Wife Carrying Championship
2012 North American Wife Carrying Championship
The 2012 North American Wife Carrying Championship is scheduled for Saturday, October 6, right here at Sunday River during our Fall Festival Weekend. Congratulations for a second year in a row to Rocco Andreozzi from Bethel, Maine, and Kim Wasco from Farmington, Maine, for winning the 2011 championship with a time of 49.64 seconds! They got major bragging rights times two, plus Kim's weight in beer and five times her weight in cash!
As host of this prestigious event for over a decade we've see teams from across the United States and Canada compete head-to-head for fame, fortune, and a chance to compete at the World Championships in Finland. Fun for competitors and thousands of spectators alike, the Wife Carrying Championships receive international media attention each year.
Wife Carrying teams are comprised of a male and female competitor, however, the female does not need to be the legal wife of the male nor does she have to let her male teammate carry her. Teams have the option to have the male carried by the female if they so choose. Please note that both team members must be 21 years of age or older.
Carrying methods often include the piggyback or firemen's carry, but teams are encouraged to create their own style. All winners to date have employed the highly-technical Estonian carry, which has the woman upside down with arms wrapped around the man's waist and her legs draped over his shoulders. This highly-skilled method frees the man's arms for balance and negotiating the obstacles. The team will have a penalty added to their finish time if the "wife" is dropped.
The origin of North American Wife Carrying Championship is based in Finnish history. A notorious 19th century character, Rankainen the Robber imposed strong physical standards on the men he considered for his band. To qualify, the men 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 and use them in place of said sacks. The concept is a little archaic - but the modernized wife carrying event is all in fun, and in reality, is a true test of physical strength, agility and teamwork between man and woman.
The origin of North American Wife Carrying Championship is based in Finnish history. A notorious 19th century character, Rankainen the Robber imposed strong physical standards on the men he considered for his band. To qualify, the men 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 and use them in place of said sacks. The concept is a little archaic - but the modernized wife carrying event is all in fun, and in reality, is a true test of physical strength, agility and teamwork between man and woman.2011 Results
2011 Wife Carrying Championships Results
Photos of the Wife Carrying Championships 2011
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Photos of past Wife Carrying Championships
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Take a look to this video to get an idea of what this is all about!
The North American Wife Carrying Championship is sponsored by
