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Sporting Event Of The Week (16)

I’ve been somewhat distracted recently but at least the 23rd World Wife-Carrying Championship, held as usual in the small Finnish town of Sonkajarvi in early July didn’t totally escape my notice.

This year’s winners were a Lithuanian Couple, Vytautas and Neringa Kirkliauskas, who triumphed over 52 other pairs of competitors, including six times world champion, Taisto Miettinen, to claim the crown. There are qualifying events held as far afield as the United States, the UK, Sweden and Estonia. A Finnish couple finished second and a Swedish pair third. There are also prizes for the funniest attempt, the best dressed and the strongest carrier.

The race, which takes around an hour to complete, is a heady mix of running, wading through a slippery pool and completing an obstacle course. Legend has it that it owes its origin to an initiation ritual established by Ronkainen the Robber in the 19th century. Anyone who wanted to be in his gang was made to carry sacks of grain or live pigs over a similar course. Others ascribe its origin to the earlier practice of wife-stealing.

Be that as it may, at least this year’s winners are a happily married couple.

Long may it continue!



This post first appeared on Windowthroughtime | A Wry View Of Life For The World-weary, please read the originial post: here

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Sporting Event Of The Week (16)

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