banyon
10-02-2011, 06:59 PM
Apparently, the North American Championship is next weekend:
http://www.sundayriver.com/Events/Main/Summer/Wife_Carrying_Championship.html
2011 North American Wife Carrying Championship
http://www.sundayriver.com/Events/Main/Summer/images/NAWCC/FBwc_h2.jpg
The 2011 North American Wife Carrying Championship will be Saturday, October 8 right here at Sunday River during our Fall Festival Weekend. 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.
http://www.sundayriver.com/Events/Main/Summer/images/NAWCC/GalleryPic/2009/wifecarrying21.jpg
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.
http://www.sundayriver.com/Events/Main/Summer/images/NAWCC/GalleryPic/2009/wifecarrying19.jpg
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.
In 2010, the 278-yard course was built on the lower slopes of Sunday River just outside of the South Ridge Base Lodge. The course began with an uphill run on a dirt road and from there, continued through a field of obstacles including the always crowd-pleasing 10-meter long waist-deep water obstacle often referred to as the "widow maker" and a series of 39" high log hurdles. The course was relatively flat with sections of soft sand, grass, and sometimes mud, with one hairpin turn.
http://www.sundayriver.com/Events/Main/Summer/images/NAWCC/GalleryPic/2009/wifecarrying13.jpg
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.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L03vWkcqACU/TDP5e5_i_BI/AAAAAAAAA3w/j6KDCtEUmYY/s1600/article-0-0A504C00000005DC-542_634x440.jpg
Registration for this year's event is now closed. Should a team not show up or cancel, we will reopen registration on the day-of the event. Hope to see you there!
http://www.sundayriver.com/Events/Main/Summer/Wife_Carrying_Championship.html
2011 North American Wife Carrying Championship
http://www.sundayriver.com/Events/Main/Summer/images/NAWCC/FBwc_h2.jpg
The 2011 North American Wife Carrying Championship will be Saturday, October 8 right here at Sunday River during our Fall Festival Weekend. 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.
http://www.sundayriver.com/Events/Main/Summer/images/NAWCC/GalleryPic/2009/wifecarrying21.jpg
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.
http://www.sundayriver.com/Events/Main/Summer/images/NAWCC/GalleryPic/2009/wifecarrying19.jpg
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.
In 2010, the 278-yard course was built on the lower slopes of Sunday River just outside of the South Ridge Base Lodge. The course began with an uphill run on a dirt road and from there, continued through a field of obstacles including the always crowd-pleasing 10-meter long waist-deep water obstacle often referred to as the "widow maker" and a series of 39" high log hurdles. The course was relatively flat with sections of soft sand, grass, and sometimes mud, with one hairpin turn.
http://www.sundayriver.com/Events/Main/Summer/images/NAWCC/GalleryPic/2009/wifecarrying13.jpg
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.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_L03vWkcqACU/TDP5e5_i_BI/AAAAAAAAA3w/j6KDCtEUmYY/s1600/article-0-0A504C00000005DC-542_634x440.jpg
Registration for this year's event is now closed. Should a team not show up or cancel, we will reopen registration on the day-of the event. Hope to see you there!