Death not so defying!
That's the only way to describe the World Sauna Championship held in Heinola, Finland.
This years competion has been called off after Russian competitor Vladimir Ladyzhenskiy, died in less than 6 minutes in the sizzling heat.
As they went into the final round there were only a hand full of men left, but after just a few minutes in the 230-degree heat, it dropped... and 6 minutes in, it was all over... only the strong survive.
But this year one didn't survive...
A witness to the event that would rather remain nameless says, "I saw Timo and the Russian confirming every 10 or 20 seconds that they were OK. They were raising their thumbs all the time but after six minutes, and only seconds after another raised thumb, the referees decided to take them both out, first Timo who was still able to, or at least half able, with some help, to come out. The Russian had to be dragged out and after that he fell on the floor in front of the sauna and was sort of convulsing and cramping. Then they put a curtain up in front as they worked on them."
Ossi Arvela, the championship organizer insisted that they had followed all the rules and safety precautions.
The event was immediately suspended follwing the death and police are investigating.
The saunas were the same temperatures as they have been in years past, and the comeptitors were in the saunas for about the same amount of time as in previous years... so how did someone die?
But as you can see in the picture above, Vladimir Ladyzhenskiy was much older than most of his fellow competitors.
To enter the competition, you must sign a waiver stating you are aware of the fact that exposure to saunas can cause "injury and death." And that's exactly what happend this year.
Some people are just happy to come out alive!
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