Gorham’s wife-carrying couple vow to ‘give it another shot.’

GORHAM – A Gorham couple, Jesse and Stacey Coleman, finished eighth in Saturday’s North American Wife Carrying Championships at Sunday River in Newry, but earned a spot on a national TV show.

They competed in the 278-yard obstacle course against 50 teams of couples from all over the United States and Canada

“There were really tough teams there,” Jesse Coleman said Tuesday, adding that last year’s winners were third this year.

The Colemans had plenty of support, as more than 50 people from Gorham cheered them on.

The Colemans were interviewed for a TV show, “Bert The Conquerer,” where host Bert Kreischer visits events and competitions that celebrate local culture. Jesse Coleman said the episode would be aired in April on the Travel Channel. He said a production crew came to Maine from New York for the event after viewing the couple’s blog.

While they had hoped to win, the Colemans aren’t discouraged.

“I think we’ll give it another shot,” Jesse Coleman said about next year’s event. “We felt we were very competitive. We felt successful.”

He said the weather was cold, with a temperature about 45 degrees with a “biting” wind. He said his calves cramped up when the race started. But, he said, halfway through the event all the training paid off.

Stacey Coleman didn’t get wet in the water obstacle, the infamous water trap known as the widow maker. “She stayed high and dry like I promised,” Jesse Coleman said. “I didn’t drop her.”

Rocco Andreozzi of Bethel and Kim Wasco of Farmington won the 11th annual event with

A time of 1:01.91 seconds. Andreozzi and Wasco beat second place finishers Jesse Wall and Christine Arsenault, both of South Paris, by 16.6 seconds. Wall and Arsenault finished the championship heat with a time of 1:18:77 seconds.

The victory also qualifies Andreozzi and Wasco for the World Wife Carrying Championship held next July in Finland, according to Sunday River.

Stacey Coleman is high and dry as her husband, Jesse Coleman, splashes through the water trap in the North American Wife Carrying Championships Saturday at Sunday River Ski Resort. Courtesy photo