Estonia has won both gold and silver at the 12th annual world wife-carrying championships in Finland. Participants braved rain, hurdles and exhaustion to stumble along a 250-metre path with women clinging upside-down to their backs.

There were 44 couples from 12 countries competing in the annual event in Sonkajarvi, reports Sky News. The idea for the race came from a Finnish legend, Rosvo-Ronkainen, who made people run through a forest carrying heavy sacks on their backs.

The competition now has husbands and their wives tackling a pool and several hurdles. Estonian Madis Uusorg finished first, with a time of 61.7 seconds, despite having wife Inga Klauson on his back upside-down with her legs around his neck.

He won a plasma-screen TV and his wife's weight in beer.