UK Wife Carrying Race 2020
The Wife Carrying Races at Dorking are a relatively recent addition to the calendar and have apparently spread to the UK from a long-established Scandinavian tradition -legend has it that events like this started after raiders needed to be swift on their pins to escape when stealing womenfolk from neighbouring villages. Couples race over a steep 380 metre course and the prize is beer from the local Pilgrim Brewery (runners-up get pot noodle and pet food!). The rules aren’t strict and the “wives” don’t need to be female! When we visited in 2020, the race took place in a hail storm amidst a mighty crack of thunder – one theory for this being the wrath of God in divine retribution as more than half of the couples weren’t actually married…
