*boggles*

[yendi]

There's a World Wife Carrying Championship.

On the one hand, my wife is suitably tiny and would fit easily on my back.

On the other, I couldn't possibly go 253.5 meters (including a water hazard and other obstacles) in under a minute even without carrying someone.

On the third, my wife's actually too light to qualify. Weird.

But who the hell thought up this sport?

Comments

[shellefly.livejournal.com]

On the third, my wife's actually too light to qualify. Weird.

For some reason I find this absurdly funny.
There's a wife weight limit????

[yendi]

*nod* According to the article, it's a recent innovation (there used to just be a weight limit). Of course, they also don't require the competitors to actually be married.

[alladinsane.livejournal.com]

Someone's wife?

[yendi]

Heh.

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Where's you read about that? Obscure Sports Quarterly?



(Why do I not have a Dodgeball icon?)

[yendi]

Heh. I told you about the Dodgeball question I got at the last trash tourney off of "you're likely to read about it in OSQ. . . ", right? :-)

And actually, it was on the front page of ESPN.com. Who knew?

[shadesong.livejournal.com]

Not the Ocho?

[jmfunnyface.livejournal.com]

Yet another thing being skinny has kept me from do; entering a wife carrying contest and giving blood. Damn.

[noiresque.livejournal.com]

Yes, but she can carry the extra weight if she's too light ;)

Also, there's a good incentive to not scraping the minimum:

But while you obviously want a light woman in this sport, the Sonkajarvi organizers have included a powerful incentive for her to weigh above the minimum:

The winning team earns the woman's weight in beer.

[yendi]

True. Major incentive. Although the quality of the beer is a factor for me, as well.

[noiresque.livejournal.com]

Good point. I'm not sure I've heard anything about whether or not Finnish beer is good ;-)

[imortalscot.livejournal.com]

Ah but free beer is the best tasting beer!

[yendi]

Heh. Good point.

[amokk]

I heard about that a while back, saw it on TV. Probably ESPN while I was flipping through. ;)


The way the team that won the last few years carried, though, I dunno. Basically, standing 69 position with her legs wrapped around. Had to hold her breath for the water hazard.

[yendi]

Heh. A dangerous sport indeed.

[nishar.livejournal.com]

But who the hell thought up this sport?

My guess this sport comes from the good old Viking days when it was some one elese's wife you were carrying off on a raid to become your wife.