Tough Enough?

The UK Wife Carrying Race is one of those quirky, iconic events that everyone should try at least once in their life and which Leith Hill Trail Runners have recently taken over from Rob McCaffrey at Trionium. It was voted by Runner’s World as the Best Adventure Race in Britain in 2011.

With the sport's origins in Scandinavia, the UK Wife Carrying Race was first run in 2008. Competition is tough at the front of the race and good fun at the back. The winning couple qualify for the annual World Wife Carrying Championships in Finland, where our 2024 race winners Stuart Johnson and Hattie Cronin finished fifth!

You do not have to carry your own wife. It could be someone else’s. Or a mate, girlfriend, boyfriend, sister or brother. They should ideally weigh less than you do.

The course is 380m up and back down a steady 15m ascent. That’s a long way under the circumstances.

Rules

• Males or females carry a 'wife' (who must be alive, human and at least 18 years old)
• There is a weigh-in prior to the start: all 'wives' must weigh at least 50kg. Anyone under-weight will be obliged to wear a rucksack filled with tins of flour, water or similar to bring them to the required weight. So bring a rucksack if you’re near the limit.
• All entrants will start at the same time, and the first over the line is the winner.
• Obstacles and water hazards will be included. Spectators are encouraged to attend with their own water-pistols and buckets of water to staff the 'Splash Zone' (return leg only - something for the competitors to look forward to!)
• You can use any one of the many recognised holds: bridal carry, piggy-back, shoulder-ride, fireman's carry (across the shoulders), the well-recognised and very fast Estonian Hold (wife hangs upside-down on man's back, legs crossed in front of the man's face) or the not-so-fast but unique Dorking Hold (the reverse Estonian).
• All those carried must wear a helmet.
• Please note that race entry fees are not refundable (all profits go to charity) but teams are able to pass on their place to another team.

Included in the entry price are the following:

• Branded ‘UK Wife Carrying Race’ T-Shirts for each couple (given out at Race HQ for you to run in)
• Prizes: the winners of the UK Wife Carrying Race will win a barrel of local ale (worth £150) and commemorative medals
• The first-placed British finishers will win £250 towards their expenses in representing Britain in the World Wife Carrying Championships in Finland, dependent on their providing a write-up and photos of their exploits to the UK race director.
• Personalised runner’s race number
• Wife-carrying love spoons
• 2 bottles of local beer to quench your thirst
• Novelty prizes for categories such as last-placed finishers, heaviest finishers, best leggings and oldest carrier

Using a local school as Race HQ, local suppliers of merchandise and encouraging everyone to car share or take public transport where they can, we are committed to minimising our carbon footprint. We also donate any profits to a local charity, Mid Surrey Community Fridges. They work tirelessly to rescue good, surplus food from supermarkets and stores so it can be shared with our local community.

So, are you – and more importantly your ‘wife’ – tough enough to take on the challenge of the UK Wife Carrying Race?

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