A test of strength, endurance and agility has been taking place in Alaska, in the 37th annual Eskimo Olympics. But the path to glory is a far cry from the traditional track and field games.
Competitors take part in events such as blubber eating and the blanket toss.
Blanket tossing - originally used for spotting whales Many of the events reflect traditional fishing skills and the games are still used by whaling captains to recruit crews. Gold, silver and bronze medals are available in 22 events. The ear weight contest is a crowd favourite requiring participants to carry at least 16 pounds of lead weights - suspended by cord from the ear. The person who carries the most weight the farthest is declared the winner. The idea is to stay as stiff as possible Novice spectators can easily spot the leading competitors - they are the ones holding bags of ice to the sides of their heads after the contest.