Finalist dies at world sauna championships (this is not an onion article)

[Liberal_in_LA]

Finalist dies at world sauna championships

(CNN) -- A competitor has died and another is in hospital following a tragic end to the World Sauna Championships in southern Finland.

Russian Vladimir Ladyzhenskiy died Saturday after taking part in the final of a competition in which contestants are required to withstand rising temperatures for as long as possible.

Finnish finalist Timo Kaukonen was also taken to hospital for treatment, organizer Ossi Arvela said in a statement posted on the event's website.

Images of the contest showed Ladyzhenskiy and Kaukonen sitting side by side in the sauna. Both contestants can then be seen lying on the ground, apparently doused in water. Ladyzhenskiy appears to be suffering from severe skin burns.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/08/08/finland.sauna.championships/index.html?iref=NS1

[Faygo Kid]

1. There's a competition we could do without.

Stupidity knows no national boundaries.

[underpants]

2. Did they hold it between the thighs of Walmart customers?

Oh okay that was cheap- we just got back from walking around Walmart (didn't buy anything mind you) as we were out tax-free school supply shopping

See if I was callous like "Family Guy" or my buddy, a whole fan of the show, I would have made a McCain joke. But I didn't.

[LisaL]

3. The most important thing is that rules were followed, according to organizers.

:sarcasm:

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

4. World Sauna Championships?

"...in which contestants are required to withstand rising temperatures for as long as possible."

I presume death disqualifies one for the World Sauna title, however honorable mention in the Darwin Awards is a distinct possibility.

I can see two idiots getting drunk and doing something like this on a dare, but a world competition?

WTF!?

[MajorChode]

9. Some Scandinavian countries have more saunas than people

Anything sauna related is a pretty big deal there. When the sun shines for 24 hours, you'd be surprised at the things you can find to do with your time.

[Keystonecops]

5. Though I'll bet he peeled like one

How can he be the champ if he died? I could have entered a bratwurst against him and won if that were the case. Or am I splitting hairs here? :P

[Enrique]

6. do they have a world tanning bed championships too?

I know someone who looks like he's in training for that.

[Liberal_in_LA]

7. click on the link. The guys in the pic are bright orange!

[JVS]

13. Maybe they're just relatives of Boehner.

[jmowreader]

16. Hey! No John Boehner jokes in a sauna thread!

[Ikonoklast]

8. Who could have foreseen this outcome?

FFS.

Why don't they just set them on fire, and give the medal to anyone that survives?


And they say Americans are stupid.

[Initech]

10. How does one get to compete in this championship?

[undeterred]

11. Even dumber than a contest to eat the most.

[JVS]

12. What a fucking stupid contest!

[Subdivisions]

14. Well, I guess that means Kaukonen is the winner. Congrats! n/t

[704wipes]

24. yeah, but he's a wuss, other guy had to die for him to win

nt

[spanone]

15. are humans stupid or what? is sweating now a sport?

jeeeeebus

[Liberal_in_LA]

17. more info. The men were pulled out with severe burns, steam burns

and guy who died was in his 60s

[Vinca]

18. I read somewhere the temperature of the sauna was 230 degrees.

They were literally cooking themselves to death. The meat I cooked for dinner was done at 260. Idiots.

[LisaL]

19. They weren't exactly cooking themselves. Somebody organized

that thing.

[Vinca]

25. I doubt they were forced to participate.

[Maru Kitteh]

20. Proof positive that America holds no special corner in the market of stupidity.

My God in heaven. That's the dumbest freakin' contest I've ever heard of.

[LisaL]

21. Reminds me of the radio contest where contestants were

competing as to who can drink the most water for some small prizes like concert tickets.
The lady who was a runner up died as a result.

[daleo]

22. It's sad, but I am not too surprised.

Finns can be pretty crazy about their saunas, especially the guys. My wife is a Finn, and she has told me about the heat her brothers used to brag about tolerating. Russians are pretty macho about sauna heat too, I gather.

[Canuckistanian]

23. Did he have any children?

A pity if he did, both for the kids and evolution.