Watch: St Julian’s Ġostra Champion Nails It
Welcome to the Ġostra, Malta’s iconic, slippery, and totally legendary tradition that’s been part of our village feasts for generations.
Footage sent to Lovin Malta shows one fearless athlete sprinting up a greased wooden pole, clutching the last flag like a champ, before inevitably splashing straight into the sea at St Julian’s.
The rules? Simple: run, grab, fall. The pole is lathered in grease, tilted over the sea, and the challenge is to snatch the flag before gravity does its thing. Most contestants end up with bruises (and maybe a bruised ego), but the lucky few who make it to the end walk away with bragging rights for life.
From Malta to Gozo, the ġostra is more than a game, it’s a festa ritual that mixes danger, comedy, and a good dose of chaos. Locals treat it like a badge of pride, while visitors look on, equal parts shocked and impressed.
Do you think you could manage to snag a flag?
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