A man falls acrobatically as he slips on the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, Malta August 30, 2015. In the traditional “gostra”, a game stretching back to the Middle Ages, young men, women and children have to make their way to the top of a pole and try to uproot one of the flags to win prizes. From May to September in Malta, there is hardly any weekend when a town or a village is not celebrating the feast of its patron saint or other saints revered in different churches. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A man falls acrobatically as he slips on the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A child slips off the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

Two man jump off the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, after running up during the children's competition to help remove some grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A child loses his balance on the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A teenager grabs a flag as he slips off the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A competitor reaches out to grab a flag as he slips off the “gostra” a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A man prepares the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A competitor balances on the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A competitor slips off the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A competitor slips off the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A competitor runs up the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A competitor slips off the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A competitor slips off the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A competitor reaches out to grab a flag as he slips off the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

Hunters fire a fusillade of gunshots in a traditional salute as the statue of St Julian is carried out of the town parish church during the religious feast of St Julian, patron saint of hunters and of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

Hunters fire a fusillade of gunshots in a traditional salute as the statue of St Julian is carried out of the town parish church during the religious feast of St Julian, patron saint of hunters and of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, August 30, 2015. From May to September in Malta, there is hardly any weekend when a town or a village is not celebrating the feast of its patron saint or other saints revered in different churches. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A competitor celebrates in the sea after grabbing the final flag on the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A competitor grabs the final flag as he falls off the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A competitor falls off the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, after slipping and hitting against the pole during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A competitor loses his balance on the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A competitor falls off the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, after slipping and hitting against the pole during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A competitor slips and lands badly against the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A competitor falls off the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, after grabbing a flag during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A teenager slips on the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta, August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)

A competitor tries to swipe away some grease as he slips off the “gostra”, a pole covered in grease, during the celebrations for the religious feast of St Julian, patron of the town of St Julian's, outside Valletta August 30, 2015. (Photo by Darrin Zammit Lupi/Reuters)