Watch The Netherlands' Most Insane Sport 😳

🇳🇱 Discover the canal pole vaulting Dutch sport called Fierljeppen at Grijpskerk Arena in Holland.
Ruben Van Eijk and Mark Van Der Horst show us how the centuries old traditional Frisian sport Fierljeppen, where athletes long jump over waterways in a daring competition, is bringing generations together.
Would you like to see this at the next Olympics?
#Netherlands #PoleVaulting #Olympics #GreatBigStory #Holland, #nederlands
00:00 Intro
00:40 What is Fierljeppen?
01:30 This is canal jumping!
02:19 From chilldhood rivals to friends
03:30 The secret to athletic success
04:33 The daring competitions
05:30 The makings of a champion
06:58 The future of Fierljeppen
Lead Producer - Alberto Chelleri
Executive Producer - Genevieve Ingham
Camera - Alberto Chelleri
Editor - James Rayner
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[@GreatBigStory]

Epic right?! 🤯Tell us about the most extreme or insane sport you know 👇

[@jujitsujew23]

Sepak Takraw is pretty wild

[@GreatBigStory]

@@jujitsujew23 Very insane 😳🫣

[@XEinstein]

Adventure Racing

[@BasicallyBaconSandvichIV]

Yeah pretty epic. Next time, do please mention that it's a Friesian sport with a Friesian name! I know it's also done in other parts of the Netherlands, but it's still very important to at least mention the Friesians. That's kinda what you do with distinct cultures. Anyhows: another interesting sport would be another Dutch exclusive: the Marblelympics. Not the type of marbling done by kids in schools and such, but more like one of those big "drop 'em down a course" marbling. It was great to watch during lockdown, and still is a worldwide favourite to this day. It's mainly one guy that keeps it going, but it's still well worth the story. If that's not good I know some places fire cannons. But I don't think that's a sport. They're just competitive. Still pretty cool though.

[@wilco8729]

Fierljeppen is NOT DUTCH. It is friesian. Just like the language friesian is also not dutch.

[@JamesRaynerGBS]

Editor and first-time VO artist here - Apologies for any mispronunciations ❤I practiced saying 'Fierljeppen' and 'Grijpskerk' aloud all week I promise! 🙃😆

[@Braincain007]

It's okay! You did your best 😊

[@JMRayner]

​@@Braincain007❤❤

[@rutgerb]

Fierljeppen was spot on! And I can know, I am Frisian😅

[@GreatBigStory]

You did a great job 👏❤

[@Merugaf]

Dont worry 90% of Dutch people cant say Fierljeppen either, dont bother with our silly little language

[@MikeSchlesinger]

Putting aside the problem regarding not giving credit to the Frisians, this sport reminded me of the place all sports had for me as a child and youth: competition along with fun, physical challenge plus a bit of fear, friendship and being the best you can (including good sportsmanship). That's my definition of sports.

[@jiggyprawn]

I heard him say it was Frisian... ETA: I just listened again to be sure, and I was wrong. But it's in the description.

[@Appelouz]

Not mentioning Friesland (it being a Frisian and not a Dutch sport) is like making a news item on bagpipes and calling it British. Or maybe even more fitting: something typical of Catalonia (like the Sardana dance) and calling it Spanish.

[@rubenskiii]

I get your point but bagpipes are not exclusively Scottish: bagpipes are known in many places, from North Africa, Middle East, Continental Europe and even in Siberian Russia. Where i live in The Netherlands also has it's own type: _Brabantse Doeldelzak._ The reason we associate bagpipes so strongly with Scotland actually is because of the British: in the colonial empire Scottish regiments where allowed to play their instruments. And the bagpipes became popular with the British. And because of the influence Great Britain had the popularity spread. It's a fascinating subject and across Mainland Europe many people are trying to bring regional bagpipes back! There are beautiful videos on KZbin of Italian Bagpipes for example. Zampoga from the top of my head they are called.

[@Evitaschannel]

"it being a Frisian and not a Dutch sport" Friesland is in the Netherlands...

[@Ghezus]

​@@EvitaschannelAs a Dutch person, I can surely tell you it's just the Frisian people doing it.

[@DreHill1]

Fierljeppen is also played outside of Friesland. Not as much, but still

[@jmtew]

@@Ghezus​​⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠Wrong! It’s very popular in Friesland but also in the west of the provincie Utrecht. The Dutch record is held by Jaco de Groot from Woerden and jumped in Zegveld. The video is recorded in Linschoten. But some more respect to the Friesland origin should have been added.

[@SassyPieHole999]

I absolutely love the Dutch. I never saw this Fierljeppen before but I saw, somewhere in the Netherlands, people sitting on top of wooden poles in the water and the person who stayed longest was the winner. It started around 6pm and went on all through the night. While they sat they drank beer thrown to them by their ‘supporters’. Absolutely hardcore. 😊

[@karlkragt]

Yes it's called "Paalzitten"or pole Sitting in English. The challange is to stay as long as possible on the pole. No sleeping!

[@hitoshi12]

You didn't see it because it is a Frisian exclusive sport.

[@havingalook2]

That was so interesting - I had never hear of it. The Dutch/Frisian peoples are very very clever and we all know they are masters at conquering water and this is just another example. Many thanks for bring this to us. Looks rather exciting. Love to be in attendance to watch a competition.

[@fierljeppen]

The pole is not 30.75m, but 13.25m!

[@jpdj2715]

30.75 metre is almost 101 foot - an absurd number - 13.25 metre is "only" 43.5 ft. which is seriously impressive. The poles are made from carbon nowadays and lengths vary, starting from 9 metres (29.5 ft) with the 13.25m being the upper limit AFAIK

[@lodewijkbakker3246]

Not one note to the origin primarily being with the Frisians not the whole of the Netherlands. I mean it was so close with the explanation of the name of the sport it should be clear that this name is not in Dutch. Would have been respectful to at least acknowledge it.

[@kommissarkillemall2848]

i kind of Disagree.. yes, it's still done in Friesland, and not much other places as a sport. But, to call it exclusive Frisian is not true, as crossing canals this way was allready known in the western provinces for centuries too. Ask the Spaniards in the 80-year war.. they were so amazed they even wrote about it. Unfortunatly due to extensive "inpoldering" and infrastructure the need for this kind of transport was lost, and somehow it didn't turn into a sport in this regions. ( btw, on a farm bext to our stables there was a pole still hanging in the varn from atleast a 100 years old that the grandfather of the owner still used to get around in the Westland )

[@lodewijkbakker3246]

​@@kommissarkillemall2848 Didn't really mean to push that far I guess, I was simply referring to the fact that the name is not even Dutch and that the origins really could have been included easily at that point. I don't want to make the sport like frisian "exclusive" because literally who cares really. (For continuation it is probably good that more people do it) but to take it and present it as a dutch sport without acknowledging Frisian culture is I think not respectfull, I have edited to reflect that.

[@RealConstructor]

You have pole vault high jump (an olympic sport) and pole vault far jump (in Dutch polsstokverspringen, in Frisian fierljeppen). Although the most pole vault far jumpers live in the province of Friesland, there are also jumpers in Holland and Utrecht. The town of Kockengen in the province of Utrecht f.e. has a pole vault far jump club or polstokverspringvereniging in Dutch.

[@weiareinboud6990]

Originally it was just for walking around. Because there were hardly roads in Fryslân (Frisia) you had to have a 'pols' ('pole') to cross waterways. A greataunt of my friend did it in her youth, she was born in 1913 and died over 103 years later. Nowadays there are many more roads.

[@SuperheroMovieMusic]

That really strong Dutch accent when speaking English makes me proud! 😂

[@sandervdbrink84]

This should be in the Olympics for sure!

[@p0rkcharap]

this should be in the olympics!!!

[@paulm.westerduin64]

Fascinating. Randstad (Holland) man with Frisian blood in his veins. Spent so many summer holidays in Fryslân when I was younger. Highlights: sailing over the Frisian lakes in our sailing ship (such a joy; the waters and landscapes are breathtaking), local fierljeppen competitions and skûtsjesilen, of course. Fryslân boppe! Nice to fetch some attention to this unique sport.

[@markvanderhorst9247]

The pole is 13.75, not 30.75😂💪

[@fierljeppen]

yes indeed! I saw that fault too! But isn't it 13.25m?

[@markvanderhorst9247]

@@fierljeppen yess you’re right

[@user-ec8zd8zp4x]

When I was young (late last century), this was how we went searching for Lapwing eggs and other meadow bird eggs. We had a 4 meter pole and could jump canals as wide as about 6 - 8 meters, depending on how deep the water was and how high/ steep the sides of the canals were. In the meadows we searched for the eggs and marked the nests for farmers, so they would not mow the nests, eggs and/or young Lapwings or other meadow birds to pieces. Wonderful time out in the fields...

[@jujitsujew23]

They used to do this in England as it was a tradition in East Anglia. Couldn't find much evidence online that they still do it

[@BasicallyBaconSandvichIV]

That would make sense, considering that the Angles and particularly the Saxons originally came from an area quite close to each other. The Saxons and Friesians were actually neighbours for a while there. If you look up Angles (tribe) on Wikipedia you'll find a perfect map showing the travels of the Saxons, Angles and Jutes. But also showing the territory of the Friesians and Franks at the time. PS.: Fun Fact! While both France and Germany claim to be the inheriters of the Franks, the Franks originally lived in parts of what's currently the Netherlands. I've also read somewhere that Dutch is the language closest to Frankish. Ironic, isn't it? Especially after the destruction of Lothringia.

[@kellydalstok8900]

East Anglia was drained/impoldered with the help of Dutchmen, wasn’t it? Draining requires a lot of ditches to remove the water and fierljeppen makes crossing the fields on foot a lot easier.

[@Mark723]

Jacob! How nice to hear that lilting voice, especially commentating such an interesting video. Perhaps you were selected for this assignment because of your previous brilliant work on waterways...

[@GreatBigStory]

Not Jacob this time, it's our filmmaker and voiceover artist James. Spot his comment 😀

[@Mark723]

@@GreatBigStory James! Apologies, but all British accents sound alike to your average Yank. Nonetheless, thanks for the excellent voice over, and give my best to Jacob when next you bump into each other at Great Big Story central. Or, when you're both out at the same pub, because all British people know all other British people.

[@BasicallyBaconSandvichIV]

Yep, that person's Grijpskerk pronunciation wasn't half bad. Still obviously English, but if he can learn how to say the Dutch G, R and E he'd say it perfectly! Don't know about the word the word fierljeppen, but then again: I'm Dutch, but not Friesian. Most non-Friesian Dutch can't pronounce it either, but another commenter who says they're Friesian claims it was said perfectly, so that's VERY skilled indeed!

[@Maginone2]

No mention of Frisian culture? This sports originates from Frisian province and is also mainly practiced in that province. To bad this was not mentioned. Otherwise a nice look in to the sport.

[@rubenskiii]

The sport is Frysian maybe, and the name given to it too but the practice itself is not exclusively Frysian, infact it's not even only Dutch. Using a big stick to jump over water is known in many places, which makes sense seeing how many cultures have big sticks and small canals for irrigation.

[@Erik_Emer]

Don't know how they'd feel about this, but this could potentially be a tourist activity. Provided they can find ways to ensure security for very first timers, I think that'd be fun. It definitely looks fun to me!

[@markvanderhorst9247]

We give demonstations where people can participate

[@martini668]

Lovely video

[@saidtoshimaru1832]

Wow, a sport in which winnig hurts so much more than losing.

[@VDMOOLN]

looks painful but it isn't

[@Daniella474]

Woah!! 🔥

[@marksecker6606]

The Dutch are insane. They have the Nijmeegse vierdagen; the longest walk in the world: 30, 40 of 50 km per day. When winters where colder back in the days they had de elfstedentocht; almost 200 km through the cold skating on the ice.

[@ankavoskuilen1725]

The generations before us did those things for a living. Fishermen from Spakenburg sold their fish in Apeldoorn, went there by bicycle, 52 km and back 52 km. In the winter they were fishing on the ice near Harderwijk. In the night they went with a wooden sled with their fishing equipment and room for the fish, 25 km on the ice, fishing during the night and then 25 km back.

[@hraday08]

this sport should be included in olympics

[@user-cl1ew9ki5i]

❤❤❤❤ from Brisbane Australia 🇦🇺

[@maartenkos98]

I would hardly say ‘the heart of a nation’. There are about 600 (all amateur) participants. It is fun for sure, but most of the nation don’t care for it.

[@caspar9794]

Yeah, this is bound to take off one day.

[@Mar6008]

Haha I knew it was fjierleppen as soon as I saw the title, tried it but nope😂 its not only a sport here but also a fun summer activity for the diehards haha

[@jimlawton4184]

I’m curious why is there someone following them as they jump? Is it a safety thing?

[@markvanderhorst9247]

Yeah safety and coaching

[@Evitaschannel]

Its to motivate you, you can't just stop and not jump cause there's a full grown man running full speed behind you 😂

[@SuperRookie117]

The only thing I can think of, those poor people's knees and spines.

[@mbgrafix]

This looks like something that Storror would be excellent at!

[@jimlawton4184]

To have an arena centred around a ditch is absolutely hilarious!

[@VoIcanoman]

The Dutch are known for their love of insane sports. Speed skating is certainly fairly insane...travelling 50+ km/h on ice with massive blades strapped to your feet, and the constant risk of losing traction and sliding, at speed, into a barrier...sounds Dutch to me! And then they have that headwind-biking sport, where they essentially bike into 50 km/h headwinds (or faster...50 is the minimum allowed for the competition). Like...they literally took the nightmare scenario for 99% of cyclists around the world, and made it a sport. So I'm not surprised to see the equivalent of Donatello the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle using his bō staff to jump over obstacles turned into a Dutch sport. Much respect...as a kid, pole vaulting looked so cool, but I thought the height objective was kind of lame. Going the furthest should've been the goal, and the Dutch made it happen!

[@matttaylor1150]

GBS Nice

[@JamesRaynerGBS]

[@moneymaker1588]

💥💥💥

[@Ben-cl2co]

I can't believe you went to go make an awesome video about a FRISIAN sport and not go to Fryslân. As a Frisian i am deeply dissapointed.

[@diekje8728]

Truth be told, university competitions with drunk, dressed up students trying to fierljep in the middle of the city is the best kind to watch

[@JMPT]

GBS Nice 🇳🇱🌊💈🌊🇳🇱

[@JamesRaynerGBS]

💈🌊 NICE

[@JMPT]

@@JamesRaynerGBS indeed 🇳🇱

[@TheTekknician]

Frisian here, noting it's a sport withing the Netherlands is fine, but not noting it's of Frisian origin is nearly insulting. Please give credit where credit is due.

[@CindersSpot]

I thought this would be about tegenwindfietsen...

[@themangix357]

I'd like to see Max Verstappen do this! 😆

[@arjenh7214]

He's from Limburg in the south, they don't do that there. This is from the North, especially Friesland.

[@hitoshi12]

This ain't a sport from the Netherlands, it is a sport from FRISIAN. Fierljeppen is a traditional Frisian sport. The world Fierljeppen isn't even Dutch. So as a native Frisian I am not happy this video not mentioning Frisian/Friesland at all!

[@BasicallyBaconSandvichIV]

Precies, dat hadden ze moeten zeggen. Een woordje in de description waar iedereen overheen leest is niet genoeg. -Niet een Fries.

[@cathrinaandrus1777]

MY ADHD: 😲 I FOUND MY SPORT

[@henrythebananaboy]

Hi

[@kellydalstok8900]

Why Grijpskerk? It’s not in Friesland but in Groningen.

[@Debbie338]

Pretty epic, yes. I’d love to try it, but here in our Florida canals, you’d land on an alligator. 😊

[@markvanderhorst9247]

Makes it extra exiting!

[@Debbie338]

@@markvanderhorst9247 There’s a great meme called Turtle Cavalry, if you want a good chuckle. 😊

[@LindaClements]

So why is there another runner chasing the jumper down the dock? What is the purpose of that?

[@markvanderhorst9247]

For coaching

[@swaffelkonijn5166]

It's Frisian, this is literally only practised in one province of the Netherlands which coincidentally also has it's own unique language and culture. The rest of us don't have a clue what goes on over there.

[@ntamny]

You wouldn’t want to do that where I live….alligators.😂😂😂

[@vreeze33]

Good motivation to make it to the other side.

[@ntamny]

@@vreeze33 😂yep

[@elieobeid77]

I think some africans or basketball players would do great at this sport as they are extremely tall and skinny and have strength. If this sport was well known internationally, someone like usaine bolt or wembanyama would do great at it.

[@sriharshacv7760]

They are basically a giant isolated village with unique challenges. Their entire culture developed around engineering water. They are the avatar's water nation.

[@rhythmandacoustics]

Basically high jump or pole vault

[@markvanderhorst9247]

Yess 2 in 1

[@kellydalstok8900]

Not really, because pole vaulters don’t climb the pole.

[@ankavoskuilen1725]

Fierljeppen is Frisian, not Dutch. Frisia is a part of the Netherlands.

[@fredrikdalman4834]

Ollie is that you?

[@ArnoldScheepers]

It's actually not Dutch but a Frisian sport, that's different.

[@chef7658]

no its not. if Friesland is its own place, then any small african village of 7 mudhuts is its own country by that logic. this shit is done all around the country. north, east , south or west.

[@mrcdad]

Why is there someone following the jumper?

[@markvanderhorst9247]

For coaching

[@chriscripplercruz1833]

Here in America a water sport is considered something else lol

[@CannedMemes1]

Slootje springen

[@AreigelSjtols]

It's a Frisian sport. Rather rude to not credit them and that's coming from a Limburger.

[@kingmichealthefirstofroman2278]

Doesnt red bull sponsor it too

[@marcgetsenergizedbythis2196]

Nope, the health Insurer Ankles Inc. does.

[@MattTheEngineer.]

Redbull sponsors everyone

[@Yanramich]

Yes.

[@fierljeppen]

Sometimes there is red bull fierste ljepper! that is a game once... It doesn't sponsor the normal games!

[@TTTzzzz]

It's a a pure Frisian sport. Not really Dutch.

[@masonkim7]

A lot of these guys will have major knee issues in 15 to 20 years... BUT by then stem cell technology might become readily available.

[@kommissarkillemall2848]

most likely we dutch are a bit tougher then you expect.. 😄

[@kellydalstok8900]

Frisian are tough. Wy binne net fan die suertsjes.

[@nowatcher656]

How dare you not mention that the name fierljeppen is from the Frisian language and not the dutch language. If you want to celebrate unique cultures, it is very important to distinguish things correctly.

[@benjy6358]

please dont let red bull blow this sport..

[@fierljeppen]

lol

[@Sezonoj]

just a few weeks ago i came across a red bull yt short where they did exactly this

[@hanssolos3699]

golden shower is water sport

[@chadlimestall9201]

As a circus professional: these people need real training. Their climbing technique could be greatly improved with "inch worm" climbs or front levers.

[@BasicallyBaconSandvichIV]

Why not go to Friesland and talk to them yourself? Or if you're up for it, try it yourself?

[@cloverisfan818]

The most Dutch sport of all time: tu tu tu max verstappen

[@PlutoTheSynth]

this is literally just vaulting how is this insane?

[@Sezonoj]

yet its not

[@insansiregar6158]

That climbing might have been inspired by the colony countries of Netherlands

[@miriam4235]

Absolutely not. Using a pole like this to navigate the water rich countryside for at least a 1000 years.

[@swaffelkonijn5166]

Hi, I hold an MA degree in Medieval history and that is why I can tell you that there are a fair few accounts of the Frisians using this technique to navigate the land dating back to the medieval and early modern period, well before the Dutch had a colonial empire. Not everything is colonial history and your attempt to blackwash Frisian culture is frankly insulting and I'm not even Frisian.

[@Braadslee]

This is only a thing in Friesland (1 of the 12 dutch provinces) Typical how you lie to get more views. Or are you just too lazy to literally use google.