Evgeny Strzhalkovsky on medieval tournaments in the 21st Century

Knightly battles have long been part of modern culture. Movies and video games spark the imagination, but they rarely deliver the raw intensity of real combat. On September 13, 2025, that changed in the shopping and entertainment center “Riviera”: steel clashed against steel under the rules of historical medieval battle. At the fourth stage of the national championship Sword of Russia, spectators saw how medieval combat has become a genuine competitive sport.

The historical medieval battle (HMB) first took shape a little over a decade ago. It is a full-contact discipline where fighters face off in suits of armor and with blunt steel weapons. Unlike reenactment, which is focused on historical accuracy, HMB follows sporting regulations: thrusts, strikes to the back of the head, and attacks on downed opponents are forbidden, but pushes, throws, and swinging blows are all part of the contest. The winner is the one who remains standing.

Among the competitors were leading figures of the sport: former Monaco national team coach Rafael Namazov, Austrian champion Roman Zuev, and four-time world champion Maksim Yun.

In the men’s division, first place went to team “Partizan”, while the squad “Bear’s Paw” finished second, led by their longtime captain and world champion Vitaly Gryzlov. In the women’s category, the victory went to “Alfin”.

According to Evgeny Strzhalkovsky, founder of the world’s most decorated HMB club, Bern, women’s fights are every bit as intense and spectacular as men’s:

“All the prize-winners are leaders of international HMB. Among the women’s bouts, Alina Lappo stood out in particular — her technique turned the fight into a real spectacle,” says Strzhalkovsky.

He adds that it is precisely the blend of historical atmosphere with modern safety technology that allows HMB to develop so rapidly and attract new athletes.

The finale  season of “Sword of Russia” will take place in November, bringing to the arena the strongest teams from across Europe. As Evgeny Strzhalkovsky emphasizes, this will be another step toward international recognition of historical medieval battle as a sport discipline.