Belmonte prepares to host the International Combat World Championship from April 29 to May 2, when winners of competitions from 23 countries will be decided, featuring more than 500 fighters in the title contest. This was announced by the Castilla-La Mancha Tourist Promotion Office at a presentation at Gran Vía in Madrid that included a tournament demonstration in Plaza de Callao by some of the best Spanish representatives.
The event will have various modes of fighting and combat, ranging from five against five, ten against ten, and sixteen against sixteen. In the latter case, it will bring together 32 fighters in the arena simultaneously. The day will have a period setting, with participants claiming it to be a sport that recreates authentic medieval battles, «a journey through time turned into a contact sport», said Rodrigo González Ayala, Director of Sports for the event.
Swords, shields, and axes are the protagonists of this unchoreographed battle, which has nothing to do with fencing or sword exhibitions, as detailed by Hernando de las Bárcenas, one of the managers and owner of the castle. All these duels will be regulated by strict rules and a jury of ‘marshalls’ who penalize hits in areas not covered by armour, as warned by Jose Martinez Amoedo, the captain of the Spanish team, who claims there will be «few fights as spectacular» as this.
Countries such as the United States, China, Australia, and Finland have been infected by the medieval fighting fever and will attend the event on April 29. This sport also has a female category, and Virginia Gutiérrez, a member of the Spanish team, has invited more women to try it, «so that it can be known and shared more.»
In addition, the Mayor of Belmonte, Lourdes López, has thanked the attendees for their effort in promoting the tournament in an emblematic place that «has turned Belmonte into the epicentre of medieval combat in our country».
The castle of Belmonte has been the venue for the event since 2014 when the World Medieval Combat tournament on foot was held for the first time in Spain on the esplanade at the foot of the castle. A total of 18 of the best-prepared teams in the world attended, and it was the year when Russia and Ukraine competed against each other. This seventh edition will not feature a Russian participant but will allow fans to enjoy the feats of the Ukrainian women’s team.
The tournament showcases its brutal nature, with each fighter carrying over 35 kilograms of material to face their opponent, resulting in a similar injury rate to rugby. There are already 300 practitioners of this sport in Spain, who wear armour that costs up to €1,300 and are guided by values that have remained unchanged for centuries: sacrifice, effort, and honour.
