THIRD IRISH NATIONAL

WIFE CARRYING CHAMPIONSHIPS AT

SNEEM FAMILY FESTIVAL

Saturday 24th July 2010

The 2nd Irish National Wife Carrying Championships took place in July 2009 in the village of Sneem, Co. Kerry.

More than 20 couples competed from all over Ireland in the event which attracted widespread local and national media coverage.

The winning couple from 2008, John O'Shea from Caherdaniel and Aoife Desmond from Castlecove, came first again in a very exciting climax to the competition.  They won €2,000 for expenses to represent Ireland again in the World Wife Carrying Championships which will be held in Finland in early July 2010.

Apart from Finland and Ireland, teams from 10 other countries run national heats for the world championships including Japan, China, USA, Australia, UK, Kenya, Sweden, Germany and Estonia.

The National Wife Carrying Championships will be held again as part of the 2010 Sneem Family Festival, now in its 7th year, from 21-25 July.

The Rules of Wife Carrying:

1. The length of the official track is 253.5 metres, and the surface of the track is partially sand, partially grass and partially gravel.
2. The track has two dry obstacles and a water obstacle, about one metre deep.
3. The wife to be carried may be your own, the neighbour’s or you may have found her further afield.
4. All participants must be at least 18 years of age.
5. The minimum weight of the wife to be carried is 49 kilos. If less than this, the wife will carry a weighted rucksack so that the minimum 49 kilos is reached.
6. All the participants must have fun.
7. If a contestant drops his wife, he has to re-lift her on to his back or in his arms and continue carrying.
8. The only equipment allowed is a belt worn by the carrier.
9. The contestants run the race two at a time, so each heat is a contest in itself.
10. Each contestant takes care of his/her safety and, if deemed necessary, insurance.
11. The contestants have to pay attention to the instructions given by the organisers of the competition.

INFORMATION
To enter the 2010 Paddy Power Irish National Wife Carrying Championship, please download the entry form, complete it by hand and post it back to the address on it, with the entry fee.  For more details contact John D O'Sullivan on 087 7936177.