UK Wife Carrying Race the craziest thing you’ll see today

In the same way that the Gloucester cheese race must be seen to be believed, the 11th annual UK Wife Carrying Race, which took place in Dorking, Surrey today, is so ridiculous it almost defies description (though it is slightly less dangerous). Yet it requires great strength on the part of the guys and a strong stomach on the part of the women. For the second year in a row, the competition was won by Chris Hepworth and Tanisha Prince of London.

RELATED: VIDEO: Obstacle course racing couples get competitive at the Wife Carrying World Champs

The men must carry their partners (who must weigh at least 50 kg) throughout a 380m cross-country-style course, complete with rain and mud, and including obstacles such as closely-spaced hay bales and being doused with buckets of water. 

Skip ahead to the action, which starts at 2:39. 

With the tiny Prince wearing a pink bicycle helmet, she and Hepworth opted for the–ahem–traditional carrying position, though there were one or two couples in piggyback mode or shoulder-sitting.

Proposal joy for winning couple in this years UK Wife carrying Championships – Congrats to Chris Hepworth and Tanisha Prince @mikebreakfast @mikewardian @ContraryLife @runnersworlduk #running #marriage #LoveStory #love pic.twitter.com/Zo0ckv0NSL

— HUTC – Dave Painter (@HUTCTV) March 3, 2019

Hepworth and Prince rounded the turnaround marker in third place, but passed two sets of rivals on their way to the finish line. “We wanted to try and be close to the front,” Hepworth, a cross-country runner, said afterwards. “Last year we came from way behind to win, and we didn’t want to do it again this year. The hill was so hard! So I always end up behind. But fortunately, she’s really light, so I let my legs go on the downhill, and came through in the end.”

Though some men grasped their partners’ thighs, the most successful runners ran with their hands free, leaving it up to the women to hold on for dear life.

Hepworth and Prince, who won a keg of beer and a bottle of champagne, made the “wife” part of the challenge official for the future, with a post-race marriage proposal. (She said yes.) Hepworth admitted that if they had not won, he probably would have found another occasion to propose. The couple will compete next at the world championships in Finland (where the sport originated) later this year.