The Wife-Carrying World Championship was held once again in Sonkajarvi, Saturday, seeing husband and wife teams compete for the sport's highest honour.
Despite the comedic nature of the competition, the Wife-Carrying Championship is deeply rooted in Sonkajärvi's history. There are many rumors on how the Wife-Carrying Championship originated, but it appears to have been inspired partly by the practice of wife-stealing, once commonplace in the villages of eastern Finland and partly due to a notorious local robber named Rosvo-Ronkainen from the late 1800s. Legend has it that he made potential gang members complete an arduous obstacle course while carrying big, heavy sacks on their backs as a way to test their speed, strength, and endurance.
Apparently young men would go to nearby villages, steal another man’s wife (often carried away on his back) and then force her to marry him. This was referred to as “the practice of wife-stealing.” These days, the ladies are willing participants in the competition and gladly volunteer to be carried.
The race, which has been held since 1992, draws over 40 couples and almost 10,000 spectators. While the sport has been considered by some as nothing more than a joke, competitors take it very seriously, just like any other sport.
