Everything you need to know about the Wife-Carrying World Championship in Finland

The Wife-Carrying World Championship – known arsenic Eukonkanto - starts coming and runs until tomorrow successful Sonkajärvi, successful nan Northern Savonia region of Finland.

Held since 1992, nan yearly sporting arena involves antheral participants carrying their female partners connected their backs done a challenging obstacle course, which features water, hurdles and soil pits.

Not conscionable a trial of beingness spot and endurance, nan title centers astir communication, communal trust, and teamwork. And a emotion of brew too, arsenic nan winning mates don’t person a badge aliases a rate prize but nan wife’s weight successful beer.

"Kippis" to that!

What are nan rules?

• The minimum weight of nan woman to beryllium carried is 49kg. If she weighs less, nan woman will beryllium burdened pinch a rucksack containing further weight.
• The female subordinate does person to beryllium legally joined to their antheral partner, but she does person to beryllium 17-years-old, aliases above.
• The charismatic way magnitude is 253.5 metres.
• The way contains 2 “dry obstacles” and a “water obstacle” that is astir 1 metre deep.
• The only instrumentality permitted during nan title is simply a helmet worn by nan female competitor and a loop by nan antheral competitor.
• Several types of “carry” are possible: A piggyback, a fireman’s assistance (over nan shoulder), aliases Estonian-style (the woman hangs upside-down pinch her legs astir nan husband’s shoulders, holding onto his waist).
• Each competitor is responsible for his aliases her ain safety… and insurance.

NB: These are nan world rules group by nan International Wife-Carrying Competition Rules Committee, but rules tin alteration depending connected nan competition, arsenic these contests person taken spot successful Australia, Estonia, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Sweden, nan UK, and different parts of nan world.

Where does this contented travel from?

The title is said to beryllium based connected nan 19th-century fable of Herman “Herkko” Ronkainen – or: ‘Ronkainen nan Robber’ - who supposedly tested aspiring members of his pack by making them lug dense sacks of atom aliases unrecorded swine around obstacle courses.

Another type of this gangly communicative is that Herman and his thieves were accused of stealing nutrient and abducting women from villages, past carrying these women connected their backs arsenic they ran away. Hence nan "wife" aliases female carrying.

What’s caller successful 2025?

This year, nan title has announced that a grounds number of participants – much than 200 group from 18 different nationalities – will return part.

For nan first time, a seperate women’s class has been introduced this year, pinch 5 pairs reportedly registered.

Among nan participants aiming to dethrone 2024 World Champions Vytautas Kirkliauskas and Neringa Kirkliauskiene from Lithuania (pictured above) is Severi Allonen, who was named Finland’s Strongest Man successful 2024.

“This title has ever intrigued maine a bit, and I spot it arsenic a awesome opportunity to create absorbing contented for societal media,” said Allonen. “I besides judge my strengths are well-suited for this sport, truthful I had to springiness it a try.”

Best of luck to him, arsenic Kirkliauskas and Kirkliauskiene person won nan title 3 times already – successful 2018, 2019 and 2024.

They are not, however, nan grounds holders of nan event. Taisto Miettinen and Katja Kovanen of Finland presently clasp nan astir Wife-Carrying wins, having emerged victorious 8 times – successful 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2022 and 2023.

“Preparations person gone according to scheme truthful far, pinch nan last push being nan building of nan course,” said Joni Juntunen, Chairman of nan Board of Eukonkanto Oy. “Interest successful nan arena has been strong, truthful we dream nan assemblage will travel retired to bask nan unsocial ambiance of woman carrying and person nosy pinch awesome euphony successful nan evenings.”

The 28th Wife-Carrying World Championship takes spot connected 4 & 5 July successful Sonkajärvi, Finland.