SINJ SINJ, Aug 3 (Hina) - Mario Susnjara, a 25-year-old competitor, on Sunday won this year's Alka, the traditional lancing tournament, which takes place in the southern town of Sinj in August in tribute to a victory of local citizens
and defenders who defeated the then Ottoman forces in 1715.
SINJ, Aug 3 (Hina) - Mario Susnjara, a 25-year-old competitor, on
Sunday won this year's Alka, the traditional lancing tournament,
which takes place in the southern town of Sinj in August in tribute
to a victory of local citizens and defenders who defeated the then
Ottoman forces in 1715. #L#
At a ceremony, set for Tuesday, the winner of the 288th Alka will
receive awards, a gold ring and a sabre. The presents will be
conferred on to Susnjara by the chairman of the Alka Knights'
Society (VAD). In the past the President of the Republic, who used
to be the sponsor of event, gave the presents to the winner.
However, in 2001 the Alka tournament served for the political
promotion of some politicians and the slander of the current
authorities, particularly of President Stjepan Mesic, and since
then the tournament has been organised under auspices of the local
population, or as it is put 'the populace of Sinj and Cetina
Region'.
According to the unanimous decision of all competitors in the
three-day Alka, the cash award of 30,000 kuna (4000 euros) for the
winner of the central event, held on Sunday, and cash awards for the
winners of the previous two races, will be paid to the fund for the
defence of the Alka Duke, General Mirko Norac, who is currently
detained in a jail in Rijeka after he was found guilt of war crimes.
This year's acting Duke, Ivan Cikara, greeted all guests at the
tournament: members of parliament, Split Archbishop Marin Barisic,
local authorities, representatives of associations of Homeland War
veterans, as well as soldiers who fought for Croatian in that war
and their families.
In a speech of welcome he delivered before the start of Sunday's
race, Cikara recalled the famous battle against Turk conquerors in
1715, and he described fortifications around Sinj as symbols of
patriotism, bravery, loyalty and strong faith.
The people of the Cetina region showed its stamina and
determination in the recent Homeland War, when being led by the
first Croatian president, Franjo Tudjman, it made its dream true --
the independent Republic of Croatia, Cikara said.
The Alka tournament, which includes also a few cultural events in
this town in the Split hinterland, wrapped with a revelry in the
town square on Sunday night.
This year, no representative of the current government was seen in
the main stand during Alka, and only a few MPs, mostly from
opposition parties, attended it.
(hina) ms sb