Boston at International Wife Carrying Championship

Today was the 15 minutes of fame...no, make that 45 minutes...for Cantabrigian John Lund. Not only was Lund feature prominently in the Globe, but also received front-page stories in the Cambridge Chronicle and the Somerville Journal (granted, as the latter two are owned by the same parent company, the article was the same in both, but that's semantics). So, what's the big deal about this seemingly normal Gentle Giant employee, you ask? Apparently, Lund is the U.S. Wife Carrying champion and will be representing the country at the international Wife Carrying Championship in Sonkajärvi, Finland.

We are just as surprised as you to learn that there is actually an international wife carrying circuit. But have no fear -- the sport, though derived from the stealing of Finish wives by bandit Rosvo-Ronkainen in the 1800's, Lund has assured the Globe that today the activity is sanctioned by both parties. He told the paper: "As long as it's consensual carrying, it's OK."

According to the event organizers, the rules of wife carrying are really quite simple. It involves a man carrying his wife (or any other female over 17) through a 253.5 meters grass/sand/gravel course, while successfully navigating two dry and two wet obstacles. There are two sets of winners: the couple who completes the course in the shortest amount of time, and the couple with the most entertaining costume.

Best of all is the prize: "the equivalent of the wife's weight in beer."

Image courtesty of the Cambridge Chronicle