A RUSSIAN MAN has died after sustaining first-degree burns at the finals of the World Sauna Championships in Finland.
Vladimir Ladyzhenskiy, an amateur wrestler in his 60s, collapsed while sitting alongside reigning champion Timo Kaukonen of Finland, about six minutes into the final round.
The two had been inside the 110°C sauna for six minutes when Ladyzhenskiy slumped over, unable to respond to the calls of organisers who periodically ask all competitors to confirm their health.
Their bout was the grand final of the competition which had whittled 130 competitors down to the final two.
Both Lazyzhenskiy and Kaukonen – who trains in a sauna at heats of up to 140°C - were taken to hospital and treated for burns, but sadly the former died from his injuries.
The annual competition was in its 11th year, but the competition’s organisers say they won’t run it again. They did, however, assert that they had followed all of their usual procedures, including their safety protocols.
Finland is considered the home of the sauna, with two million units installed in a country with a population of just over 5.2m.
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