Over the weekend, 135 of the world’s top athletes gathered in Heinola, Finland to compete in the World Sauna Championships. Hold on, let’s start this over. On Saturday, 135 dudes showed up in Heinola to sit in a sauna until they couldn’t take it anymore, and when the schvitz settled, local Finnish hero and defending champion Timo Kaukonen was declared the winner. Because his opponent in the finals died.
After six minutes in a 110-degree Celsius (that’s 230 degrees Fahrenheit to us Yanks) sauna with Kaukonen, Russia’s Vladimir Ladyzhenskiy wasn’t looking so hot, for lack of a better term. Event officials opened the doors to the sauna and both competitors collapsed. Kaukonen had successfully defended his title thanks to his signature move – having a pulse. Ladyzhenskiy’s death put an immediate end to the final round, certainly disappointing fans of watching people die in a sweaty box.
Is it hot in here or is it just me, Associated Foreign Press:
