Her fascination with unusual sporting events has led Julia Galvin to be an ‘ambassador at large’ for one of the most novel of all.

Making her second visit to Geraldton to help run the Wife Carrying Competition, Ms Galvin’s enthusiasm for this odd event knows no bounds.

An unashamed ‘big girl’ at 123kg the jovial Irishwoman was only too happy to promote the event, part of Australia Day celebrations on the Geraldton foreshore, by being carried by two burly motorcyclists and lifted onto one of their bikes.

“Wife Carrying originated at Sonkajarvi in Finland, it has to be one of the zaniest sporting events possible and I love the fun of it all,” she said.

“It’s not an Olympic sport yet but competitions like this one in Geraldton are held around the world, it’s getting very popular.”

She will be commentating rather than competing, but Ms Galvin has her own claim to fame in another sport which is yet to make the Olympics, as a world champion in Mountain Bike Bog Snorkelling.