North American Wife Carrying Championship

Yes, that does say Wife Carrying Championship!

In the top image, that was the only moose I’ve seen in Maine since I’ve been visiting my brother’s cabin! Actually, this man was warming up for the race when a tv crew came over and started interviewing him. Seems he came all the way from Pennsylvania to enter the contest. The course was crowded with fans but I was able to find a spot in the front near the finish line. I wish I had known the course better because it ended up there was a waterhole in the middle of the course. As you can see in the last photo the couple is very wet. It was pretty cold out on Saturday so I imagine once the adrenaline wore off they were freezing!

What do the winners of the NAWCC receive? What else but the wife’s weight in beer!! Oh yeah, they also receive a cash prize of five times the wife’s weight. Maybe they split it with the husband getting the beer and the wife getting the money.

“Couples navigate a 278-yard obstacle course while the man literally “carries” the woman.  Women are allowed to carry men, which occurred for the first time in 2005. The teams do not have to comprise of married couples, but they must comprise of a man and a woman and both must be at least 21 years old to enter. The carry is the competitors’ choice, though most use the “Estonian carry” where the wife holds her husband around the waist and tightens her legs around his neck, thereby freeing the husband’s hands.     

Besides the Annual World Competition in Finland, there are several regional competitions in the United States that have developed in recent years. Previous winners of the event at Sunday River have included winners from competitions in Oklahoma and Canada, and many have gone on to compete in the world event. 

The legend behind the contest is based in Finnish history. In the 19th century, infamous Ronkainen the Robber had high qualifications for men he accepted into his band. They had to complete a difficult course with a heavy sack on their backs. It was also not uncommon for men to steal women from neighboring villages. The first modern-day event was held in 1991 and foreign contestants were admitted in 1995. Qualifiers are also held Sweden and Estonia.” 

Reference: Sunday River