Hundreds of costumed participants braved freezing temperatures to take part in the annual European Sauna Marathon in Otepaa County, Estonia on Saturday (February 7), transforming the traditional Nordic pastime into a carnival-like competition.

The competition saw teams of four people in elaborate costumes, including minions, monkeys, musketeers, bees or Vikings, racing to visit as many local saunas as possible in the fastest time.

The unique orienteering contest featured 21 different saunas where competitors had to spend at least three minutes inside, with some offering live music and disco lights to create a party atmosphere.

The competition has grown significantly in international appeal, with organiser Ago Arro reporting nearly 900 participants from 20 different countries taking part in 193 teams this year.

Switzerland alone sent eight teams, and the event was broadcast live to the United States for the first time.

The marathon serves a dual purpose in Estonia's self-styled winter capital of Otepaa - promoting traditional sauna culture while providing entertainment during the long, dark northern winters.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

OTEPAA COUNTY, ESTONIA (FEBRUARY 7, 2026) (REUTERS-Access all)

1. VARIOUS OF PEOPLE IN VARIOUS COSTUMES RUNNING AT STARTING LINE OF ANNUAL EUROPEAN SAUNA MARATHON

2. PARTICIPANTS ENTERING SAUNA

3. PARTICIPANT IN SAUNA

4. PARTICIPANTS WEARING MINIONS COSTUMES SITTING INSIDE SAUNA

5. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF START OF SAUNA MARATHON

6. (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF MARATHON

7. VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS DRESSED AS MONKEYS LOOKING AT MAP OF SAUNAS

8. PARTICIPANTS DRESSED AS MUSKETEERS WARMING UP BY FIRE

9. PARTICIPANTS DRESSED AS BEES LEAVING SAUNA, OTHERS WAITING IN LINE

10. PARTICIPANTS ENTERING SAUNA

11. PARTICIPANTS SITTING INSIDE SAUNA

12. VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS DANCING INSIDE SAUNA WITH LIVE MUSIC AND DISCO LIGHTS

13. VARIOUS OF WOMAN WALKING OUT OF SAUNA AND TAKING COLD PLUNGE IN ICE HOLE

14. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAUNA MARATHON PARTICIPANT, ERIK KURSETGJERDE, SAYING:

"The reason for participation is, of course, to win and I've attended here last year as well, together with the Norwegians. Now we are a mixed team from Turkey, Norway, and Estonia. And it's always really fun to go here because you meet so many different people from different nations. And we all get together in sauna, so it's amazing."

15. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SAUNA

16. PEOPLE IN HOT TUB

17. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAUNA MARATHON PARTICIPANTS, MARI LIIS TOOM AND REGINA LINDVEST, SAYING:

TOOM: "Look at (this)! Everybody comes here to get experience, better, so much better experience at home. We can get so, yeah."

LINDVEST: "So big company, everything is smiling, everything is cheerful. We just love this kind of events."

TOOM: "Yeah, that's cool. Yeah. It's absolutely fantastic. Absolutely fantastic."

18. MAN THROWING WOODEN LOG TO SAUNA

19. PARTICIPANT WEARING VIKING HAT ENTERING SAUNA

20. PARTICIPANTS IN VIKING HATS INSIDE SAUNA

21. VARIOUS OF MAN POURING WATER ON HOT STONES

22. VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS INSIDE SAUNA

23. MAN LEAVING SAUNA, GETTING INSIDE CAR

24. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAUNA MARATHON PARTICIPANT FROM SWITZERLAND, MANUEL GRUBER, SAYING:

"The European Sauna Marathon is original. We like it so much. We even copied it and make our own Sauna Marathon in Switzerland. It's now the biggest sauna party in the world with two thousand competitors."

25. VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS DANCING INSIDE PARTY SAUNA WITH DJ AND DISCO LIGHTS

26. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAUNA MARATHON PARTICIPANT FROM SWITZERLAND, MANUEL GRUBER, SAYING:

"We love sauna, we love sometimes party, and Otepaa is making it perfect. And every sauna is a new surprise. And lots of fun people, and everybody's in a good mood, and everybody is the same."

27. VARIOUS OF PARTICIPANTS IN COSTUMES ENTERING SAUNA IN TENT

28. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAUNA MARATHON ORGANIZER, AGO ARRO, SAYING:

"This year, we have 21 saunas, participants can take saunas. It's over eight hundred participants, almost nine hundred, and 193 teams taking part this year."

29. PARTICIPANTS AND ESTONIAN SOLDIERS WARMING UP BY FIRE OUTSIDE MILITARY MAKESHIFT SAUNA SET UP BY ARMY

30. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SAUNA MARATHON ORGANIZER, AGO ARRO, SAYING:

"Definitely, it's going more international. We have twenty different countries attending. We have again a big team from Switzerland. I think it was eight teams already from there. And definitely, it's going international since we have live broadcasting going to the United States this year. So yeah, it is quite international. We have so much already interest coming this year who cannot attend this year."

31. PARTICIPANTS OUTSIDE SAUNA

32. PARTICIPANTS STANDING BY ICE HOLE

33. PARTICIPANTS TAKING COLD PLUNGE IN ICE HOLE