The annual Sauna World Championships are to be held again this weekend in Heinola, Finland, starting on Friday.
The tenth sauna contest is bigger than ever with 165 men and women from 24 different countries sweating it out to see who can stand the hot room for the longest.

Participants are travelling from as far afield as Gambia, Columbia, Canada and China and the first groups have already arrived.

The competition sauna will be heated to 110 degrees Celsius and half a litre of water will be poured on the stove every thirty seconds. The winner of last year's men's series, Timo Kaukonen from Finland, withstood the heat for 12 minutes and 26 seconds. Leila Kulin, also from Finland, won the women's contest with a time of 10 minutes and 31 seconds.

"The significance of one's basic physical condition is emphasised every year, and liquid consumption must be well timed," explains Ossi Arvela, the main organiser.

STT