Switzerland

Switzerland (German: Schweiz; French: Suisse; Italian: Svizzera; Romansh: Svizra or, officially the Swiss Confederation, hence its abbreviation CH, is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in western Europe, where it is bordered by Germany to the north, France to the west, Italy to the south, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east.

Switzerland is a landlocked country geographically divided between the Alps, the Swiss Plateau and the Jura, spanning an area of 41,285 km² (15,940 sq mi). While the Alps occupy the greater part of the territory, the Swiss population of approximately 8 million people is concentrated mostly on the Plateau, where the largest cities are to be found. Among them are the two global cities and economic centres of Zurich and Geneva.

Switzerland is one of the richest countries in the world by per capita gross domestic product, and has the highest wealth per adult (financial and non-financial assets) of any country in the world. Zurich and Geneva have respectively been ranked as the cities with the second and eighth highest quality of life in the world. It has the world's nineteenth largest economy by nominal GDP and the thirty-sixth largest by purchasing power parity. It is the twentieth largest exporter and eighteenth largest importer of goods.

Switzerland comprises three main linguistic and cultural regions: German, French, and Italian, to which the Romansh-speaking valleys are added. The Swiss, therefore, though predominantly German-speaking, do not form a nation in the sense of a common ethnic or linguistic identity. The strong sense of belonging to the country is founded on the common historical background, shared values (federalism and direct democracy) and Alpine symbolism. The establishment of the Swiss Confederation is traditionally dated to 1 August 1291; Swiss National Day is celebrated on the anniversary.

Wrestling in Switzerland

Wrestling in Switzerland is called Ringen (german), Lutte (french) or Lotta (italian).
The wrestling sports in Switzerland is traditionally popular.  Traditional sports include Swiss wrestling or "Schwingen". It is an old tradition from the rural central cantons and considered the national sport by some. Swiss Amateur Wrestling Federation was in 1973, founded in 1973 by the merger of several predecessor organizations.
Swiss Amateur Wrestling Federation is divided into three regions:

ORV -> Eastern Swiss Wrestling Federation

 FSLRA -> Fédération Suisse Romande de lutte amateur

 ZRV -> Central Swiss Wrestling Federation

In Switzerland, about 30 clubs operate the wrestling sport.
The International Amateur Wrestling Federation FILA has its headquarters in Lausanne, with currently a World Cup and European Championship held. From 2002 to 2013, the Swiss Raphaël Martinetti was president of FILA (now UWW). The actual president is Mr. Werner Bossert.

Ramon Betschart 2. Junior World Champion

International Situation

Although Switzerland is a small country, succeeded again some Swiss wrestlers to place themselves at the Olympic Games.  At the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles Hugo Dietsche from Kriessern won the Bronze Medal in Greco-Roman wrestling in the weight class Featherweight (-62kg).
The last big success of an Swiss wrestler got Reto Bucher from Freiamt. With the fourth place at the Olympic Games 2004 in Athens, he hade an outstanding result. Pascal Strebel was the last Swiss olympian in wrestling 2012 in London.

Some swiss Wrestlers came to World top ten during the last two decades: Ludwig Kueng, Christoph Feyer, Rolf Scherrer, Thomas Bucheli, Robert Eggertswyler, Reto Bucher, Beat Motzer, Urs Bürgler und Alain Bifrare.

Olympic Games

World Championships

Junior World Championships

Also Team competitions in Switzerland are very popular and often visited by more than  thousand spectators.

Team Wrestling in Switzerland

Swiss Wrestling organises also Team competitions in Leagues. This Systems is similar to german Bundesliga. There are three levels. The highest level is the: „WINFORCE LEAGUE“. One level below is the „CHALLENGE LEAGUE“, This league is splitted into two groups: East and West. And the basic league is the: „1.LIGA“ also two regional groups (east and west).2018 - 29 Teams took part in the Team competitions.

Winforce League 2018:
1.      Willisau Lions
2.      RS Kriessern
3.      RS Freiamt
4.      RR Einsiedeln
5.      RR Hergiswil
6.      RR Schattdorf

Challenge League West 2018
1.      Team Valais
2.      TV Ufhusen
3.      CO Domidier
4.      RS Sense

Challege League Ost 2018
1.      RR Brunnen
2.      RRTV Weinfelden
3.      RC Oberiet-Grabs
4.      NRC Thalheim

1.      Liga Ost 2018
1.      RR Tuggen
2.      RS Kriessern
3.      RR Uzwil
4.      RC Oberiet-Grabs
5.      RC Zürich
6.      RC Rapperswil-Jona
7.      RC Winterthur
8.      TV Ufhusen

1.      Liga West 2018
1.      RC Belp
2.      RS Freiamt
3.      RR Schattdorf
4.      Team Valais
5.      RR Brunnen
6.      Willisau Lions
7.      RR Hergiswil

Video:      Finale Hergiswil-Kriessern                      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2Nnk4N0Fec

The Team of Hergiswil is Champion of NLA 2012.

Homepage Swiss Wrestling
       http://www.ringen.ch/

President Werner Bossert

     03    /  2013
12    /  2018