Ever heard of them?

How, where, and why is Fierljeppen played? 10 sports names, decoded

Image: Chino Rocha

As names go, "football," "handball, and "table tennis" are straightforward enough. But would you be able to explain how fierljeppen is played? Or what really goes on in a "toe wrestling" match? Some sports names were directly imported from their original nations, some others are combinations of traditional games that evolved when crossing frontiers. Let’s explore the meanings and backstories behind games like qianball, hantis, and eukonkanto, and find out which one you’d be interesting in watching –or playing!

Image: JillWellington

Here’s the concept: You spring and jump off the edge of a canal, grab onto a flexible pole sticking in the middle of it, climb as high as you can, and then propel yourself to the other side of the water. Of course, the wider the canal and the higher the pole, the harder the feat gets, right? The longest pole climbed in fierljeppen to record was over 72 ft tall.

This Dutch sport originated in Friesland, a province in the Netherlands. Its name comes from the combination of Frisian words fier (far) and ljeppen (leaping/jumping). It has been practiced for centuries, derived from the pole vault technique for crossing the abundant waterways in the Netherlands.

Image: PDPics

Qianball might remind us of tennis or squash. Except in this sport, the ball is tethered to a weight with a rubber band. Players (two or four, typically) stand on the same side of the net and strike the ball taking turns. The amazing thing about Qianball is never having to jog far after a missed ball.

The sport derives from the Chinese Qianlongball. It originated as an indoor alternative to tennis, although nowadays it can also be played outdoors. It became popular after Denmark adopted it and started organizing tournaments to promote it.

Image: Teo Zac

Can you imagine playing tennis without rackets? That’s not very far from what hantis is. In this sport, named after the combination of "hand" and "table tennis," four standard tables are placed between the four players, who strike the ball with their bare hands. The goal, similarly to ping-pong, is to get the ball to bounce on and off the tables without the other team returning it.

The game originated in a classroom, and its creators have been promoting it ever since, developing the official rules and standard measurements for tables. Eventually, it caught on and was spread across U.S. schools through physical education programs and the help of the internet.

Image: Mary Taylor

This is an obstacle course where participants carry teammates over hurdles, water hazards, and sandy stretchers. The traditional version of it is a man carrying his own wife while competing, with techniques such as piggyback or fireman’s carry.

Eukonkanto really translates to "wife carrying" in Finnish. The sport originated in Finland inspired by 19th-century folklore. In it, a legend spoke of a bandit leader who allegedly made his recruits carry women to demonstrate their stamina. Modern rules of the game suggest that the person carried should weigh no less than 108 pounds.

Image: Chris Liverani

Bandy is a lot like hockey on ice, but it is played with a ball instead of a puck. Played on a large ice rink roughly the size of a soccer field, it still involves teams using curved sticks to hit the ball into the other team’s net.

The sport mixes the rules of ice hockey and soccer. It is debated whether the sport originated in Russia or England, but the name we use derives from the Middle English word bandy, which means "curved stick."

Image: Polina Tankilevitch

The name straightforwardly describes the action —wrestling with toes. Yes, the sport consists of two participants interlocking their toes. The goal is to pin the other person’s foot to the ground for three seconds. As you can imagine, this requires strength, balance, dexterity, and a willingness to be barefoot in public.

This was created by a group of friends who lamented that England didn’t have any championships in unconventional sports, or so goes the legend. Today they must be proud, because a World Toe Wrestling Championships is held annually, and has been for at least 50 years.

Image: Chris Geirman

We’ve all seen pogo sticks, those spring-loaded, bouncing toys for children. Xpogo takes child play to the extreme in competitions where participants achieve impressive heights in circuits or challenging terrains. It could be compared with parkour, skateboarding, or BMX.

The name is a shortening of "extreme pogo." Athletes do use specially designed pogo sticks for their high jumps, backflips, and such tricks. In fact, these modern devices allow jumps exceeding 10 feet. Tournaments are held internationally, such as the "Pogopalooza," the sport’s World Championship.

Image: Samuel Ryde

Picigin is a recreational game played in shallow water with a peeled tennis ball, known as the "balun," or alternatively, rubber balls. Players aim to keep the ball in the air using only their hands, performing dramatic dives and acrobatic moves to prevent it from touching the water.

Unlike competitive sports, picigin has no scoring system or strict rules. It just focuses on coordination, teamwork, and not losing the ball to the water currents. The term picigin is derived from Croatian. It originated in Split when local students adapted water polo to the shallow, sandy waters of Bačvice Beach.

Image: Leticia Pelissari

If you’ve ever seen someone walk or run on jumping stilts, you have surely fantasized about trying them on. Those spring-loaded stilts are usually worn by acrobats or entertainers, but the devices gave way to a new sport called "powerbocking."

The jumping stilts called "PowerSkips" were developed by Alexander Böck, a German engineer, and in his honor powerbocking was named. Not unlike xpogo, powerbocking involves running, jumping, and performing acrobatics to access heights and speeds that bare feet could never achieve. A milder variation also gained popularity as aerobic exercise, since the sticks reduce the impact on joints compared to traditional sports.

Image: Nathan Poncet

All in all, slalom isn’t a strange sport compared with eukonkanto or toe wrestling. But it might be difficult to pinpoint the meaning of its name. The term comes from the Norwegian words sla (meaning "slope") and låm (meaning "track").

Slalom is a type of skiing race, one of the key disciplines of alpine skiing. In it, skiers slide through a downhill course marked with alternating gates (pairs of poles), making tight turns and quick, precise maneuvers. The winner is the athlete who completes it in the shortest combined time.

AMERICAN LEGENDS

Founders and Visionaries: 10 Larger-Than-Life Personalities From American History

Image: Jéan Béller

America’s past is full of titanic figures that left a lasting mark on our shared history. But some of these larger-than-life personalities were more than just important names in a history book; they were architects of change and catalysts for progress, true embodiments of the American spirit.

Join us as we unravel the lives and accomplishments of 10 extraordinary individuals who helped shape the course of the nation.

Image: J. Amill Santiago

Thomas Jefferson's contributions to American governance are unparalleled. He was greatly inspired by the writings of John Locke about the social contract, and by many French philosophers of his time that embraced republican virtues. As the main author behind the Declaration of Independence, he clearly articulated the nation's founding principles of liberty and equality.

Image: FDR Presidential Library & Museum, CC BY 2.0

Eleanor Roosevelt singlehandedly redefined the role of the First Lady, using her platform to champion civil rights, women's rights, and human rights on a global scale. After the death of her husband, she served as the first U.S. delegate to the United Nations General Assembly and oversaw the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Her tireless advocacy earned her worldwide respect and left an enduring legacy that continues to inspire leaders and activists everywhere.

Image: Unseen Histories

Martin Luther King Jr.'s nonviolent approach to civil rights activism galvanized a movement that challenged institutionalized racism and segregation. His "I Have a Dream" speech shook Americans and opened a path for equality and integration in a highly segregated society. Surviving many attacks against his person, he remained adamant about his ideals, which eventually materialized with the signing into law of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Image: Nationaal Archief

Born into a socially progressive Quaker family, Susan B. Anthony dedicated her life to securing women's right to vote, tirelessly campaigning for suffrage and gender equality. Despite being initially ridiculed and slandered for her activism, her efforts paved the way for the eventual passage of the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote. And, in 1979, she became the first female citizen to appear on U.S. coinage.

Image: Bain News Service

Theodore Roosevelt's larger-than-life persona embodied the spirit of the Progressive Era. Despite being born sickly and suffering regular bouts of asthma during his childhood, he went on to have an adventurous youth and loved to practice many strenuous outdoor sports, like hiking and rowing, to keep himself healthy. As president, he fought against monopolies, expanded national parks, and asserted America's role as a global power through his strong policies.

Image: Kirt Morris

Harriet Tubman's daring escape from slavery and subsequent work as a "conductor" on the Underground Railroad made her a symbol of resistance against oppression. During her time as conductor, she managed to rescue around 70 enslaved people, including her family and friends. Later, during the American Civil War, she served as an armed scout and spy for the Union Army and supported the incipient women's suffrage movement.

Image: Florida Memory

John F. Kennedy's presidency symbolized a new era of optimism and ambition in America. But even before turning into politics, he was an extraordinary leader. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and received a Purple Heart for his courage and the daring rescue of fellow sailors after their patrol ship was sunk by a Japanese destroyer. His commitment to civil rights, space exploration, and global diplomacy left an enduring legacy despite his tragically shortened tenure.

Image: Adam Nir

Benjamin Franklin's multifaceted contributions to American society encompassed science, diplomacy, and literature. Born into a working family, he acquired an education with great effort on the part of his family and through voracious reading. From his experiments with electricity to his pivotal role in securing French support during the Revolutionary War, Franklin's wisdom shaped the nation's trajectory.

Image: Gene Herrick for the Associated Press

Rosa Parks's refusal to surrender her bus seat to a white passenger sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott and ignited the civil rights movement. Her act of defiance against segregation inspired millions and catalyzed significant legislative reforms, but she didn’t stop there. She also collaborated with Civil Rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, and campaigned for nationwide integration and true equality of opportunities.

Image: Travis Gergen

Walt Disney was a pioneer and creative genius who revolutionized entertainment, exporting the essence of American imagination to every corner of the globe. Interested in arts at a young age, his visionary wit brought to life many beloved characters, as well as dozens of animated classics and theme parks. To this day, his vision and spirit continue to enchant audiences all over the world.