A fighter from the Italian team is sheltered by a a teammate's hat as he waits to participate in a long...
A fighter from the Italian team is sheltered by a a teammate's hat as he waits to participate in a long sword duel during the Medieval Combat World Championship in Belmonte, Spain, May 2, 2014. Medieval combat is a full contact sport that revives the foot based tournament fighting of medieval Europe. Countries fight in refereed matches where the objective is to get the opposing team to the floor. There are also duels with polearms, swords and shields where the number of hits landed are scored. The fighters, both male and female, wear heavy armours and weapons, mostly replicas of authentic pieces, and fight following the knights code of conduct. According to organizers, more than 15 nations are taking part in the Championships, which started on May 1st and will go on until May 4th, with an estimated attendance of 10,000 spectators. Picture taken May 2, 2014. REUTERS/Susana Vera (SPAIN - Tags: SOCIETY SPORT)