5 Bizarre Competitions That People Actually Take Seriously

Wife-Carrying World Championship – Finland

Every summer in Sonkajärvi, Finland, couples from around the world gather for one of the most unusual races in sports. Male competitors carry their female partners across an 830-foot obstacle course filled with water traps, sand pits and wooden barriers. The goal is simple: cross the finish line first without dropping your partner. Couples can choose their own carrying style, from the traditional piggyback to the “Estonian method”, where the woman hangs upside down with her legs over the man’s shoulders. The winner doesn’t get a medal or cash – they take home the wife’s weight in beer. It’s been running since 1992 and draws hundreds of contestants from around the world.