A test of endurance proved fatal for one Russian man.
The finalist at the World Sauna Championships died on Sunday in Finland after suffering burns from exposure to the steam's extreme heat.
Vladimir Ladyzhensky (left in photo) was facing off against Timo Kaukonen when both men collapsed about six minutes into the final round of the annual competition.
The pair suffered severe burns, but Ladyzhensky later died. The exact cause is unknown pending an investigation.
The contest held in Heinola has been suspended, as investigators look into how the endurance competition was handled.
Organizers insist they did everything by the book.
"All the rules were followed and there were enough first aid personnel," Ossi Arvela, who heads the sauna contest, told reporters. "All the competitors needed to sign in to the competition with a doctor's certificate."
Participants must endure 230 degrees Fahrenheit in a sauna, and the last person remaining wins. Half a liter of water is added to the hot stove every 30 seconds to maintain the heat.
"I know this is very hard to understand to people outside Finland who are not familiar with the sauna habit," he said. "It is not so unusual to have 110 degrees in a sauna. A lot of competitors before have sat in higher temperatures than that."
More than 130 competitors from 15 countries took part in the event, which started in 1999. Because of the fatality, the competition will likely never be held again, organizers said.
from BBC News
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