South Europe

Chess Boxing

If you are both brainy and brawny you might want to head out to Germany for 300px-schachboxen1Chess Boxing. In Chess Boxing the competitors must box and also play chess in alternating rounds. The chess game counts just as much as the boxing match so make sure to take both seriously. The winner is decided if any of these things occur during the match:

  • Knockout (boxing rounds)
  • Technical Knockout (boxing rounds)
  • Checkmate (chess rounds)
  • Exceeding of the time limit by the opponent (chess rounds)
  • Disqualification of his opponent by the referee e.g. due to inactivity due to overextended playing time (chess or boxing rounds following multiple warnings)
  • Opponent resigns (chess or boxing rounds)

The current champion of the World Chess Boxing Association is Nikolay ‘the Chairman’ Sazhin from Russia who’s reigned since 2012.

 

Wife Carrying

A man carrying his wife though water.

Have a fairly light wife? You might want to enter yourselves into Finland’s annual Wife Carrying Competition. Every year dozens of people travel to Finland from all around the globe to carry their wives through an obstacle course where the men swim, run, and crawl their way to victory. The races are normally about 60 seconds and include many different obstacles. In 2008 a rule change was made allowing for a new course every year instead of the same course made in 1997.  If you happen to win the event your wife is weighed and you receive the weight of your wife in beer.

To see all of the winners click the more tab.

  • 2016 – Dimitriy Sagal (Russia) and Anastasia Loginova (Russia).
  • 2015 – Ville Parviainen (Finland) and Sari Viljanen (Finland).
  • 2014 – Ville Parviainen (Finland) and Janette Oksman (Finland).
  • 2013 – Taisto Miettinen (Finland) and Kristiina Haapanen (Finland).
  • 2012 – Taisto Miettinen (Finland) and Kristiina Haapanen (Finland).
  • 2011 – Taisto Miettinen (Finland) and Kristiina Haapanen (Finland).
  • 2010 – Taisto Miettinen (Finland) and Kristiina Haapanen (Finland).
  • 2009 – Taisto Miettinen (Finland) and Kristiina Haapanen (Finland).
  • 2008 – Alar Voogla (Estonia) and Kirsti Viltrop (Estonia).
  • 2007 – Madis Uusorg (Estonia) and Inga Klauso (Estonia), time 61.7 seconds.
  • 2006 – Margo Uusorg (Estonia) and Sandra Kullas (Estonia), time 56.9 seconds.
  • 2005 – Margo Uusorg (Estonia) and Egle Soll (Estonia), time 59 seconds.
  • 2004 – Madis Uusorg (Estonia) and Inga Klauso (Estonia) time 65.3 seconds.
  • 2003 – Margo Uusorg (Estonia) and Egle Soll (Estonia) time 60.7 seconds.
  • 2002 – Meelis Tammre (Estonia) and Anne Zillberberg (Estonia) time 63.8 seconds.
  • 2001 – Margo Uusorg (Estonia) and Birgit Ullrich (Estonia) time 55.6 seconds.
  • 2000 – Margo Uusorg (Estonia) and Birgit Ullrich (Estonia), time 55.5 seconds. (World record)
  • 1999 – Imre Ambos (Estonia) and Annela Ojaste (Estonia) time 64.5 seconds.
  • 1998 – Imre Ambos (Estonia) and Annela Ojaste (Estonia) time 69.2 seconds.
  • 1997 – Mikkel Christensen (Finland) and Tiina Jussila (Finland) time 65 seconds.