Funny Sports: A Look at the World of Competitive Wife Carrying

As Vytautas Kirkliauskas crossed the finish line in Sonkajarvi, Finland, he was wet and out of breath. Oh yeah, he also had his wife hanging off his back en route to winning the 23rd World Wife Carrying Championship.

Weird things happen when you only get 6 hours of daylight per day during the winter. You end up with wife carrying, a Finnish summer custom that dates back to the 19th century.

Do you think funny sports like this aren’t serious business? Well, think again.

Read on to learn everything you need to know about the strange sport the Finns call eukonkanto!

How the Sport Works

The International Wife Carrying Competition Rules Committee lays down the rules for international events. These are the same rules used at the Wife Carrying World Championships.

The rules for the North American competition are similar to the international rules. However, there are a few differences worth noting.

Here’s a quick rundown of the rules and regulations for wife carrying, one of the weirdest sports in the world.

World Rules

Finland, the Mecca of this sport, has been the home of the Wife Carrying World Championships since 1992. This is the event where about 50 teams battle it out each July for their chance to take home the world crown.

Men run the course as fast as they can while women hang off their backs, usually upside down with their legs wrapped around the neck of their teammate.

Teams don’t have to consist of a husband and wife. That said, female participants must be 18 or older, and rules require them to weight at least 108 pounds. Women who weigh less must wear a rucksack to make up the difference.

The length of the track is approximately 277 yards. It has three obstacles, including a log hurdle, sandpit, and water hazard.

Three teams compete on the track at once. The team with the fastest time out of all the heats wins the grand prize, which is a trophy and the woman’s weight in beer.

Officials also hand out awards to the best entertainers and strongest carriers. Not to mention, there’s a prize for the team with the nicest costume. (This is where having stylish gym wear comes in handy.)

North American Rules

Every October, the best American and Canadian wife carriers go head to head in The North American Wife Carrying Championship. The event, which (as of 2018) is in its 19th year, goes down in Newry, Maine, during the annual Sunday River Resort Fall Festival.

For the most part, North American rules are identical to world rules. The length of the North American track is the same as the world track. Although it’s less flat than the world track, the North American track also has one wet obstacle and two dry ones.

Unlike international competitors, however, North American competitors don’t need to wear a helmet. There isn’t a minimum weight limit for the women, but participants need to be at least 21.

The last race is a head-to-head competition between the two teams with the fastest rounds.

Winners of the North American event receive five times the woman’s weight in beer and cash. On top of that, they get a coveted slot in the Wife Carrying World Championships, which no American team has won yet.

Final Thoughts on Funny Sports from Finland

Believe it or not, Finland is also the home of the Air Guitar World Championships and the Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships. But neither of those sports have as rich of a history as wife carrying.

If you think funny sports are weird, you haven’t seen anything yet. Be sure to check out our most popular weird articles for even more oddities.

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