Wife carrying (Finnish eukonkanto (or sometimes akankanto), Estonian naisekandmine) is a sport in which male competitors race while each carrying a female teammate. The objective is for the male to carry the female through a special obstacle track in the fastest time. The sport was first introduced at Sonkajärvi, Finland.
Several types of carry may be practised: piggyback, fireman's carry (over the shoulder), or Estonian-style (the wife hangs upside-down with her legs around the husband's shoulders, holding onto his waist).
Major wife-carrying competitions are held in Sonkajärvi, Finland (where the prize is the wife's weight in beer) Monona, Wisconsin, and Marquette, Michigan.
The sport originated as a joke in Finland, supposedly reminiscent of a past in which men courted women by running to their village, picking them up, and carrying them off.
The original track in the rough terrain with fences, rocks and brooks has been altered to suit modern conditions. These following rules set by the International Wife Carrying Competition Rules Committee apply:
- he length of the official track is 253.5 meters, and the surface of the track is partially sand, partially grass and partially gravel
- The track has two dry obstacles and a water obstacle, about one meter deep
- The wife to be carried may be your own, the neighbour's or you may have found her farther afield; she must, however, be over 17 years of age
- The minimum weight of the wife to be carried is 49 kilograms. If she is less than 49 kg, the wife will be burdened with a rucksack containing additional weight such that the total load to be carried is no less than 49 kg.
- All participants must have fun
- If a contestant drops his wife that couple will be fined 15 seconds per drop
- The only equipment allowed is a belt worn by the carrier, the carried must wear a helmet.
- The contestants run the race two at a time, so each heat is a contest in itself
- Each contestant takes care of his/her safety and, if deemed necessary, insurance
- The contestants have to pay attention to the instructions given by the organisers of the competition
- There is only one category in the World Championships and the winner is the couple who completes the course in the shortest time.
1 comentari:
- International Wife Carrying Competition Rules Committee --- que intenta ser serio i tot!!! daqui a les olimpiades!!!
- If a contestant drops his wife that couple will be fined 15 seconds per drop ---- jajajajajajaja...que fooooooooooort!
o sigui, haure de veure una dauqestes curser per lla dalt, no? mhe fet graica aixo de que el premi sigues el pes en cervessa...si es que encara seran com els checs!!! ;P
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