Weird and Wonderful Competitions That Take Place Around the World

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The Sauna Endurance Championship in Finland

The World Sauna Championships are an annual event held in Heinola, Finland, since 1999. It's an endurance contest where competitors must sit in a sauna heated to 110°C (230°F) for as long as possible, with the last person remaining being declared the winner. The contestants must sit in a straight position, without their hands or forearms touching the surface. Contestants are monitored by a doctor. However, despite these efforts, a participant died in 2010.

Kuni Takahashi/Getty Images
Kuni Takahashi/Getty Images

Since this tragedy, there hasn't been another World Sauna Championship. The competition was described as one of the most extreme in the world, and from what we've heard, we can well believe it!