Andy Lee from Los Alamos jumps into the ‘Wife Pond’ with his wife Devon Lee on his back at the 2024 Women’s World Carrying Championships on July 5 in Sonkajärvi, Finland. Photo by Kindra McAllister

Kindra McAllister, Andy Lee, Kalob Bowman and Taylor McAllister win bronze in team event at the 2024 Women’s World Carrying Championships on July 5 in Sonkajärvi, Finland. Photo by Devon Noel Lee

Sports news:

The sun shone brightly on Sonkajärvi, Finland, as Los Alamos’ Andy and Devon Lee sprinted, splashed and soared to success at the 2024 Wife Carrying World Championships. The dynamic duo, who celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary this year, showcased not only their athletic prowess, but also their unwavering commitment to each other and their health.

The Wife Carrying World Championships (“Eukonkanto” in Finnish) originated in 1992 in Sonkajärvi, Finland. Inspired by local legend and historical anecdotes, the event involves a man carrying his wife through an obstacle course. In 1995, it began accepting international competitors, with between 80 and 100 people competing each year. The race course is 253.5 meters long and features a series of challenging obstacles, including two fence rails and a water obstacle known as the “Wife Pond,” which is over 1 meter deep.

The annual competition consists of three events:

• Main Series, this is the complete course as described above;
• Sprint, a shorter, fast race with only the “Wife Pond” obstacle; and
• Team relay event.

In the team relay, three men take turns carrying a woman through a standard course, with each man completing a section of the course and passing the “woman” after clearing an obstacle and drinking a pint of sparkling water.

In a heartwarming display of dedication, Andy, 47, and Devon, 48, embarked on a transformative journey over the past year. After finishing 39th out of 40 teams in 2023, Andy proposed another attempt at glory. Devon set a bold challenge: they both had to lose 30 pounds before they could compete again. Andy rose to the occasion, losing an impressive 40 pounds, while Devon reached her goal of 30 pounds.

By practicing regularly on the Los Alamos Middle School track, the couple gained support from the local community. The lacrosse team timed their practice runs, while the Aquatic Center pool managers encouraged them to practice for the water hazard known as the “Wife Pond.” By the time they left for Finland, Andy and Devon were not only fit, but confident.

The competition in Sonkajärvi was fierce, with three exciting events: sprint, team and long track. The Lees, representing the United States, competed in the sprint and long track categories. On July 5, they tackled the sprint event, a 100-meter dash with a challenging “Wife Pond,” which is over 1 meter deep and 15 meters long.

Despite Devon sliding off Andy’s back into the pond, Andy recovered with great speed and chased the other runner, winning their preliminary round and securing a spot in the final.

In the final they faced formidable teams from Australia, Lithuania and Estonia. Although Devon fell into the water again, costing them the bronze medal, they finished with a time of 44.65 seconds, showing their resilience and determination.

The excitement continued on July 6 with the team and the long distance events. Andy joined Kalob Bowman, Tyler McAllister and Kinda McAllister from Arizona to form “Team USA – The Army of Helaman.” They made history as the first American team to compete and place, taking the bronze medal with a time of 2:30.01, behind only the Australian and Finnish teams.

In the senior division of the long distance event, Andy and Devon excelled again. Devon’s goal was to stay on Andy’s back for the entire race, and she did! They finished in a remarkable 1:33.68, just three seconds off third place.

“We are so happy with our performance this year,” beamed Andy. “The Wife-Carrying event is all about spreading joy and laughter. We are glad we did so well and met so many wonderful participants who have become friends.”

Devon followed suit, adding, “For some, like me, this event is not just a test of athleticism, but also a challenge of fears — namely, dropping or drowning. We accomplished our goals and crushed our time from last year.”

The Lees did indeed improve dramatically from their 2:44 finish in 2023, attributing their success to their weight loss and intensive training. Despite not being natural athletes and both being in their late 40s, they showed that dedication and teamwork can overcome any obstacle.

After moving to Los Alamos in 2020 with their children (two of whom are members of the Los Alamos High School band and swim team), Andy and Devon celebrated their silver wedding anniversary this summer. Over the next year, you may see them training for future events, whether it’s at local racetracks, training hills for the British race, or mud puddles for the Australian race. Join us in cheering them on to future success!

Andy and Devon Lee from Los Alamos prepare for the competition at the 2024 Women’s World Carrying Championships earlier this month in Sonkajärvi, Finland. Photo by Kindra McAllister