Competitors for the 2002 edition of the IFSA Atlantic Giants strongman competition were announced today. Svend Karlsen (WSM 2001 winner), Janne Virtanen (WSM 2000 winner), Zydrunas Savickas, Heinz Ollesch, Torfi Olafson, Rene Minkwitz, Jaroslaw Dymek, and defending Atlantic Giants winner Regin Vagadal will be competing, with Ilkka Kinnunen and Jamie Reeves serving as referees. The competition is scheduled for April 26th and 27th in the Faroe Islands.

The legendary Bulgarian weightlifting coach Ivan Abadjiev was hospitalized today and is undergoing tests. The preliminary diagnosis is that Abadjiev is suffering from a kidney-related ailment and he is expected to remain in the hospital for several days.

Promising to be a hot and heavy competition, the IFSA Finnish Grand Prix has just been announced. Currently, the confirmed field includes three former "World's Strongest Man" winners - Magnus Samuelsson, Janne Virtanen and Svend Karlsen - along with Gerrit Badenhorst, Wout Zijlstra, Zyundras Savickas, Jaroslaw Dymek and Martin Muhr. A medley, crucifix, wheelbarrow, log lift for reps and arm-over-arm crane pull have been set; two more events will be added. This top drawer competition will be held in the Valtti Arena, in Vantaa, Finland on April 20th.

The IFSA Winter Cup, with all events performed in the snow, is set for February 9th, in Szczyrk, Poland. 2001 WSM winner Svend Karlsen will be joined by Janne Virtanen (2000 WSM winner), Martin Muhr, Jarno Hams, Hugo Girard, Raimonds Bergmanis, Jarek Dymek and Irek Kuras.

John Brzenk and Mary McConnaughey continued their winning ways at the 4th annual Reno Reunion armwrestling championships last night. Brenzk, a dominating force in armwrestling, won five classes, including right-hand 177 - 198, 199 - 242 and super heavyweight. Mike McGraw won the professional men's right-hand 0 - 154 class, and Chad Silvers won the 155 - 176 class. Mary McConnaughey won the women's title, beating "World's Strongest Woman" competitor Jossi Morneau for the top honors.

The Valhalla Winter Sports Fest is kicking off the 2002 strongman season in California, and will also serve as a tune up for the upcoming Northeast Strongman Showdown. Scheduled for January 26th in Jamestown, California this contest toasts the reopening of The Shake, and it is expected to draw some of the strongman competitors who will be going to Boston in February, in what is the first of the series of contests for Americans trying to qualify for the World's Strongest Man show. Events at the Jamestown contest are: a medley, yoke, Conan's wheel, overhead log press and a farmer's walk. Steve Davis, who will be competing in Jamestown, is putting on the western regional qualifier for the WSM show, tentatively scheduled for June 8th and 9th.

Andrei Chemerkin, the 1996 superheavy Olympic champion in weightlifting said today, "No way!" when asked if he had plans to enter strongman contests. Chemerkin, who dazzled lifting fans at the Sydney Olympics by nearly cleaning 272.5 kg in a bid to win his second Olympic gold medal, also said he knew nothing about any purported invitations to strongman competitions. In training for the World Weightlifting Championships later this year, Chemerkin said that while he has seen strongman competitions on TV, he has never thought about entering one and could not imagine doing so.

After much discussion and even more speculation, the qualifying events have been established for determining which Americans will compete in this year's WSM show. Four regional qualifiers are being held. Eastern: "Northeast Strongman Showdown," February 16th - 17th, Boston, MA; Central: "Midwest Strongman Challenge," April 6th, Columbus, OH; Central: "Ohio Valley Strongman Competition," May 11th - 12th, Athens, OH; Western: "Sierra Strongman Shootout," June 8th, Sonora, CA. The top four athletes from each competition will qualify for the finals in St. Louis, along with the Americans who qualified for the 2001 edition of the "World's Strongest Man" show. The top five from the American finals will be invited to WSM 2002, in Malaysia. Jim Davis, who is responsible for coordinating the US qualifying competitions, said the finals in St. Louis will be held either July 13th - 14th or July 18th and 20th, and there will be US$25,000 in prize money.

Kicking off 2002 with a great arm wrestling championship, Bill and Ginger Collins, along with Denise Wattles, are putting on the fourth annual Reno Reunion this weekend. Featured competitors will include John and Bill Brzenk, Kenny Hughes, Jacob Abbott, Gord Squires, Kevin Hicklin, Gary Ray, Chad Silvers and Mary McConnaughey. The action starts Friday and runs through Sunday, at the Sands Regency Hotel and Casino, in Reno, Nevada.