/ 6 August 2007

Finns sweat it out for gold in sauna-sitting champs

Finns stayed invincible to keep their world champion titles in male and female sauna sitting, beating Russian, American, German and Turkish competitors on their home ground, organisers said on Monday.

Timo Kaukonen won the male championship for the third year in a row, staying in a sauna heated to 110 degrees Celsius for 12 minutes and 26 seconds.

Among the women, Leila Kulin endured the incredible heat for 10 minutes and 31 seconds, almost two minutes better than her closest rival, another Finn.

The world championships in sauna sitting have been held in Heinola, 140km north-east of Helsinki, since 1999.

The contest is one of number of bizarre Finnish championships including wife-carrying and cellphone throwing. — AFP