The Estonian sport has its roots in the village swing tradition, which is also known in Finland. Today, Estonian-style swings can be found in at least five different countries.
Kiiking, which started in Estonia about 30 years ago, is basically a very simple sport.
The purpose is to swing at such a high speed that the swing and the swings attached to it by the arms and legs make a full revolution around the horizontal axis of the swing.
Today, the sport has 50–70 active enthusiasts, and twenty swings suitable for the purpose can be found in different parts of Estonia. There are also swings at least in Finland, Germany, Holland and the USA.
The roots of the hobby go back to the village swing tradition, which is also familiar in Finland. The modern form of sport that is currently in use, where the swings are equipped with adjustable rails, was developed in Estonia in 1996.
There are three different size categories of swings, and the length of the poles is a significant factor in competitions. The longer the handles, the harder it is to get the swing to rotate around its axis.
Those who enjoy the sport act as guides Harjumaan brothers Oto-Ben and Uku-Sten.
The sport looks easy and simple, but how does the swing go from an inexperienced reporter? You can see the final result in the video that is the main image of the story.
You can discuss the topic until Sunday, August 28 at 11 p.m.