Monde -> Europe

la Finlande - Jeux

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The national sport in Finland is pesäpallo, a variation of American baseball. In summer, it is the sport of choice in many rural areas and smaller towns. Finland has also produced a number of world-class athletes from soccer and hockey players to racecar drivers and long-distance runners. The most popular spectator sport, however, is ice hockey. The best-known Finnish hockey players, Jari Kurri, Esa Tikkanen and Teemu Selänne, have paved Finland's way into the NHL. Despite the hype surrounding soccer and hockey, the biggest Finnish sports stars are racecar drivers. Wife carrying is a sport in which male competitors race while each carrying a female teammate. The objective is for the male to carry the female through a special obstacle track in the fastest time. The sport was first introduced at Sonkajärvi, Finland. Several types of carry may be practised: piggyback, fireman's carry (over the shoulder), or Estonian-style (the wife hangs upside-down with her legs around the husband's shoulders, holding onto his waist). Major wife-carrying competitions are held in Sonkajärvi, Finland (where the prize is the wife's weight in beer).
Football field in Helsinki