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Estonians took gold and silver at the world wife-carrying championships in Finland on Saturday, defying (1) rain and exhaustion to stumble along a path with women clinging upside-down to their backs.
They were among 44 couples from 12 countries competing in the annual event in Sonkajarvi (2) , central Finland.
The race, held for the 12th time, is intended to evoke the spirit of a legendary Finnish brigand (3), Rosvo-Ronkainen, who made those who wanted to join his gang run through a forest carrying heavy sacks on their backs.
In the modern version, couples race along a 250-metre track, tackling a pool and several hurdles, with the men carrying the women on their backs.
Estonian Madis Uusorg finished first, in a time of 61.7 seconds, despite having Inga Klauson on his back upside-down with her legs around his neck.
Madis Uusorg is the brother of last year's winner, Margo Uusorg, who holds the world record for the event of 56.9 seconds.
"I'm feeling really great because we won," Madis said afterwards. "It was my fifth time here, second time to win this competition. And it was the first time to beat my brother!"
Margo won his fifth world championship in 2006 and said at the time it might be his last.
He could not resist turning up again this year, carrying a rather heavily built Julia Galvin from Ireland, but the pair could only manage 29th place.
"I kept my promise, having won last year, of carrying Julia this year," he said.
John Keerie, a Briton living in Helsinki, ran the race dressed as convict. He carried his wife Aino Telaranta-Keerie into 19th place.
The winning couple received plasma (4) televisions and Klauson's weight, 49 kilograms, in beer.
"My goal was to have fun. But not only did we have fun, but so did our kids and the people here had fun," said American James Lafferty from Ohio, who carried his wife Susan into 33rd place.
1. defy : 公然反抗, 藐视, 挑衅
2. Sonkajarvi : 背媳妇儿比赛起源于19世纪欧洲芬兰Sonkajarvi小镇。那时，当地男人如果要娶媳妇儿，先要以这种方式与其他男人比赛，以此证明他可以带着妻子闯过难关。最初赛事的举办方只想将它作为一项本地比赛，每两年举办一次，谁料比赛非常受人欢迎。从1992年开始，人们把这项古代“选婿”活动变成了一项趣味比赛，并每年举行一次。
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爱沙尼亚人于星期六在芬兰举办的世界背媳妇大赛中夺取了冠、亚军。一路上，他们克服了下雨的坏天气和疲惫，倒背着“媳妇”，蹒跚而行。
有来自12个不同国家的44对选手参加了此次比赛。比赛每年都会在芬兰中部的小镇松卡耶尔维举办一次。
这项比赛到目前已举办过12 次，起源于富有传奇色彩的芬兰强盗罗斯沃?龙卡伊宁，他要求那些前来加入他的人背着沉重的麻袋奔跑着穿过一个树林。举办这项比赛的目的也是为了唤回这位传奇人物的精神。
到了现代版的比赛里，男选手们需要背着女选手，跑完250米的距离，这期间得通过小池塘以及数个障碍物。
来自爱沙尼亚的马迪斯最终以61.7秒的成绩夺得了第一名，尽管马迪斯倒背着自己的妻子英戈?克劳森，而英戈?克劳森则用腿夹着马迪斯的脖子。
马迪斯是去年背妻比赛冠军获得者玛格的兄弟，玛格以56.9秒的成绩保持着这项比赛的纪录。
赛后，马迪斯说：“我们高兴极了，因为我们赢了。这是我第五次参加这项比赛，第二次赢得了胜利。但却是第一次击败了我的兄弟。”
玛格在2006年取得了冠军，并表示这有可能是他最后一次夺冠。
但玛格却忍不住又参加今年的比赛，背着体重不轻的爱尔兰妻子朱丽亚高文。这对选手此次比赛只取得了第29名。
玛格说：“我实现了我的诺言，那就是赢得了去年比赛的冠军，和背着朱丽亚参加今年的比赛。”
住在赫尔辛基的英国人约翰凯立也参加了此项比赛，他把自己打扮得像一名罪犯。他和妻子Aino Telaranta-Keerie取得了第19名。
获得冠军的马迪斯和妻子将获得一台等离子彩电以及与妻子体重相等的49公斤啤酒。
从美国俄亥俄州来的选手詹姆士?拉法第和他的妻子获得了第33名，他表示说：“我参赛的目的就是为了开心。但不仅仅是我们，还有我们的孩子，以及其他所有人都过的很开心。”
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| 中国国际广播电台 译 |
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3. brigand : 土匪, 强盗
4. plasma : 等离子体,等离子区
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