The 28th annual Wife-Carrying World Championship took place on 6/7 in Sonkajarvi, Finland. This unique competition tests speed, strength, and teamwork.

Caleb Roesler and Justine Roesler celebrate their victory at the 2025 Wife-Carrying World Championship. Photo: Wife Carrying

For the first time since the competition's inception in 1992, a non-European team claimed the title. Caleb and Justine navigated the 253.5-meter obstacle course in 1 minute 1.17 seconds. Their prize? Justine's weight in beer.

Previously, all champions hailed from Finland, Lithuania, Estonia, or Russia.

Competitors in action at the 2025 Wife-Carrying World Championship.

The 2024 champions, Vytautas Kirkliauskas and Neringa Kirkliauskiene of Lithuania, finished second with a time of 1 minute 4.60 seconds. The 2023 winners, Taisto Miettinen and Katja Kovanen of Finland, secured third place at 1 minute 5.02 seconds.

"Not many wives in the world would agree to this," Caleb said after the race. "She did great. We went in the water and she didn't freak out. So, we had a lot of fun. I've never done anything quite like that, jumping in a pool of water with my wife."

Caleb and Justine also triumphed at the North American Wife-Carrying Championship in Newry, Maine, in 10/2024.

Competitors at the 2022 Wife-Carrying World Championship. Photo: Flickr

The Wife-Carrying World Championships is held annually in Sonkajarvi, Finland. This year’s event saw record participation, with 200 competitors from 18 countries and 2,000 spectators.

Despite its name, the competition doesn’t require participants to be married or of a specific gender. Male contestants carry a "wife," who can be their spouse, girlfriend, or anyone willing to participate. Teams must traverse a 253.5-meter course featuring two land obstacles and a 1-meter-deep water pit.

The most popular carrying technique is the "Estonian carry," where the "wife" hangs upside down with legs wrapped around the carrier’s neck, leaving their hands free to assist in navigating the course.

Rules stipulate that the "wife" must be at least 17 years old and weigh a minimum of 49 kg and wear a helmet. The winning team receives the "wife’s" weight in beer. The current world record stands at 56.09 seconds, set by an Estonian team in 2006.

Hong Duy (Canadian Running Magazine)