WIFE CARRYING IN NORTH AMERICA

Husbands, have no fear to care about. It is a sport which many couples, both husband and wife can participate and challenge themselves by doing it together. Wife carrying is a type of unusual sport which is originated in Sonkajarvi, Finland. The first modern day wife carrying game was held in Finland in 1992 and foreign contestants were admitted in 1995. According to Julia Davis (2012), the history began during the 19th century legend of Herkko Rosvo-Ronkainen which is also known as "Ronkainen the Robber". She stated that "in the legend of Ronkainen the Robber — a hard-nosed gang leader who hazed potential members by making them lug sacks of grain or live pigs over a similar course. He and his comrades also made a habit of stealing women from neighbouring villages," (as a nod to this practice, many men “steal” friends’ wives for the competition).  

Even though some people claimed that this event has been created originally began in Finland as a joke, the sport however has become a sport that attracts many people to participate. One of the countries that has made this sport as a big competition is North America where many people who are living there has participated in the North American Wife Carrying Championship. The North American Wife Carrying Championship was founded in 1999 at Sunday River Resort in Maine and has been held annually in mid-October at this location every year. The prizes offered were very high as the winning team will bring home the wife's weight in beer and the five times the wife's weight in cash. 

The husbands normally will carry their wives on their back
to make a faster movement.

A ­wife-carrying contest is actually a lot like it sounds. Men, carrying wives, race through an obstacle course that includes sand, water and fences. The 245 metres length of track design includes two dry obstacles and one water obstacle which may vary by course and by year. The wife to be carried may be the contestant's own, his neighbour’s or he may have found her farther ahead which she must be over 17 years of age. The minimum weight of the wife to be carried is 49 kilos. If she weighs less, she will be burdened with a heavy ruck sack to reach the desired minimum weight. The winner is the couple who completes the course in the shortest time. If a contestant drops the wife, he has to lift her on to his back or in his arms and continue carrying.

One of the obstacle courses includes water
make this game becomes more challenging.

Wife carrying has become a well known sports not only in Finland and North America but also in a few other countries such as Australia, Germany, Great Britain and also Ireland. The number of couples interested in this game is growing steadily say by day. So Malaysians, are you ready for it?

The rewards offered for this game attract
many contestants to participate every year in North America.