Winners battle cold, boredom in Swedish ice-sitting contest
STOCKHOLM (AP) - Six contestants have braved butt-numbing cold and boredom to win an annual ice pole-sitting contest in northern Sweden.
Two women and four men shared the 20,000-kronor prize ($3,100) for remaining on 8.25-foot-tall (2.5-meter) blocks of ice during the 48-hour contest, which ended Saturday.
Competitors said the worst part of the competition was not the cold - temperatures dipped below -18 F (-28 C) - but the monotony, even though they were allowed to come down for 10-minute toilet breaks every other hour.
Organizer Annica Andersson said the contest has been held annually for a dozen years, and was brought to the Swedish town of Vilhelmnina by a local resident who had participated in a similar competition in Russia.
Two women and four men shared the 20,000-kronor prize ($3,100) for remaining on 8.25-foot-tall (2.5-meter) blocks of ice during the 48-hour contest, which ended Saturday.
Competitors said the worst part of the competition was not the cold - temperatures dipped below -18 F (-28 C) - but the monotony, even though they were allowed to come down for 10-minute toilet breaks every other hour.
Organizer Annica Andersson said the contest has been held annually for a dozen years, and was brought to the Swedish town of Vilhelmnina by a local resident who had participated in a similar competition in Russia.
Only stay awake for two days... least they are realistic and split the prize... this sort of thing get someone killed
A cold seat sure beats sitting down on a warm seat when you have to go...
Can you spell hemorrhoid boys and girls? They best put aside some of that prize money for a large box of âPreparation Hâ.
@oldster70 I remember my Mom telling us the same thing...believe it's just an old wives tale :)
 @oldster70 Too funny! My mom used to tell us kids that we'd get hemorrhoids if we sat on cold surfaces. Is that for real?
@oldster70 NAH...that should bring the swelling DOWN...
Wow!! I wonder what they do for fun?
They don't get out much, do they?
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