Lithuanian couple defends world wife-carrying championship title
Vytautas Kirkliauskas of Lithuania carries his wife Neringa Kirkliauskiene as they compete during the Wife Carrying World Championships in Sonkajarvi, Finland, July 6, 2019. Lehtikuva / Timo Hartikainen via REUTERS
SONKAJARVI, Finland (Reuters) - A Lithuanian couple won the World Wife-Carrying Championship for a second time in a row in the Finnish town of Sonkajarvi on Saturday, triumphing in a contest where men complete an obstacle course with their wives slung over their shoulders.
Each year, the championship draws thousands of visitors to the town of only about 4,000 inhabitants in central Finland. Saturday's competition was the 24th year it has been held.
Having gained followers across the world, preliminary competitions were held in countries such as the United States, Australia, Poland and Britain, organizers said on their website.
Vytautas Kirkliauskas of Lithuania carries his wife Neringa Kirkliauskiene as they compete during the Wife Carrying World Championships in Sonkajarvi, Finland, July 6, 2019. Lehtikuva / Timo Hartikainen via REUTERS
Among the two dozen contesting couples, Vytautas Kirkliauskas and his wife Neringa Kirkliauskiene came out on top for a second straight year, completing a 253.5 meter (277 yards) obstacle course featuring a water trap in 1 minute and 6 seconds.
The Lithuanian couple claimed the first place prize - consisting of the wife's weight in beer - after beating six-time champion Taisto Miettinen of Finland and his partner Katja Kovanen by the slimmest of margins - 0.1 seconds.
"I was looking at the watch and I thought I'm not going to make it, but we did it," Kirkliauskas said.
Vytautas Kirkliauskas of Lithuania carries his wife Neringa Kirkliauskiene celebrate after winning the Wife Carrying World Championships in Sonkajarvi, Finland, July 6, 2019. Lehtikuva / Timo Hartikainen via REUTERS
Wife-carrying as a sport drew inspiration from the 19th century legend of Ronkainen the Robber, who compelled would-be members of his gang to prove their mettle by carrying sacks of grain or live pigs over a similar course.
The competition is also said to look back to an even earlier practice of wife-stealing - leading many present-day contestants to compete with someone else's wife.
Spectators cheer for competitors during the Wife Carrying World Championships in Sonkajärvi, Finland on July 6, 2019. Lehtikuva / Timo Hartikainen via REUTERS
(Reporting by Attila Cser; Writing by Niklas Pollard; Editing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian)
Vytautas Kirkliauskas of Lithuania carries his wife Neringa Kirkliauskiene celebrate after winning the Wife Carrying World Championships in Sonkajarvi, Finland, July 6, 2019. Lehtikuva / Timo Hartikainen via REUTERS Taisto Miettinen and Katja Kovanen from Finland compete to finish second in the Wife Carrying World Championships in Sonkajarvi, Finland, July 6, 2019. Lehtikuva / Timo Hartikainen via REUTERS - ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO THIRD PARTY SALES. NOT FOR USE BY REUTERS THIRD PARTY DISTRIBUTORS. FINLAND OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN FINLAND.Competitors Anatoli and Helga from Finland, winners of the "best outfit" prize, compete during the Wife Carrying World Championships in Sonkajärvi, Finland on July 6, 2019. Lehtikuva / Timo Hartikainen via REUTERS Robert McCaffrey from United Kingdom and Venla Koistinen from Finland compete during the Wife Carrying World Championships in Sonkajärvi, Finland on July 6, 2019.Lehtikuva / Timo Hartikainen via REUTERS Vytautas Kirkliauskas of Lithuania carries his wife Neringa Kirkliauskiene pose after winning the Wife Carrying World Championships in Sonkajarvi, Finland, July 6, 2019. Lehtikuva / Timo Hartikainen via REUTERSDylan Hedges and Alana Flemming from Australia compete during the Wife Carrying World Championships in Sonkajarvi, Finland on July 6, 2019. Lehtikuva / Timo Hartikainen via REUTERS Competitors Anatoli and Helga from Finland, winners of the "best outfit" prize, compete during the Wife Carrying World Championships in Sonkajärvi, Finland on July 6, 2019. Lehtikuva / Timo Hartikainen via REUTERS Taisto Miettinen and Katja Kovanen from Finland compete to finish second in the Wife Carrying World Championships in Sonkajarvi, Finland, July 6, 2019. Lehtikuva / Timo Hartikainen via REUTERS
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