Dozens of competitors turned out for the 17th edition of the contest in Dorking, where runners must carry a partner, friend or family member over a challenging 380-metre course that climbs and dips across the Nower. Spectators added to the spectacle by soaking racers with water pistols and buckets.

Teemu and Jatta were crowned champions on Sunday, earning a barrel of local ale for their efforts.

The course featured obstacles such as hay bales, and many teams opted for the popular “Estonian hold”, in which the carried person hangs upside down on the runner’s back with their legs hooked in front.

“It’s certainly chaotic,” said race director Ian Giles ahead of the event.

The competition has roots in Nordic folklore and modern sporting traditions that began in Finland in the 1990s. While the classic version involves husbands carrying their wives, the UK race—organised by Leith Hill Trail Runners—allows participants to carry anyone, provided the carried person weighs at least 50kg.

The UK Wife Carrying Race has been held annually since 2008 and remains a colourful fixture on the British sporting calendar.