
Almost 1,000 people stripped down to swimsuits and underwear to take part in a bizarre competition to visit the most saunas in one day.

Braving the cold and ice, the European Sauna Marathon in Otepaa, Estonia, saw competitors, some of whom clearly dressed up for the occasion, run around the town to enjoy as many saunas as possible in just six hours for a prize.

The participants were split into teams, with the victors being the group who had visited every designated sauna in the fastest time.

Almost 1,000 people stripped down to swimsuits and underwear to take part in a bizarre competition to visit the most saunas in one day

Braving the cold and ice, the European Sauna Marathon in Otepaa, Estonia, saw competitors run around the city to enjoy as many saunas as possible

A sight for sauna eyes: The people were split into teams, with the victors being the group who had visited every designated sauna in the fastest time

There were 217 teams, including 12 international ones, with Estonian World reporting they came from Greece, France, Russia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, and the United Kingdom, including 'the staff from the British Embassy in Tallinn, led by the ambassador Chris Holtby.'

It was the seventh time the festival was held, with entry to the competition free of charge.

Participants are given a map to find their way to all of the listed saunas across the city and are required to stay in each place for at least three minutes.

A select number of saunas take part, with owners required to mark off each team's charts when they arrive and leave.

After testing out some of the city's saunas, some participants took the opportunity to plunge into an ice pool

Competitors clearly decided to dress up for the occassion, with some using little to protect their modesty

Participants enjoy a bath in Kvass, a traditional Slavic and Baltic fermented beverage commonly made from black or regular rye bread

It was the seventh time the festival was held, with entry to the competition free of charge

Thirty minutes is added to a team's finishing time for each of the stops they failed to make, with organisers shaving off ten minutes to hot tub visits if every member of the team takes a dip.

The winners, rather predictably, are awarded their very own hot tub. Prizes for second and third place included spa stays and hotel accommodation.

Far from needing the allotted six hours to complete the task, the victors succeeded in just in two hours and 55 minutes.

Participants have to trek down, locate and visit designated saunas in the Otepaa area as fast as possible

A Sauna Marathon participant listens to musicians play during the unique European Sauna Marathon

There were 217 teams, including 12 international ones, including from countries such as Russia, Greece and Great Britain

And the reward for all those taking part? A beer bath in a traditional Slavic and Baltic fermented beverage commonly made from black or regular rye bread.

Otepaa is a popular skiing resort with a population of around 2,000. Every year it attracts thousands of snow sport enthusiasts.

Its wooden saunas are among the towns most popular attractions.

While some raced around the Estonian town in next to nothing, others believed it was important to dress for the cold

The winners, rather predictably, are awarded their very own hot tub. Prizes for second and third place included spa stays and hotel accommodation