How fast could you carry your wife for beer?

National Post ^ | July 4, 2003 | Michael Higgins

[Loyalist]

CREDIT: Martti Kainulainen-Lehtikuva

Contestants in the 2001 Wife Carrying World Championships, in Sonkajarvi, Finland, hustle through the water obstacle. But Canadian teens Zach Smith and Erin Moody, who won the Canadian version of the championships, are not eligible for the world event today.

The world Wife Carrying Championships begin in Finland today, but the Canadian national champions won't be going.

For three days more than 7,000 people are expected to attend the championships in Sonkajärvi, a town of 6,000, with the top prize being the winning woman's weight in beer.

The Estonians --who have won the title for the last five years -- are once again expected to be the victors.

The Estonians revolutionized the event five years ago with their innovative technique in which the woman is dangled upside down over the man's back with her thighs squeezing his neck.

The "Estonia carry" has now replaced the more outdated piggyback and fireman's lift.

It was the Estonia carry that saw teenagers Zach Smith and Erin Moody lift the Canadian Wife Carrying Championship trophy for the second straight year.

The couple -- who are not married but grew up together -- posted a record time of 63.9 seconds using the technique.

However, winning the Canadian event in Tillsonburg, Ont., on Canada Day does not qualify the two Grade 12 students for the world championships today.

The Tillsonburg championships are organized by Rick Esseltine, of the local Kiwanis Club, who started the event last year as a way to raise funds for the children's charity.

"They beat the world record of 1.04," said Mr. Esseltine.

After winning last year's championships, Mr. Smith and Ms. Moody went to the North American Wife Carrying Championships in Sunday River, Me., in October. They were leading their event but fell at the water hazard and came in ninth.

All the courses -- national and international -- are run over 253 metres with two log hazards and a 10-metre water course which usually comes up to the carrier's chest. Contestants must be over 17 and a new minimum weight requirement for the women of 49 kilograms is demanded in the world event following a victory where the woman weighed only 34 kilograms.

While last year's national championships attracted 14 teams, this year's entries were down to six.

Mr. Esseltine believes the grueling course may have had an effect on the over-35s who entered.

"A lot of our older contestants last year realized it's a pretty tough athletic contest and they kind of gave way to the young bucks now they know how hard it is."

Women are allowed to carry men, but so far no woman has taken up the challenge. "A lot of the women were saying, 'I've carried my husband for years. It's about time he carried me,'" Mr. Esseltine said.

© Copyright 2003 National Post

[Loyalist]

PING

[AppyPappy]

Does that include the ambulance?

[freebilly]

The Estonians revolutionized the event five years ago with their innovative technique in which the woman is dangled upside down over the man's back with her thighs squeezing his neck.

I would make a coarse and lewd comment here, but will let others do that for me....

[SevenDaysInMay]

Finnland has some stunningly attractive women hidden by distance and Americans' lack of visiting them east of Sweden. It has been that north of USSR issue.

All of the Baltic states are worth easy-going, week+, unguided tours.

I'm just a single, Scot/Irish/Welsh/Anglo-Saxon/Norman American real estate economist who loves women who don't shop at Nieman Marcus.

[headsonpikes]

"Hold Muh Wife Alert"

Yet another Canadian sport!

Involving beer, surprise, surprise.

;^)

[Rutabega]

So true! My next door neighbor (here in Sweden) is a gorgeous Finnish gal, and not only are she and her Finnish friends prettier than most ladies here (hard, because the Swedish stereotype of good looks is pretty much true!) but they are a lot more conservative--I think it must be the proximity they and their parents had to the USSR.

[Domestic Church]

I need to know how much beer and what brand before I ask my hubby.

[ErnBatavia]

This is worth some serious thought, given that Mrs. Batavia weighs 90 pounds tops...

[Thebaddog]

Mrs. Wilson would pop my head like a grape. Is that a beer prize again?

[Dante3]

LOL. Since some men carry a friend instead of a wife, shouldn't the contest be renamed?

[MichaelDammit]

Gee.....I'm waiting with baited breath for a husband - "wife" combination now that the Supreme Court has acted.....

[goldstategop]

Hmmm.... you can invoke this the next time you ask the girlfriend or wife to fetch you your beer. ;-)

[dogbyte12]

I need to know how much beer and what brand before I ask my hubby.

The brand isn't clear... the amount is your weight.

If for example you weigh 120 pounds.. that is 160 beers, or 26 six packs plus 4 beers.

[Domestic Church]

Not enough! He would hold out for 4 times my weight in beer before wading in ice water.

[dogbyte12]

but what if it was Guiness?

[Old Professer]

Let's see, "baited breath", "Estonia Carry"; must be some connection here.

[Domestic Church]

Check out http://www.pico-brewing.com for the nice little nano brew system.

[Domestic Church]

Here's another link to get you on your way: http://www.aardvarkbrewing.com/beer/brewhow2.htm

[MichaelDammit]

I just bought two 15 gal brew kettles from SABCO and am getting serious about kegging my own....