Finland Travel Focus – Finnish Weirdoes on the Loose – A Different Finland

No offence but Finland is known to be a well-organized country not a crazy one…so I was quite intrigued when I found out the real Finland was uniquely different.

In summertime, for example, the wacky Finns decide to carry about their wives!!! As documented on well known Finish travel blogs over the past few years, this competition is officially known as the Wife Carrying World Championships in Sonkajärvi.

It’s so popular that the wife carrying event has now been held at world championship level for about 13 years or more!!! But don’t let it startle you I have much more here to raise your eyebrows!
If carrying is not your sport what about throwing? Finns started throwing their cellphones away in 2000 an activity that spread up to the USA. The Cell Throwing Contest is all about distance as well as technique!

There are rules, you have to choose between throwing it conservatively or backwards and the best three distances win (to win extra points you have to be creative and come up with a freestyle throw). Finland, home of Nokia, one of the most used cellphone brands worldwide holds this event every August in Savonilinna…time to get rid of that old cell of yours…!
And here’s something for those music lovers! Oulu holds the Air Guitar Championship, a contest quite difficult to enter but it is a treat to watch! Aiming to promote peace with the motto “Make air, not war” the capital of Northern Scandinavia lures people with its awesome nature,

pioneer tech-expertise to follow young people reaching to grasp and spread the abundant cultural heritage with a nonchalant Finnish spirit. Oulu will exceed your expectations for you’ll bestow yourself in the unknown; the area is characterised by stunning natural surroundings…
I won’t dwell long on the Mosquito Swatting Championship for I find them disturbing but if you want to get back to those summer devils then here’s your chance: swat as many as you can in 5 min; be warned there are some pros who don’t fool around and take this very seriously! Finns seem to like disturbing insects for here’s another weird event, the Ant-Nest Sitting Competition where you’ll see contestants trying to hold their tears back while they place their bottoms on the top of an ant hill!!!
My personal favorites are the Ice Swimming Events that take place in quite a lot of areas all over Finland consisting of people, clothed or not, that love ice swimming for a