Source: Adobe CC
Sports and Games You Can Only Find in Finland
As if sauna and salmiakki weren’t enough, Finns love to indulge in the wackiest sports and games there is. Hugely popular among the natives, they also attract audiences and competitors from all over the globe, and any of our international guests securing a prize and their time in the limelight.Let’s explore what kind of competitions and events there are to take part in, either as a competitor or in the audience, in Finland this year! For your convenience, I am adding the dates, just in case you want to plan a trip to view the competition!
Let's start with the first big three!
Wife Carrying World Championships
Wife Carrying World Championships is definitely the longest running in the line of crazy competitions. Held on 30.6-1.7.2023, this year, this event involves male competitors carrying a female teammate through a challenging obstacle course. The event takes place every year in the town of Sonkajärvi. The competition has been run since 1992, and it run on a track of 253,5 metres. The website can be found at
Eukonkanto website.
Source: Pixabay
Air Guitar World Championships
Another of our big name competitions, Air Guitar World Championships, is held 23.8.–25.8.2023 in Oulu. This competition invites participants to show off their best air guitar skills (This means they are playing an invisible guitar as if it was real). The competition has been running since 1996 and has gained a cult following! There are national qualifying competitions held in other countries, including Thailand, USA, and Kenya! Rock your way to Air Guitar World Championships website.
Source: Flickr, Creative Commons https://flickr.com/photos/andrejtissen
Swamp Soccer World Championships
This mosquito filled moisture-filled, boots sticking sports is in July, specifically during 14.-15.7.2023. Swamp Soccer World Championships is a soccer game played in a swampy field, making it more challenging and hilarious. The competition is held in Hyrynsalmi every year and attracts teams from around the world. For the website, you can bounce to Suopotkupallo website.
Source: Pixabay
Some smaller and definitely cutest competitions ever, is of course Reindeer Races, since 1932. Do not be fooled. Rudolf can definitely run and there are plenty of speed and scary moments in this competition! They can race with a sleigh, or with the human racing partner on their ski's at the back. of the reindeer.
You can find many smaller competitions in Lapland and the biggest ones taking place in and around Rovaniemi. Look for your local events in Lapland or check out Porokilpailijat website, a website maintained by the Suomen Porokilpailijat ry, a national association for Finnish Reindeer Racing.
Finnish Hobbyhorse Championships
Known also through international news, Finnish Hobbyhorse Championships are again held on 17.6.2023 and it is the 10th anniversary of the event! Popular mainly with pre-adolescent teens, there is no question about the seriousness of the sport - as the website promises an unforgettable day full of competition classes, performances, shopping and of course having fun. The competition is held in Seinäjoki Arena, in Seinäjoki.
The Finnish championship is competed in three classes and in total competitions are competed in up to four different sports! For more information you can prance to Keppihevosten SM website. .
Other crazy Finnish competitions
Unfortunately, there are some obsolete and currently inactive games. I was trying to find information about these, but it appears that maybe the covid-situation has stopped these events altogether or they are on an indefinite break.
Mobile Phone Throwing
Currently obsolete is Mobile Phone Throwing. In this competition, participants throw their mobile phones as far as they can. The event started in Finland in 2000 and has since spread to other countries around the world. At the moment I was not able to find any active or informative website for the games. The competition was held in Savonlinna, in the eastern parts of Finland. Apparently in 2022 they held a competition on 25th of August, but it was difficult to find information about the event, but there was an entry for it in the events calendar of Saimaan Charmantit website.
Sauna-Ajot Sauna Festival replaced the Sauna World Championships
Sadly cancelled since 2010, due to safety concerns, there was the Sauna World Championships. This event involved sitting in a hot sauna for as long as possible. The winner was the person who could endure the heat the longest. The competition was held annually until 2010, but it has since been cancelled due to safety concerns.
Now replaced by Sauna-Ajot Sauna Festival, website can be found here, where there is no competitive sauna-sitting involved. It is just having fun, having a sauna with your mates or building-team and admiring the many possibilities of mobile sauna -building!
Source: Pixabay
World Boot-Throwing Championships
There used to be the World Boot-Throwing Championships but sadly I was not able to find the website when preparing this blog post. There are some minor competitions held by local sports associations, so keep an eye out for the events of your local area, if you want to attend. Unfortunately I was not able to find anything on a national level for the year 2023.
Did you find your favourite sport? Why not organise your own boot or shoe throwing with your student group?
If you are looking for a nice yard game with simple rules and some safe throwing of items, you can try something called Mölkky! You can get a set with less than 20 euros from any roadside market / ABC station when the summer arrives!
I challenge you!
Minna, OLS Community Manager – Finnish