July 13, 2024
Provided Image/Red Bull Content Pool
The Red Bull Championship Run will have competitors sprint up greased poles to retrieve a flag. The competition will be at Spruce Street Harbor Park and is based on the Red Bull Yagli Direk contest in Turkey (pictured above).
Philly will host a Red Bull event that might be on the nose for those familiar with sports fan celebrations in the city.
The Red Bull Championship Run will have up to 100 people compete to sprint up a greased telephone pole and grab a flag at the end of it. The competition will occur at Spruce Street Harbor Park in Penn's Landing on July 27.
Red Bull has not announced prizes for the extreme challenge yet, which will have participants test their speed and balance. There will be multiple rounds, with the pole being regreased every 20 runners.
Whoever grabs the flag the quickest will be declared the winner; if no one can nab the flag, the runner who made it the farthest in the shortest amount of time will be the champion.
Those who wish to participate in the frantic challenge can register online for a fee of $29.
While this is the first time Red Bull has held such a contest in Philly, the energy drink company is basing the competition on its Red Bull Yagli Direk event in Turkey. "Yagli Direk" directly translates to "greased pole."
Of course, Philly is infamous for its rabid sports fanbase, with officials having to sometimes grease poles in the city to deter individuals from climbing up them for celebratory purposes. Naturally, Philly sports fans take that as a challenge.
Every summer, the Italian Market Festival includes a grease pole climbing competition, with the previous one taking place in May. Prizes for the homegrown contest include meats, cheeses and money.
