Suo-potku-pallo (swamp-kick-ball) is a really extraordinary sportevent in Ukkohalla, Finland, and I got the opportunity to try it through a friend who won a competition.
This is one of the wackiest things I have ever done, and it was a long time since I had so much fun in such a short time. 
After the arrival to Oulu, the Nokian Tyres Team got together in the bus towards Hyrinsalmi. After a while my friend broke the silence by yelling Nastorovia, and then the ice was broken and the get-together-party started. 
Alexsej, Rolf, Tuomas and Lauri somewhere between Oulu and Hyrinsalmi, 500 km up north from Helsinki in Finland. 
Our cabin was really nice and I think that we must have been some of the first to stay there. 
Maija Vilkkumaa is a really famous artist in Finland and the crowd enjoyed her music. There where a lot of people listening to Maija at the Swamp Rock this evenening. 
Me and Rolf standing at the gate of Suopotkupallo. 
Standing: Rolf, Dan (me) and Dmitry. Sitting: Lauri and Tuomas. 
Alexsej prepares himself by putting Duc-tape around his shoes.
He actually lost one of his shoes in one of the first games he played. 
The Nokian team from russia. I dont know all their names, but they where really energetic in the games we played. 
Dmitry is trying to take the ball and prevent a goal from the opposite team. 
The ball in play, but it is not that simple to get it since all the players are sinking down about 20-70 centimetres in the swamp. 
Notice how deep the players are with their feet in the swamp. They ARE standing. 
I am trying to take the ball from a finnish player. It is hard but I am a strong person and I never gave up the hope in succeding taking it. I was laughing constantly for the first half of the match and it felt wonderful when I lost the ball and the finnish guy who took it lost it again because the ball got stuck in the swamp. He yelled PERKELE and I guess he felt just as frustrated as we all did. 
We won one match and celebrated it by throwing ourselves into the deepest part of the swamp. Notice the cameraman to the right. He was filming the whole game. 
About half of the teams in Soupotkupallo where female. Here ar two teams fighting of the ball by crawling in the swamp. 
Alot of the teams had special outfits and I loved seeing this. Notice the white turkey who is alive and the one that is the dying swan. 
As I said, there was a cameraman filming the games, and when we got to the Swamp Rock in the eveneing they had a big screen where they showed our game . It is me trying to run through the swamp. 
A field ready for a game. There where lots of water since it had been raining a lot the previous evenening. 
Why would I ever like to take a bath here? Maybe if I were finnish! Well, after a game it did not matter where you went since you got all wet. 
Some finnish guys trying to have a decent game. As you can see they are stuck in the swamp. 
A team that had just won a game celebrated with a ritual where they all approached eachother and finally threw themselves to the ground in the swamp. 
The ball at play in a good game! It is hard, but people are stubborn and strong. No sissies here! 
The first-aid tent. According to a worker there had been 6 snakebites and 12 broken legs by the time half of the tournament had been played.
Last year the swamps was much drier and the result of that was many broken legs. 
I am getting ready for a game. Please notice that I am actually clean. 
Well, we lost the game and I was not that clean anymore.
Can you spot something that is dry on me except from my hair? 
There was a thunderstorm, and the lightning struck
just near the swamp-area. The restaurant tent was
totally full of people who did not want to get wet
(why? they got wet anyway). 
A mix in the mouth grog done by one of the russian guys.
First a little Koskenkorva and second som Coka Cola.
I would like to send my regards to all the team-members from russia, finland and a special thank you to the people at Nokian Tyres for giving us the opportunity to participate in this event.
A very special thanks to my friend, Rolf, who made it possible for me to go there by asking me if I would like to join him.
Thanks again!
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