It’s summertime, and the weather here is not conducive to ponderous thoughts, so this evening we shall amuse ourselves with a look at how our doughty pals the Finns make merry whilst the sun glances briefly upon their Boreal realm. I’m talking, of course, about the World Championship of Wife-carrying.
Now you might be surprised to hear this, given the in-depth Scandinavian sporting coverage you’ve come to expect here at waka waka waka, but in fact I had never heard of Wife-carrying before reading about it in today’s Wall Street Journal. Here’s a brief description:
In the wife-carrying competition, men physically transport their spouses over a grueling 831-foot obstacle course that includes log hurdles, hairpin curves, changing terrain, and a four-foot-deep pool of cold water. Husbands can haul their brides any way they wish–piggyback, fireman’s carry, over-the-transom style–but they are severely penalized if they drop their wives at any point.
After everyone has finished the course, the husband with the fastest time wins an array of prizes, including–get this–the equivalent of his wife’s weight in beer!
What an outstanding idea. No special equipment needed – beyond the wife herself, of course – and rather than having some sort of messy arrangement involving a cash prize that would then have to be exchanged for beer, the victor gets beer right away, saving time and cutting out the middleman. And he’s going to be thirsty.
But why read when you can watch TV? We’ve got video footage right here.
One Comment
I’m laughing almost too hard to type “Yikes!” And of course there’s a Wikipedia tie-in. Where do you dig these tidbits up?
– M