Page 74 - Early Winter 2014

LAST LIFT BY REBECCA W. AYERS, EDITOR Sunday River Carries On a Riotous Custom n the cool, colorful days between fall the gauntlet, otherwise and the advent of ski season, resorts the couple gets a penalty Ioffer all manner of tempting activi- added to their final time. ties to get people back into the going-to- The team with the fast- the-mountains groove: wine tastings… est time wins the cov- leaf viewing…wife carrying…? eted North American (cue record scratch) Championship title, a After all, what better way to pass stash of beer equivalent a fine autumn day than to watch a to the wife’s weight, and grown man lurch through a 278-yard a cash prize equivalent alpine obstacle course with another per- to five times her weight. son clutched onto his back, upside down, Competitions are held in eye-level with his backside, with her legs more than 14 countries, wrapped around his neck? It may sound with the winners get- undignified (it is) but the contortion— ting a shot at the 20th known as the “Estonian Carry”—is a Wife Carrying World highly technical strategy evolved from the Championship title in centuries-hold practice of wife carrying. Sonkajärvi, Finland, Thousands of lucky spectators at next July. Maine’s Sunday River Ski Resort got At Sunday River, the a close-up view of this uproariously North American hon- Sunday RiveR ReSoRt entertaining display during the 15th ors, much beer, and Annual North American Wife Carrying $482.50 went to veteran Championships, the indisputable high- competitors Jesse Wall Emoting the sound and fury of wife carrying (if not light of the resort’s popular Fall Festival and Christina Arsenault, ruptured vertebrae), Jesse Wall transports Christina Weekend held October 11–12. For two both from south Maine. Arsenault toward the “Finnish” line at the 2014 North hours, 50 couples from around the world The duo has been com- American Wife Carrying Championships. After five assumed the carrying stance of choice, and peting since 2010, when years of competing, the couple took first place in this year’s event. took turns running up hills, clearing hur- Arsenault pointed out dles, and wading through a muddy pond that since she was “wicked small” and he carry (over the shoulder). on their way to the “Finnish” line. was “wicked strong,” they could make “It feels absolutely incredible to finally Is it any surprise that wife carrying as some waves in the wife carrying world. be [the winners], as a local guy who skis a sport was born in Finland? Also home to Having been on the podium four times Sunday River all the time—and I’m get- competitive cell-phone throwing, swamp previously, with two second-place results ting married here next June,” said Wall. “A football, and sauna sitting, the country and two third-place finishes, the cou- lot of life centers around Sunday River for has a knack for creating improbable pas- ple was ecstatic to claim their first North us and we’re so happy to win, finally.” times and regarding them with reverence. American title with a time of 1:04.10. It would be great if Wall and Arsenault Legend has it the custom derived from As with all the other past winners, go on to claim the World title. Regardless, men stealing women from neighboring Wall and Arsenault utilized the much- it’s a shame the event won’t be televised in villages to become their brides. vaunted Estonian Carry, which frees the the U.S. To see the pinnacle competitive Today’s rules are simple: The couple “husband’s” arms for balance and to nego- event for the ancient sport of wife carrying doesn’t have to be legally married, and the tiate obstacles. Other techniques include would be a blast (and certainly more fun “wife” cannot fall or be dropped during the piggyback position and the firemen’s than watching leaves fall). n 72 | NSAA Journal | EARLY WINTER 2014 w w w. n s a a . o rg NSAA Early Winter 2014 prepressed v5b.indd 72 10/29/14 6:10 PM