When you live in a country with long, cold winters and short summers, you do what you can do make the most out of the warm weather. In Russia, they hold a racing event every August called the Bubble Baba Challenge, where hundreds of contestants ride inflatable sex dolls down the Vuoska river rapids.

At least, they did: the event, which was supposed to celebrate its tenth anniversary this year, was shut down by authorities just days before.

The Bubble Baba Challenge began 2003 after the idea came to organizer Dmity Bulawinov and his buddies while drinking one night. Lamenting the failure of any women to show up to their party, the guys began discussing the practical uses of inflatable sex dolls when someone pointed out they would make an excellent flotation device.

Since then, the Bubble Baba Challenge (“baba” is a derogatory term for “woman” in Russian) has been held every year in the village of Losevo, about 110km from St. Petersburg.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the event and as such, organizers were preparing for what they were hoping would be their biggest showing yet after nearly 600 people participated in 2011.

However, just days before the event, local authorities demanded the event be called off for safety reasons, citing a rise in the water level of the river.

Bulawinov and other organizers believe this isn’t the whole story: as in previous years, they have taken thorough measures to ensure participants practice safe sex doll riding. Instead, they suspect local authorities were under pressure by the federal government to stop the event for fear of instigating anti-Putin sentiment.

Because nothing gets a group of dissenters rebelling like a river full of gaping-mouthed sex dolls.

The organizers comment that while they regret the government’s decision and apologize to everyone who was looking forward to this year’s event. Luckily, they still plan on holding the race again next year, stating: “The Bubble Baba Challenge is immortal. It will not end here.”

Reassuring words, to be sure, but what are the hundreds of people who prepared for the event supposed to do with all those sex dolls? (Whatever it is, we just hope they properly dispose of them when they finish…)

Source: Youtube AwLeg、 Bubble Baba Challenge (Russian)