Husbands take part in annual Wife Carrying Race hauling their spouses through 1,200ft course
Run for your wife! Husbands participate in the annual wife-carrying race by dragging their wives across a 1,200-foot course… and a contestant is seen carrying his dog across the field
- Winners can compete in the World Wife Carrying Championships in Finland
- Losers of the Dorking race receive a ceremonial Pot Noodle and dog food.
Husbands took to the racetrack today as the bizarre annual Wife Carrying Race kicked off, with dozens of people dragging their spouses through a 1,200-foot course.
Couples were photographed climbing over straw bales and dodging buckets of water as part of the 15th UK Wife Loading Race held in Dorking, Surrey.
To participate, the team members brought, not necessarily women or wives, had to weigh at least 50kg or carry a backpack full of items, according to Trionium organizers.
In today’s race, a contestant dressed as a dog was even seen carrying their pup across the field because they were “married.”
Those who cross the finish line first are crowned winners and have a chance to compete in the World Wife Carrying Championships which takes place in Finland during the month of July.
Couples climbed up straw bales and dodged buckets of water as part of today’s run.
Race organizers claim competitors can use any of the ‘many well-known holds’ to carry their wives, including the ‘very fast’ Estanion Hold (pictured)
Today a contestant was even seen carrying their dog because they were ‘married’.
The losers of the race receive a ceremonial Pot Noodle and dog food, while the person carrying the heaviest wife is awarded a pound of sausages to build up their strength.
The oldest carrier also receives a can of sardines and a jug of Bovril after the annual run.
But all the finalists walk away with a container of Surrey Hills Brewery’s Greensand Ale for their participation.
Trionium stated: ‘Men or women carry a ‘wife’ (which must be alive, human, at least 18 years old, can be male or female, and need not be the wearer’s wife). All those transported must wear a helmet.
Each year, competitors are allowed to use ‘many recognized holds’ to carry their wives, including the piggyback carry, firefighter’s carry, or shoulder ride.
Trionium stated that Estonian Hold is “very fast” (wife hangs upside down on someone else’s back, legs crossed in front of man’s face), while a reverse Estonian named Dorking Hold is “not so fast”.
Organizers believe that handcuff-wearing began more than twelve centuries ago, in AD 793. C., when Viking raiders sacked the island of Lindisfarne, off the coast of England.
It was there that they destroyed the monastery before taking away the ‘involuntary local girls’ who started the tradition, according to the race’s official website.
Wife carrying continued on and off for around 300 years before the UK Wife Loading Race was officially instituted in 2008.
Race winners get to compete in the World Wife Carrying Championship in Finland
The losers of the race are said to receive a ceremonial Pot Noodle and dog food, while those who finish carrying the heaviest wife receive a pound of sausages to build up their strength.
The organizers of the event suggest that wife-bearing began more than twelve centuries ago in 793 AD.