Man DIES trying to win sauna contest.

[oldguy]

Some things I'll never understand.....this is one of them.

http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/sauna-world-championships-turn-fatal?GT1=39002

A Russian man trying to win the Sauna World Championships died after collapsing with severe burns in the final stage of an event that required contestants to sit in a 230-degree (110 Celsius) room as water was tossed onto a searing stove, officials and witnesses said.

[bcdon]

Another prime candidate for The Darwin Awards (http://www.darwinawards.com/)

http://www.darwinawards.com/i/tree_logo_clear.gif

[deeaa]

A contestant died in the world sauna championships here during the weekend. Just six minutes in 110c was too much due to too much steam. The guy who came second was also burned bad and hospitalized. 110c should not be too much but the arrangers had made it too steamy, making the sauna a virtual pressure cooker. They say they're sorry and possibly will quit arranging the event.

[oldguy]

A contestant died in the world sauna championships here during the weekend. Just six minutes in 110c was too much due to too much steam. The guy who came second was also burned bad and hospitalized. 110c should not be too much but the arrangers had made it too steamy, making the sauna a virtual pressure cooker. They say they're sorry and possibly will quit arranging the event.

I posted about this yesterday.
http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=16064
230 Farenheit would be a lot I would think. I know people die on 100+ degree days during hot summer days here.

[deeaa]

110 is not bad, as a child that was what the school sauna always was....but you can't have constant steam and of course only like maybe 3 minutes.

[Tig]

230 F steam is enough to burn the lungs, resulting in edema that causes the person to basically drown.

So, will this be the next Olympic Sport?
(after synchronized swimming made it in, the doors were wide open!)

[deeaa]

230 F steam is enough to burn the lungs, resulting in edema that causes the person to basically drown.

So, will this be the next Olympic Sport?
(after synchronized swimming made it in, the doors were wide open!)

If the air is 230, the steam will be at maximum something like half of that. Some people like it like that...I think 75-80 degrees celsius is much better. That way you can sauna for hours, not just minutes. But then again if you're swimming in subzero waters outside in the winter, when you come in to warm up again you might like it pretty hot...

[Eric]

If the air is 230, the steam will be at maximum something like half of that.
???

How can the steam be any less than 100 C unless the pressure in the sauna is something other than atmospheric? You can have superheated steam, but not...uh...underheated steam.

Unless, of course, I'm missing something here (always a possibility).

[deeaa]

It turns into something like fog, or clouds pretty much as it leaves the stones...and nobody does (can) sit right over or next to the stones. you can't see the steam in a sauna really, it's just moisture in the air. And throwing water actually lowers the temp in the sauna quite clearly yet itfeels hotter because water in the air conducts heat much better than dry air.

Usually the hottest feeling spot in a proper sauna is the corner farthest from the stove, because the hot moist air first hits the ceiling and then comes down when it reaches the far corner.

[Eric]

It turns into something like fog, or clouds pretty much as it leaves the stones...and nobody does (can) sit right over or next to the stones. you can't see the steam in a sauna really, it's just moisture in the air. And throwing water actually lowers the temp in the sauna quite clearly yet itfeels hotter because water in the air conducts heat much better than dry air.

Usually the hottest feeling spot in a proper sauna is the corner farthest from the stove, because the hot moist air first hits the ceiling and then comes down when it reaches the far corner.
Hmm...interesting. Thanks.

BTW, could I get you to weigh in here (http://www.thefret.net/showthread.php?t=16059)? Seeing how you're one of the active pup proponents, I was kind of hoping you'd offer up some opinions...