 2012, and has been held at Kolbotn Wrestling Centre since 2016.

This sport glima championship has its roots in the traditional folk wrestling from Norway and Scandinavia, which can be traced back to the Viking Age.

Students from the Academy of Viking Martial Arts have done incredibly well at many Løse-tak glima competitions, and have won several Norwegian Glima Championships, Junior Norwegian Glima Championships, and Open Glima Championships.

BORRE GLIMA CHAMPIONSHIP 2018

Viking wrestling competition at Norways biggest Viking market !

Borre Viking market is a fantastic arrangement. Highly authentic, with lots of traders, workshops, and entertainment, it's one of the best Viking markets in the world. 

Just as it was in the Viking Age, the glima competition will be held on a grass area, surrounded by an eager audience. This championship will have some of the best Viking wresters in Norway, as well as competitors from Europe. 

Congratulations to Oda Solbakken (15) on winning the women's division at the Borre Glima Championship. This was Oda's first competition, and she did the Academy proud, winning all her matches and showing Viking courage and determination.

The Borre Viking market Glima championship was arranged by Bjørn Braathen, Sport Glima instructor at the Academy of Viking Martial Arts-

Bjørn is a -80kg Norwegian Glima Champion, the 3 X Junior Norwegian Glima Champion (2013, 2014, 2015),  and Gudvangen Glima Champion 2017. 

NORWEGIAN GLIMA CHAMPIONSHIP 2017

The finals for the 2017 glima championship were held at the Kolbotn wrestling house in Oslo.

The championship attracted some of the best wresters in Norway, and competitors from as far away as Bergen, fought for the gold in their weight class, and the open title of Norwegian Glima Champion.

This event, organized by the The Norwegian Glima Federation, featured exciting matches and fantastic sportsmanship from the finalists.

The final placings were:

- 80 kg: 1. Bjørn Arild Braathen, 2. Simen Stordrange, 3. Mayow Maalin

+ 80 kg: 1. Adrian Jahre, 2. Chris West, 3. John Harald Foss Fjeldbu

Open class: 1. Adrian Jahre, 2. Bjørn Braathen, 3. John Harald Foss Fjeldbu

By winning the open class, Adrian Jahre became Norwegian Glima Champion 2017. 

A Norwegian Glima Association Viking Shield and bronze plaque, was presented to Kolbotn wrestling house in recognition for holding the championship there in 2016 and 2017.

Photos courtesy of : @ScottPhoto 

GUDVANGEN GLIMA CHAMPIONSHIP 2017

At the Gudvangen Glima Championship this summer, the Academy was represented by 18 year old Sport Glima instructor Bjørn Braathen. Instead of fighting in his weight division, Bjørn faught in the heaviest division and won every fight !

Although Bjørn weighs under 80 kg, he easily won every match in the over 80 kg Gudvangen Glima Championship, and won the overall title.

NORWEGIAN GLIMA CHAMPIONSHIP 2016

                                  Norwegian Glima Championship 2016 - Front row; John harald fjeldbu (Co-arranger) Sebastian Aak (Champion 2016) Tyr Neilsen (arranger and Referee)

The Norwegian Glima Championship 2016 was held in Kolbotn Wrestling House in Olso. Male and female competitors from Oslo, Bergen, Drammen and Hokksund fought in several weight divisions, then fought for the open weight category to become the undisputed Norwegian Glima Champion 2016.

Congatulations to all glima athletes for a day of exciting and hard fought competition. Congratulations to medal winners and champions of the most prominent Viking Wrestling championship in Norway. 

Sebastian Aak, Norwegian Glima Champion 2016 Men - Pernille Rojahn Oddlien, Norwegian Glima Champion 2016 Women.   

Highlight video from the Norwegian Glima Champion 2016 :

THE NORWEGIAN GLIMA CHAMPIONSHIP

The most prominent Viking Wrestling prize in Norway is Norges Glima Mesterskap, the Løse-tak (Loose-Grip) Norwegian Glima Championship, organized by the Norwegian Glima Association.

This ancient traditional folk wrestling can be traced back to Viking Age Norway and Scandinavia, and the Norwegian Glima Championship, which started in 2012, has been integral in making this form of wrestling a recognized sport throughout the world.

We at the Academy have had weekly training in glima since 2009, and are proud to have produced several glima wrestlers who have competed at the highest level of this sport in Norway. Apart from winning glima competitions at Viking Festivals, students of the Academy have won several Norwegian Glima Championships, Junior Norwegian Glima Championships, and Open Glima Championships.

It only took a couple of years for the Norwegian Glima Championship to attract the best wrestlers in Norway to participate. In the last years, Norwegian wrestlers, some of whom have won the most prestigious international wrestling titles, have competed in the Norwegian Glima Championship.

List of Norwegian Glima Champions:

Ali Rahimi, Norwegian Glima Champion 2022 Men.

Julie Johanson, Norwegian Glima Champion 2022 Women.

Ali Rahimi, Norwegian Glima Champion 2019 Men.

Xenia Hallberg, Norwegian Glima Champion 2019 Women.

Alexander Kulås, Junior Norwegian Glima Champion 2019.

Herman Brun, Norwegian Glima Champion 2018 Men.

Xenia Hallberg, Norwegian Glima Champion 2018 Women.

Erlend Snipen, Junior Norwegian Glima Champion 2018.

Adrian Jahre, Norwegian Glima Champion 2017 Men.

Sebastian Aak, Norwegian Glima Champion 2016 Men

Pernille Rojahn Oddlien, Norwegian Glima Champion 2016 Women.

Mats Rolfsen, Norwegian Glima Champion 2015 Men.

Bjørn Braathen, Junior Norwegian Glima Champion 2015.

John Harald Foss Fjeldbu, Norwegian Glima Champion 2014 Men.

Bjørn Braathen, Junior Norwegian Glima Champion 2014.

Andreas Sørensen, Norwegian Glima Champion 2013 Men. 

Bjørn Braathen, Junior Norwegian Glima Champion 2013.

Andreas Sørensen, Norwegian Glima Champion 2012 Men.