Olive picking contest

24.10.2018. 08:59:33

Being known for its olive oil making, Croatia has an obligation to its domestic producers and to all who aprriciate fine olive oils. One of the biggest parts of that obligation is to perserve the natural environment and to promote a healthy way of living and the apriciation of olive oils. Just by promoting the benefits of olive oils and olive oil making we give more reason to perserve the natural environment. The olive oil makers came to a great idea on how to attract more people from foreign countries and the organisaton of olive picking contest was in motion.

For many centuries the people of the island of Brač grew olives,last year from their traditions came the idea to organise the first world championship in picking olives . The reason for it wasnt only to promote Croatias olive oil business, but to gather people from the industry to exchange knowledge and expirience, to see new things and to lift spirits even if u are not an expert in growing olives.

This year the competition started on the eleventh of October and it lasted until the fourteenth, it was held at Postira- a smalll town on the island of Brač. The competition was tough, it involved eleven national teams from Holland, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, France, Hungary, Sweden, Spain, USA, Great Britain, Montenegro and Croatia. The teams are made up of two men and two women and the goal is to pick as many olives as possible in 45 minutes.

In an ancient olive grove in a garden named after saint Joseph just above the town of Positra the croatian team took the victory by gathering 67 kilograms of olives. The second place was taken by the national team of Montenegro with 56.6 kg while the Slovenian team took the 3rd place with 51.6 kg. The national team from Holland suprisingly was 6th in the end despite taking 2nd place in the last years competition . Event though this was a competition, maby the british team was the most enthusiastic one despite taking the last place with 36.8 kilograms. Mark Fitzpatrick who led his team to Croatia to represent GB was thrilled about the competition even though olives are not naturaly found in GB . Mark also promised to learn new tehniques and invite more of his friends to joinh him in conquring olive groves in Croatia.

The competition was organised by The tourist organisation of Positra , The agricultural organsiation of Positra with the help of local olive producers. They were happy to see even more national teams compete than last year and pointed out that everything happened as planned in the spirit of sport and friendship. It was a big sucess to see rising apriciation of olive oil making spreading and growing.

"Next year we expect even more national teams to compete" - said the director of The tourist organisation of Positra Ivana Jelinčić.

The results of competition are listed here:

1. Hrvatska/Croatia 67 kg

2. Crna Gora/Montenegro 56,60 kg

3. Slovenija/Slovenia 51,60 kg

4. BiH/Bosnia and Herzegovina 46,80 kg

5. SAD/USA 44 kg

6. Nizozemska/the Netherlands 42,60 kg

7. Švedska/Sweden 40,40 kg

8. Mađarska/Hungary 40,20 kg

9. Francuska/France 38,20 kg

10. Španjolska/Spain 37,00 kg