Men and their inflatable dolls compete in swimming race in Lithuania
Lithuanians have been celebrating "National Men's Day" by competing in a swimming race where sex dolls were used as rafts.
10:37AM BST 28 May 2011
Over 200 men registered for the race on the Neris river in the capital Vilnius but only 20 were chosen to take part in the event.
Liudas Pestininkas, accompanied by his inflatable doll "Vaida", was the first to cross the finish line winning the 2000 litas prize (£250).
"Vaida was a very good girl, and only listens to me. She is cool. Other participants don't have dolls as cool as mine," he said.
The race was arranged to mark what one radio station had called "National Men's Day", which is not officially recognised in Lithuania.
Organiser of the race, radio programme director Mindaugas Stasiulis said an online survey showed that men in Lithuania felt there was a need to have a day dedicated to them.
"We did a survey on the internet and all voters said that they needed to celebrate such a day.
"Therefore, today a race between men swimming on inflatable dolls on the river, the "Baracuda 2011" is to be held, and we will see who will be the fastest," he said before the race started.