Couples participate within the UK’s wife-carrying race as husbands haul their companions round 1,200ft course on International Women’s Day

Around 70 people have taken part in the UK’s annual Wife Carrying Race in Dorking.

Now in its 17th year, the top British pair in Sunday’s race qualified to represent the nation at the Wife Carrying World Championships, to be held in Finland in July.

Netting a win in Surrey however were Finnish pair Teemu and Jattam, beating a previously undefeated two-champion British couple.

Allegedly dating back centuries, the race sees people put their partner on their back, front or over their shoulder before completing a course of hills, hay bales and a ‘splash zone of buckets of water and water pistols.

Partners do not necessarily need to be married to take part – carrying friends or siblings is also allowed but they must be older than 18.

They must also weigh at least 50kg (110lbs) and if they are lighter, must wear a rucksack ‘filled with tins of flour, water or similar to bring them to the required weight’.

Obstacles and ‘water hazards’ were part of the course, with spectators encouraged to bring their own water pistols and buckets to take part in the ‘Splash Zone’.

Participants could use any one of the ‘many recognised holds’ according to the organisers, which included the ‘well-recognised and very fast Estonian Hold’, where the ‘wife’ hangs upside down on the carrier’s back with their legs crossed in front of their face.

Finnish winners Teemu and Jattam won a barrel of local ale worth £150

The Finnish pair had battled the ‘Splash Zone’, where spectators are encouraged to bring water pistols and buckets of water to drench the competitors

Many competitors used the ‘Estonian hold’ where the ‘wife’ clings to the carrier’s back

Those racing had to contend with hay bales on the course

Fancy dress was encouraged by the race’s organisers and prizes were given for particularly eye-catching costumes

Finishers received a medal from the 2026 race, the 17th edition of the contest

Competitors were allowed to use any of the many recognised holds for the race

Competitors were also expected to run in fancy dress with the organisers noting ‘the more eyecatching, the more likely you’ll win a prize!’

All profits from the race were donated to charity.

Ian Giles, the UK race director, said it was ‘certainly chaotic’ and added there were a few familiar faces each year.

For the 2026 race, Mr Giles said there were 35 couples set to compete with 15 on a waiting list.

Previous winners Stuart Johnson and his partner Hattie Cronin were two-time undefeated UK champions before the event on Sunday.

Mr Johnson told BBC News before the race he was ‘aware of the dangers’ and said he did not ‘want to drop my girlfriend on her head’.

They first entered in 2024 after friends who had competed previously recommended it to them.

Mr Johnson added: ‘The first time we practised it a few times and ran around our local park and with people thinking we were bonkers.’

Some couples committed to their fancy dress, including this green frog

All those being carried were required to wear helmets for safety reasons

Couples taking part did not necessarily need a ‘wife’ and could carry friends, siblings or partners

But the couple were unsuccessful on Sunday and it was the Finnish pair who triumphed, winning a barrel of local ale worth £150.

However it is the first-placed British couple who win £250 towards their world championships travel costs to represent the country.

In previous years race losers received a ceremonial Pot Noodle and dog food, while the person who carried the heaviest ‘wife’ was given a pound of sausages for strength.

The oldest carrier received a tin of pilchards and a jar of Bovril, while all finishers were given some Greensand Ale from the Surrey Hills Brewery.

Race organisers believe wife carrying began more than twelve centuries ago in 793AD when Viking raiders ransacked the island of Lindisfarne off the north-east coast of England.

There they destroyed a monastery before carrying off any ‘unwilling local wenches’ and started the tradition, according to the race’s official website.

Wife carrying continued intermittently for around 300 years before the UK Wife Carrying Race began in 2008.