In Pictures: Husbands take their wives for a ride in the marriage stakes

Couples faced a whole series of obstacles during the wife-carrying race.

Competitors take part in the annual UK Wife Carrying Race (Steve Parsons/PA) (PA Wire)

William Shakespeare’s adage that the course of true love never did run smooth was proved during the UK Wife Carrying Race.

Competitors in Dorking teamed up for the event that sees husbands carry their better halves over a series of obstacles including some passion-dousing buckets of cold water.

However, grit and determination helped them make it to the finish line.

A variety of techniques were employed by the competing couples as they sought to keep up with the Jones’s and anyone else in the race.

Bales of hay and buckets of water proved the old adage about marriage being an obstacle course.

For better or worse, the competitors made it to the finish.