Julia’s not heavy, she’s my partner, says Paul

AN Irish duo claimed a moral victory for large women everywhere at the wife-carrying world championships in Finland at the weekend.

Julia Galvin, 32, from Listowel, Co Kerry and Wexford man Paul Robert, 27, were the first Irish entrants in the event that attracted 8,000 spectators to the Finnish town of Sonkajarvi.

It was never going to be easy for the green team, with Julia weighing in at a hefty 120 kilos, while most of the other competitors weighed in at only 49 kilos.

After leaping over timber and wading through waist-high water, the two finished last behind 22 other couples from Britain, the United States, Estonia and Finland.

“Some of the women weren’t real at all, they were extremely light and they took it very seriously. We’re really pleased with the crowd and they were all yelling ‘paddy power’ to cheer us on,” Julia said.

The man who did all the lifting felt fine yesterday, and he’s looking forward to returning to the contest next year.

“I feel good. Many of the other couples were only 49 kilos, so it was difficult for us, but we did OK,” said Paul, who weighs 116 kilos.

Winners Egle Soll and Margo Uusorg completed the 750-foot course in just over a minute, while Julia and Paul stumbled home in four minutes and 22 seconds.

In 1998, the Estonians introduced an efficient style of carrying their partners upside down on their backs and they have won every contest since.

According to local legend, the contest dates back to the 1800s when a local bully challenged other men in the village to prove their worth by carrying their wives through an obstacle course.