FINLAND: To the Winners

“To march together … to keep fit and smiling and be prepared in dark times,” Finland and Sweden have for three weeks been bunion-deep in a titanic walking match. Over 15-kilometer (ninemile) courses in their respective countries have plodded Cabinet ministers, school children, whole villages of heel-&-toers. Par for the course, by the terms of Finland’s challenge, was 2 hr., 20 min.

Last week the contest ended. Result (judged on a percentage basis): a million-and-a-half Finns—40% of the population—had walked the feet off 900,000 Swedes.