"We are ready to rock �n roll this weekend," Marcel Mostert told IronMind.


The third stop of the 2008 Strongman Champions League is Varsseveld, Holland, this weekend. Art courtesy of Marcel Mostert.

"The strongmen are coming in Holland today, the weather will be 25 degrees [77 Fahrenheit] this weekend, the equipment is set, the crowd is waiting . . . it is going to be fantastic!"

IronMind asked Marcel Mostert about the train metaphor he was using to describe the Strongman Champions League, and this is what he said: "On June 1 there is a train stop again, this time in Holland, for the third Strongman Champions League contest. This train�is called the Strongman Champions League and it is only there for the strongest and toughest athletes who can survive. The strongest guys will jump on it at each stop, and the weak guys will fall off from it . . . with or without their heads bleeding and their minds devastated because they didn't know before that there is so much brute power existing in the world. We don't care - just survive!"

"The strongman train�is running faster, farther and harder. Get your place, fasten your seat belts and go for it! And for those who will survive, we'll see you at the next train stop in Sofia, Bulgaria, on June 21."

"Who's there"


A torn pec didn't keep Derek Poundstone from doing major damage at the Arnold Strongman contest earlier this year, and Bill Kazmaier is continuing to be impressed by Derek, who is his pick to win the Super Series Grand Prix at Madison Square Garden next month. Randall J. Strossen photo.

"Hear that? That's me knocking on this table in my hotel. That's how hard Derek Poundstone is," Bill Kazmaier told IronMind yesterday. Bill Kazmaier was early to predict Derek Poundstone's ability to win the Eleiko Super Series Mohegan Sun Grand Prix, which was spot on, and that's when Bill came up with the line about the last time he'd seen traps like Derek's (". . . 25 years ago . . . when I was looking in the mirror").

And now, Bill's putting his money on the same horse for the Super Series Grand Prix at Madison Square Garden's WaMu Theater on June 21. The most Bill will concede is that "maybe Travis Ortmayer has a chance to do something," but other than that, as far as Bill Kazmaier is concerned, it's all Derek Poundstone.

"Competing the way he did at the Arnold, with a ripped pec . . . He's a warrior," Bill said.

If you are an Olympic weightlifting enthusiast, chances are that you know about Polska Sztanga, and if you don't, you should, even if you don't read Polish . . . yet.


Hard at work, and this isn't even his day job, Marek Drzewowski updates Polska Stzanga live from the 2008 European Weightlifting Championships (Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy). Nice guy that he is, Marek let IronMind's Randall Strossen (right) camp out on the edge of his table. Photo courtesy of Marek Drzewowski.

"Polska Sztanga is a website about Polish and world weightlifting, with current news and results from all over the world, along with rankings, records, and galleries," Marek Drzewowski told IronMind. "This site combines features of a press service and a statistical compendium," Drzewowski explained, and while this might sound somewhat dry, let's recall that it was Polska Sztanga that first broke the news about the positives at the 2006 European Weightlifting Championships, a scoop that did not bring Drzewowski universal endearment even though, as Drzewowski says, "Everything I reported was true."

Four years old now, Polska Sztanga is the result of Drzewowski's "30-year interest and passion associated with Polish and foreign weightlifting," along with the support of his "friend and site administrator, Rafał Grążawski."

Drezwowski stresses that his site is a hobby and non-commercial and explains that, "The main goal is to promote weightlifting through presentation of up-to-date competition scores from various local and international events, abundant picture galleries, and various rankings, statistics and records. Our site cooperates with many sport stats from all over the world," Drzewowski adds, "and we are constantly looking for willing people who want to cooperate with Polska Sztanga - sending�results of national championships from other countries, especially from Central and South America, Africa, Asia, and the Arabic region."

Marek Drezewowski might proudly point to his traffic stats as an indication of his site's popularity, but IronMind prefers European Weightlifting Federation Vice President Per Mattingsdal's comment to Randall Strossen: "Marek is teaching the weightlifting world Polish."

Commenting on "Kristin Rhodes and her great performance against an unquestionable athlete [Anita Florczyk]" at the World's Strongest Woman contest, North American Strongman president Dione Wessels said, "Kristin's goal prior to traveling to Poland was to make the podium, but �Wow!' she was in second place and against many veteran athletes."


Kristin Rhodes, who finished second in the World's Strongest Woman contest, "on the 410-pound deadlift for reps." Photo courtesy of Donnie Rhodes.

"We were excited for her because she was finally able to compete against women that gave her a real push in the sport," Wessels continued. "Last year at nationals, she won five out of six events! Hopefully this will warrant more women coming out to the women's nationals here in the United States. That is obviously the best way to help grow the sport for women in America."

Leaving no room for doubt, Lacy Okey described the World's Strongest Woman contest as "an absolute blast."


2008 World's Strongest Woman: "And a good time was had by all." Photo courtesy of Lacy Okey.

"We signed hundreds of autographs . . . on pictures and people's shirts, and an occasional child got signed [too]," said Okey, giving a sense of how having fun mixed well with the serious business of testing one's strength. In addition to citing the great competition, Lacy was quick to praise the extras like limo service that were part of the VIP treatment given the competitors.

"I really wish we could get it to be like this in America," Lucy lamented, but even so, from the sound of things, the after party left no doubt now about how to say "vodka" in Polish.

Here are the final places:

1. Aneta Florczyk �(Poland)
2. Kristen Rhodes (USA)
3. Kati Luoto (Finland)
4. Anki Oberg (Sweden)
5. Lacy Okey (USA)
6. Amy Wattles (USA)
7. Elizabeth Horne (England)
8. Kristyn Vytlacil (USA)
9. Hanne Bingle (Denmark)

"Strongman Champions League and Fitness Media Ltd.�have signed an agreement with Kokkola City in Finland to hold a competition between August 29 - 30," Ilkka Kinnunen told IronMind.


Strongman Champions League - headed up by Ilkka Kinunnen and Marcel Mostert - continues to add contests to its 2008 calendar. Art courtesy of Marcel Mostert/Ilkka Kinunnen.

"The competition will be held during a big festival called The Venetian Night Festival of Kokkola. This is a festival of water, fire and light (www.venetsialaiset.fi)," Kinnunen explained.

More details will follow, but IronMind was told that the events will be: Atlas stones, truck pull, weight for height, ship pull, log lift, and deadlift hold.

"It was a tough weekend with some fantastic performances," Bill Lyndon reported to IronMind, "with Derek Boyer taking the title of Australia's Strongest Man."

"Derek worked hard to fight off an early charge from Robbie Fernandez and an injury to his right foot to lift the title of Australia's Strongest Man.

Here are the final places and points:

1. Derek Boyer 27 points
2. Ebin Le Roux 20 points (taking second place on countback)
3. Robbie Fernandez �20 points
4. Allan Kleise 14.5 points
5. Mic Pianco 7.5 points

"The standout performances were Ebin Le Roux winning the truck pull; Derek Boyer winnnig the super yoke, farmer's walk, log lift, and deadlift (400 kg); and Allan Kliese winning the stones. Alan also won the amateur class on the [same] day and progressed to the pro class and competed in the next six events. This guy is a freak, and I suspect he has a big future in strongman."

In more news from Australian strongman, Bill Lyndon also told IronMind, "Aussiepower is now in the early stages of producing �The Hercules,' which will be an international-standard event, with some events never seen before in strongman. We are looking to stage this event for January next year."

"I went to Scotland at the weekend for Highland Games," Laine Snook wrote IronMind, "and dropped in on the Inver Stone whilst I was there. WHAT A BEAST!"


"I've seen better pictures of �Bigfoot,' quipped someone in the IronMind office when they saw this image. That may be, but let's see him do this! Photo courtesy of Laine Snook.

So it is, but read on and then you decide if Laine doesn't have equal claim to that title.

"I managed to get the Inver Stone overhead three times in total - my biceps feel like they are going to fall off. The lady at the house witnessed the lifts, as did her neighbour."

Laine has also been busying himself wreaking havoc with thick-handled dumbbells, and he told IronMind that he is "not a million miles from snatching the Inch dumbbell," and he is snatching a 154-lb. version of the Inch Dumbbell "on a regular basis." Snook also said that he is intent on cleaning the Millennium Dumbbell, and when asked if he has any plans to return to the Rolling Thunder wars, the former world record holder said "yes," and he is thinking about going for a big pull on the Rolling Thunder later this year.

"The Strongman Champions League train goes farther," Marcel Mostert told IronMind, "with its next stop on June 1 in Varsseveld, Holland."


The third stop of the 2008 Strongman Champions League is Varsseveld, Holland, with many of the top names in strongman ready to take part in the strongman series organized by Ilkka Kinnunen and Marcel Mostert. Art courtesy of Marcel Mostert.

"The third Strongman Champions League competition is again filled with a strong field of world champions, European and national champions," Mostert continued. "It all goes perfect and smooth. The athletes are very cooperative, the organizers are happy with their media input, and the sponsors are satisfied. What more can I say"

"On Sunday, June 1, we will shake Holland with truck pulling, Atlas stones, tire flips, yoke races, log lifting, loading, and Conan's wheel. I predict that we will have again a new world record, as we did in Latvia and Serbia this year as well," and if you are like IronMind, a Marcel Mostert prediction is taken very seriously: "It will be spectacular and our place will be filled with 6000 spectators," Mostert concluded.

Here's the field:

1) Jarno Hams - Holland
2) Evert Kreuze - Holland
3)� Levi Veoga - New Zealand
4) Andrus Murumets - Estonia
5)� Zydrunas Savickas - Lithuania
6) Jimmy Laureys - Belgium
7) Travis Ortmayer - USA
8) Jani Illikainen - Finland
9) Agris Kazelniks - Latvia
10) Etienne Smit - South Africa
11) Jeremy Hogg - Australia
12) Ervin Katona - Serbia
13) Boris Milosevic - Slovenia
14) Tom Jansen - Holland

"Who will take the victory, prize money, and the maximum 20 Champions League points in Holland" asked Marcel Mostert. "Come and watch the third episode of the Strongman Champions League!"

Odd Haugen left sunny Southern California to compete in Norway's Strongest Man contest this weekend, and this is how he called the action for IronMind.

"I had the pleasure of competing in Svend's contest this weekend," Odd said.� "It was filmed for broadcast on Norway's TV2, the most popular channel on Norwegian television.� Arild "Hulken" Haugen was back with a vengeance, and after a bit of a slow start (for him), he won four of the six events, and the title for the second time in a row."

"Arild was particularly impressive in the Last Man Standing Axle clean and press and in the stones: Arild loaded the large 180-kg stone that had never been loaded in a competition (Mariusz et al. failed to load it in last year's Viking Power Challenge)."

"Overall, Richard Skog kept it close, also performing in an impressive fashion, and he came in second.� I got third and the three of us will meet again at the WSM Super Series Viking Power Challenge."

The action was hot and heavy at this weekend's Costa Mesa Highland Games, and ace MILO Highland Games expert Francis Brebner filed this report for IronMind.


Sean Betz and Larry Brock: Big Battle at the Costa Mesa Highland Games by Francis Brebner

Attendees of the Costa Mesa Highland Games witnessed some incredible throwing over the weekend as Sean Betz, the current world champion, and Larry Brock were caught battling it out, with Betz winning four of the eight events and Brock winning three.

In the open 17-lb. stone, Betz was the only athlete to throw over fifty feet, with a putt of 52' - 3". In second place was Ryan Vierra with 48' - 3", and third was Harrison Bailey III, with 46' - 10".

In the 28-lb. weight for distance, Betz landed the winning throw of 85� - 6"; in second place was Vierra, with 82� - 10", and Brook was third, with 81' - 10".

In the 16-lb. hammer, Betz showed that he was in perfect form and set himself apart in this event, being the only athlete to go over 140', with a distance of 144� - 7". In second place, but well behind Betz, was Brock, with 135�. However in the 22-lb. hammer, it was Larry Brock who took the win with a worthy throw of 115'; Betz was second, with 111', and Vierra was third, with 109'.

The weight over the bar was a great competition to watch, with both Betz and Brock battling it out and holding a tie at 18' with the win going to Brock on a count back. Harrison Bailey was third, with 17'.

Going into the second day's competition, Betz won the 22-lb. Braemar standing stone putt, with a distance of 42'- 2 �", Vierra was second, with 38' - 2", and Brock was third, with 36' - 7 �".

Brock dominated the 56-lb. weight for distance; he hit every throw over 44' and made the winning throw of 44' - 7 �". In second was Vierra, with 42' - 1�", and third was Betz, with 41� even.

The next event was the challenge caber, which was 19-ft. long and weighed 120 lb. The athletes who turned this caber qualified and moved on to the U.S. Championship Caber. It was Brock who dominated the challenge caber event and thrilled the crowd with three perfect 12 o'clock tosses. With all athletes tossing the challenge caber, they all now moved on to the U.S. Championship Caber, which was slightly bigger at 19� - 4" and weighed 130 lb. - this was by no means an easy caber at all. It had not much of a taper, which made it more difficult to judge the timing of the toss. But it was Vierra with his last toss that sealed the deal and added yet another U.S. Caber Championship title to his list of records, with an 11:30 and a 12 o'clock toss to go ahead of Betz, who placed second, and Brock, who placed third.

In the final event, the sheaf toss, it was Harrison Bailey who thrilled the crowds, establishing a new field record with a toss of 33', smashing the old record by nearly 2'. The action didn't end there as Bailey asked for the bar to be raised to 36' and he attempted a new world record. Bailey just narrowly missed out on it, as the sheaf almost cleared the bar, sending the many thousands of spectators into a frenzy and ending the competition on a high note. Andrew Hobson was second and Larry Brock was third.

The final places were:

1. Sean Betz
2. Larry Brock
3. Ryan Vierra
4. Harrison Bailey III
5. Andrew Hobson�

IronMind has received the revised schedule for the upcoming Britain's Strongest Man contest, which will be held in Minehead June 7 - 12.

Here is the revised, official schedule, although please note that events and times are still subject to change:


This is the latest schedule for the 2008 Britain's Strongest Man contest, courtesy of TWI/IMG

Super Series Managing Director Jesper Albansson couldn't be happier: "Mark Felix and Oli Thompson are in!" he told IronMind, and what they are in is the Super Series strongman contest set for the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden on June 21.

"It is my pleasure to announce that both Mark Felix and Oli Thompson are in for the Super Series Madison Square Garden Grand Prix. They join an already amazing field of athletes," Albansson told IronMind, in what some people are predicting could be the biggest one-day show to hit strongman.

TWI/IMG Event Producer Debs Burles told IronMind today that preparations for the 2008 Britain's Strongest Man contest are "in the final stages . . . We are raring to go."

Returning to Minehead, June 7 - 12, the 2008 Britain's Strongest Man contest will feature three days of qualifying events followed by two days of finals. Once again, Britain's Strongest Man is enthusiastically supported by the West Somerset Council, which noted that "All of the events held on our land are free of charge and give a lot of pleasure to local people and tourists," so make plan your plans to attend in person if you are able.

For full details, including the TV broadcast schedule on Five, please check the official World's Strongest Man website: http://www.theworldsstrongestman.com/.

And while Britain's Strongest Man surely is a major strongman contest in its own right, it is also a major stepping stone to the World's Strongest Man contest.

While rumors continue to buzz around the strongman world, the reason why TWI/IMG cannot make an official announcement yet, explained Debs Burles, Event Producer for Britain's Strongest Man and World's Strongest Man, is because "no contract has been signed yet."

"It's quite frustrating," Ms. Burles said, but the hope is that everything will be buttoned down soon and such details as time and place can be formally announced.

And speaking of timing, Ms. Burles told IronMind that the likely dates for this year's World's Strongest Man contest, given the considerations currently on the table, are neither the traditional mid-to-late September date range, nor the early October dates that have been floating about. Instead, said Ms. Burles, the 2008 World's Strongest Man contest is likely to be at the end of August/the beginning of September.

"The contest this past weekend in Florida was a great success, with 21 top ASC athletes competing," ASC President Dione Wessels told IronMind, referring to the ASC strongman contest held in conjunction with the Minneola Splash Bash.

"Highlights from the show," reported Wessels, "were athletes such as Jason Bergman, Marshall White, and Henry Cervenka pulling over 800 pounds on the deadlift; and Tom McClure carrying each implement with ease, as though he were carrying a small toddler."

Tom McClure won, followed by Brad Dunn, in second, Jason Bergman, in third, and Marshall White, in fourth place.

"In the 105-kg division, new pro athlete Justin Blake (who had earned his pro card at the 2007 NAS Nationals) won," said Wessels, "with Glen Kaifus in second, Luke Bergman in third and Jared Spybrooke in fourth."

Under the leadership of 2006 World's Strongest Man Phil Pfister, a renewed call for drug testing in strongman has been issued, and while Pfister's drug-tested America's Strongest Man contest had to be postponed this year, to make way for "an even bigger, yet to be named competition," Pfister continues to push for the advancement of strongman, and the introduction of drug testing remains a fundamental goal.


Taking a walk on the wild side, Phil Pfister warms up for the Car Walk at the 2006 World's Strongest Man contest. Destiny was calling and Pfister was reaching for the phone - a few hours later, he would be the first American since the mighty Bill Kazmaier to win the biggest competition in strongman, the World's Strongest Man contest. Randall J. Strossen photo.

"America's Strongest Productions, LLC/America's Strongest Man continues to hold the door open to the American Strongman Corporation (ASC)," Pfister told IronMind. "With the increased lead time for the 2009 America's Strongest Man contest, I hope that gives ASC the necessary opportunity to further unify strongman."

Pfister said that he would "like to see America's Strongest Man evolve to the point where it has WADA-level drug testing, good prize money for the competitors, and ESPN TV coverage, and that it leads up to invitations to the premier strongman contest, World's Strongest Man."

"Additionally," Pfister told IronMind, "we are encouraged that WSM Super Series as well as the Arnold Strongman Championships are also looking toward drug testing." Representatives of both these groups "have expressed a common interest in moving in this direction and they view drug testing as critical to progress in the sport," Pfister said.

"Also, in the interest of fairness and establishing a level playing field, health, safety and athlete longevity, drug testing is the way to go," Pfister said. "Strongman does not need the stigma of tragedy and cheating associated with drug use."

Crystal Bay, Nevada - It was the first leg of armwrestling's Triple Crown, and the action was as intense as you could hope for in what is arguably the most universal test of strength.


"You're dinner!" Mike Selearis (right) might have roared as he tore into Bryan Johnson (left) at the USAA National Pro Am Armwrestling Championships at the Tahoe Biltmore in Crystal Bay, Nevada last night. "They will be scared to arm wrestle you after this," Randall Strossen said to Mike Selearis when he showed Selearis this image right after the shot was taken. Selearis went on to win the pro left 177 - 198 pound class and place second in the pro right 177 - 198 pound class. Randall J. Strossen photo.

Here are the results:

Men's Pro Left
0 - 143: Rick Soliwada, Lenny Lockert, Shawn Kirkpatrick
155 - 176: Ron Klemba, Todd Miller, Robertas Prozivalskis
177 - 198: Mike Selearis, Bryan Johnson, Eric Peterson
199 - 242: Tom Nelson, Jarrod Levulett, Mike Bowling

Ladies' Open Left: Brandy Stark, Billie Jo Winfield, Gerri McGraw

Ladies' Pro Right
0 - 143: Tamara Mitts, Gerri McGraw, Jennifer Waters
Ladies' Pro Right
144+: Lisa Wolfley, Brandy Stark, Kelli Nelson

Men's Pro Right
0 - 143: Rick Soliwada, Brad Spire, Benjie Dwyer
144 - 154: Luke Kindt, Rick Soliwada, Shawn Kirkpatrick
155 - 176: Herman McCoy, Robertas Prozivalskis, Brandon Dye
177 - 198: Brent Rakers, Michael Selearis, Bryan Johnson
199 - 242: Tom Nelson, Jarrod Levulett, Mike Bowling
243+: Tim Bresnan, Tom Nelson, Eric Woelfel

Left-Hand Overall Champion: Eric Woelfel
Right-Hand Overall Champion: Tim Bresnan
Ladies' Right-Hand Overall Champion: Lisa Wolfley

Special thanks to USAA Executive Director Denise Wattles for compiling these results for IronMind!

Melanie Roach, Carissa Gump, Natalie Woolfolk, and Cheryl Haworth made the U.S. women's weightlifting team for the 2008 Olympics, and the U.S. men's weightlifting team for the 2008 Olympics comprises Kendrick Farris, Chad Vaughn and Casey Burgener. Ace MILO weightlifting reporter Jim Schmitz filed this report for IronMind:

They Are Olympians! - by Jim Schmitz

The men's final session was as action-packed and as exciting as any weightlifting fan could ask for. Kendrick Farris (85-kg class) maintained his number one status by setting an American record in the C&J with �a very strong and solid 201, after successfully doing 195 and 199, �along with his 154 snatch, for a 355 total. �Chad Vaughn (77-kg class) had one his best, if not a lifetime best, days, doing solid snatches with 143 and 146, along with very good C&J's of 183 and 187, for a 333 kg total for the number two slot.

Then the excitement was raised to another level: Jeff Wittmer and Norik Vardanian were fighting for the third spot on the U.S. Team. �Norik bombed with two misses at 153 and then missed 157 in the snatch. �Wittmer only made one snatch, 154, so he needed a 204 C&J to move into the third team slot. �He cleaned the personal record 204 twice, but couldn't hold the jerk overhead and was out of the ranking. �Now there was one lifter left who had a chance at the number three slot being occupied by 77-kg Lance Frye with a 325 total: super heavyweight Casey Burgener.

Casey snatched 174 and 180 before missing 183. �After all the other lifters had finished, Casey knew what he had to do to make the 2008 United States Olympic Team. �He needed a 224 C&J to achieve his goal, a weight he had never lifted before. �He decided there was no reason to lift anything less and opened up with a weight he had never touched before, 224! �On his first attempt he just missed racking it, but on his second attempt, he racked it, struggled to stand, then did a no-doubt-about-it jerk--and he is on the 2008 US Olympic Team! �It was an absolutely fantastic finish to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

Not to slight the women, who had lifted earlier in the day, Melanie Roach in the 53-kg class had a great day, making 5 attempts, 77, 79, 81, 104, and 109 for 190 and the number one spot on the team. Natalie Wolfolk and Carria Gordan maintained their second and third rankings to make the team. �Cheryl Haworth, who is battling injuries, did 114 and 139 for 253 to qualify for her third Olympic Team, which is quite an accomplishment.

So, now it's on to Beijing!

If you're in the Atlanta area, or can go there today or tomorrow, swing by the Ferst Center for the Arts, on the Georgia Tech campus, and watch the top weightlifters in America battle it out for places on the 2008 Olympic team.


Tara Nott (USA) won the gold medal in the women's 48-kg category at the 2000 Olympics - it was the first time women's weightlifting was on the Olympic program, and Tara won the opening class. Tara Nott's Olympic gold medal in weightlifting is the most recent by an American. Who will be next? Randall J. Strossen photo.

While it most obviously requires tremendous strength and power, the Olympic sport of weightlifting also involves a unique combination of athletic skills as such factors as balance and flexibility figure prominently in the equation. And while the general public, in the USA at least, is underexposed to the sport of weightlifting, seeing it just once can be enough to get people hooked - here is a special opportunity to see America's top weightlifters battle it out for slots in the most coveted of all athletic events, the Olympics.

The action has already begun at the Ferst Center for the Arts, on the Georgia Tech campus, and it continues until 3:00 p.m., and then will resume from 5:30 - 9:30 p.m. tonight. Tomorrow things pick up again, from noon to 4:00 p.m., as the top-ranked men and women give it their all to make their Olympic dream become a reality.

Sandbag training can do wonders for your grip, and this month's Grip Tip by John Brookfield gives you a new way to work each finger in a claw grip position, as well as hit your wrists and forearms.

Follow the link to John Brookfield's Grip Tip from the Training Articles button at the top of the IronMind homepage or click here.

Saying the "world strength community is united," Fortissimus Organizing Committee Chairman Paul Ohl told IronMind: "FORTISSIMUS 2008 announces that it has reached an agreement with the Strongman Champions League, the American Strongman Corporation, and the Aussiepower organization."

Ohl's statement continued, "The agreement is a huge step towards the future of strongman sport as it will ensure a new trend�in cooperation and promotion of strength athletics. Such an agreement should be beneficial to the new generation of strength athletes. Within that agreement, FORTISSIMUS guarantees that the winner of the America's Strongest Man title will be�granted�a slot in FORTISSIMUS 2009 and on. It also guarantees that the winner of the Australia's Strongest Man title will�be invited to FORTISSIMUS 2009. The agreement with the Strongman Champions League further states that the top 3 athletes of Strongman Champions League will�have a guaranteed slot in FORTISSIMUS 2009 whereas top Canadian athletes are guaranteed selected participation in�the Champions League. Heads of these strongman organizations - Dione Wessels (ASC), Bill Lyndon (Aussiepower), and Marcel Mostert (SCL) - agree to say that the time has come to join forces�in order to take strongman sport to another level."

Mark your calendars for May 25, when Dave Corbin and Rob Earwicker are hosting the NorCal Open at the FIT Barbell Club in Los Altos, California.


FIT Barbell Club's Kate Corbin, 2007 School Age champion and runner-up at the 2008 Junior Nationals, will one of the lifters you'll see at the upcoming NorCal Open. Photo courtesy of Rob Earwicker.

Northern California is home to the powerhouse Pacific Weightlifting Association, which has placed 17 different weightlifters on various Olympic teams, not to mention producing two Olympic weightlifting team coaches, so even when you go to a local meet in northern California, you are surrounded by some very impressive credentials.

"We will be webcasting the event live and hope to promote the sport of Olympic weightlifting, as well as run a great meet," Rob Earwicker told IronMind.

For full details, please check here: NorCal Open.

Incidentally, the team of Dave Corbin and Rob Earwicker will also be hosting the 2009 Junior Nationals, so start to plan ahead for that contest, too.

Sure, the second leg of thoroughbred racing's Triple Crown is on Saturday, but across the country, in a very different setting, arm wrestling cognoscenti will be focused on the first stage of their Triple Crown, which promises to be a doozie.


Leonard Harkless (left) keeps an eye on things while Tim Bresnan (right) fine tunes the strap when he and Rich Lupkes (center) got ready to rumble in the jungle at the 2008 Arnold. Watch for a potential rematch and other outstanding bouts this weekend at the Tahoe Biltmore, when some of the world's top arm wrestlers hit the shores of Lake Tahoe. Randall J. Strossen photo.

Instead of being the "sport of kings," this is a sport with barroom origins and its champions might not get the seven- or eight-figure contracts of the elite in major sports, but make no mistake about it, these people are very good at what they do and when they square off at the table, eyeball-to-eyeball, it's hand-to-hand combat in the most iconic of all tests of strength.

Like Depression-era gangsters packing heat in a violin case, some of the best competitors in arm wrestling look as if they should be doing something similar with their competition arm - sometimes so much larger than their other arm that it looks as if it could belong to a different body. And these aren't arms that are merely big for the looks of it - these are the tools of destruction used to mow down opponents in the one strength sport - arm wrestling - that virtually everyone has tried at some time . . . even your grandmother has probably had a match or two in her life.

This weekend, at the Tahoe Biltmore Lodge & Casino (Crystal Bay, Nevada), watch for such big names as John Brzenk, Rich Lupkes, Tim Bresnan, and Allen Fisher - and if John, Rich and Tim all show up, this will be a battle royal that replays the Arnold and brings back memories of the original John Brzenk - Rich Lupkes epic battle in Petaluma, California over 15 years ago.

For full details on this contest, officially called the 2008 USAA National Pro-Am Armwrestling Championship, please check the USAA site: Triple Crown.

They started with three slots for the 2008 Olympics, where the strict quota for weightlifting means that each nation's allotment depends on its performance at designated meets, such as the 2007 World Weightlifting Championships (Chiang Mai, Thailand).


Casey Burgener snatched this 180 kg at the Olympic Test Event in Beijing earlier this year. This weekend, Casey Burgener is going to be a crowd favorite as he fights for the place on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Weightlifting Team that a lot of people feel he has already earned. Go, Casey! Randall J. Strossen photo.

Thanks to the great last-minute performances of the USA Weightlifting men's team in Thailand, the U.S. earned three slots for Beijing, but when another country's drug positives changed the overall standings, the U.S. was left with no allotted lifters for its men, a situation that did not sit comfortably with many - the U.S. team had no positives, yet it was being penalized because another country did.

Fighting back, USA Weightlifting won two slots at the Pan American Championships earlier this year and today, the team was given the third slot.

"Dr. Tamas Ajan, president of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), and Dragomir Cioroslan, U.S. Olympic Committee member and IWF Vice President, deserve all the credit on this," Dennis Snethen, USA Weightlifting Executive Director, told IronMind. Clearly being modest since he, personally, has worked relentlessly to get the slots restored to the United States' men's weightlifting team, Dennis Snethen allowed that, "Even if I did nothing else while sitting in this chair, I am proud of this."

The U.S. Olympic Weightlifting Team Trials are this Friday and Saturday in Georgia Tech's Ferst Theater (Atlanta, Georgia) and with three slots for the men's team, the action will only intensify. "Someone's life will change because of this, by being on that Olympic team." Snethen told IronMind. "This is a happy, happy day."

And it's fair to say that these Trials could hardly have been scripted for greater drama as the man who was key to the USA men's team having amassed so many points in the first place, Casey Burgener, is currently ranked outside the top three, a situation that makes some people quick to cry injustice, according to Snethen.

"It's so unfair . . . the sky has fallen . . . ,' they say, but I don't see it that way at all," Snethen said. "Casey's sitting in the catbird seat: he goes last and knows exactly what he needs to make the team; everybody else is shooting in the dark." And as for the lifts that Casey Burgener needs, Dennis Snethen sees them as completely achievable.

"I have never lost faith in Casey - he can make the lifts he needs: I have seen him make the lifts. If he's on [at the Trials], he's on [the U.S. Olympic Team]. If he makes two snatches, I know he can do it. Casey is in top shape right now."

Following his last-minute plea for a spot in the Fortissimus lineup, top international strongman competitor Vasyl Virastyuk has missed the deadline for confirming his participation and has been eliminated from the roster, IronMind® has been told.

The Fortissimus Organizing Committee has chosen its replacement and also told IronMind that this "world-class competitor" is a European strongman, but his name will not be released until final details have been completed, so stay tuned for more details on this.

Also of great interest in terms of this year's major strongman competition, the Fortissimus Organizing Committee has issued a statement to clear the confusion regarding ticket sales:

"At its meeting on Saturday, May 10,�FORTISSIMUS 2008 has decided to reserve a package of 350 tickets for foreign customers (USA, other Canadian provinces and overseas all included). Such a reservation is guaranteed from�May 15 to June 6. �For details, log in to www.forticyr.com/tickets�and for additional information call +1 418 469 2802, extension�#6."

He's already won the Arnold Strongman contest this year, as well as the inaugural Strongman Champions League contest, and this weekend Zydrunas Savickas chalked up a win in the second Strongman Champions League competition, in Serbia, extending his string of 2008 strongman victories.


Here's the podium at the Strongman Champions League contest in Serbia (left to right): Ervin Katona (second), Zydrunas Savickas (first), Andrus Murumets (third). Photo courtesy of Marcel Mostert.

But don't think this was a slam dunk for the big man from Lithuania. Contest organizer Marcel Mostert told IronMind that Zydrunas Savickas, "really had to go to the bottom of his power, as he said after the deadlift, to secure his overall win. He had to win in the deadlift."

"Because of a bad start in the first event, arm over arm car pull, where Zydrunas got eighth place, he lost valuable points against the winner of this event, Andrus Murumets, and the Serbian hero and second place finisher in this event, Ervin Katona."

Next up was the Viking Press and "even with a new world record on the Viking Press (with an impressive 20 reps with 140 kg), Zydrunas still had to fight the whole competition as Ervin Katona was leading until the second to last event."

"Both men had 44 points starting the deadlift. Ervin Katona and Vladimir Kalinchenko (the new Russian strongman, who replaced Misha Kokylaev, who had a bad flu) both did an impressive 12 reps at 320 kg deadlift, using a normal bar from the ground. Zydrunas never had to push himself so hard, he said, to get the last 13th rep just in time to win the deadlift, and to take the lead overall. He was almost falling down after finishing the deadlift."

"With a second place just behind Andrus Murumets on the last event, a medley, Zydrunas secured his overall win, with Ervin Katona getting a great second place and Andrus Murumets finishing in third place."

"It was a great event in total with 5000 spectators on a sunny 25 degree [Celsius/ 77 degrees Fahrenheit] day in Serbia."

"I am very happy with the event and we will have a spectacular broadcasting from this in four weeks on Eurosport," Marcel Mostert said.

TOTAL FINAL STANDINGS

1. ZYDRUNAS SAVICKAS (LITHUANIA) �69 points
2. ERVIN KATONA (SERBIA) 65.5 points
3. ANDRUS MURUMETS (ESTONIA)��63.5 points
4. AGRIS KAZELNIKS (LATVIA) 57.5 points
5. STEFAN SOLVI PETURRSSON (ICELAND) 48.5 points
6. ZDENEK SEDMIK (CZECH)��41 points
7. ESA QVINTUS (FINLAND)��37.5 points
8. VLADIMIR KALINCHENKO (RUSSIA) 34 points
9. IGOR WERNER (GERMANY) �30.5 points
10. RADOJCA MARINKOVIC (SERBIA) �30.5 points
11. BERND KIRSCHBAUMER (AUSTRIA) 29.5 points
12. IGOR MIZTROVIC (SERBIA) 22.5 points
13. JARNO HAMS (HOLLAND) injured

Held yesterday "in the center of Riga (at the central train station ), a lot of people supported this great strongmen show!" Vlad Redkin reported to IronMind, clearly happy with a very successful World Strongman Federation (WSF) contest.


Janne Virtanen (front) and Tarmo Mitt (rear) won yesterday's World Strongman Federation (WSF) Strongman team contest in Riga, Latvia. Photo courtesy of Vlad Redkin.

"Janne was great with Tarmo, but the young Latvian team also showed good results and power," Vlad told IronMind. Here are the final scores:

1. Janne Virtanen/Tarmo Mitt - 26 points
2. Rolands Gulbis/Artis Plivda � 25 points
3. Krzysztof Schabowski/Krzystof Radzikowski � 17 points
4. Vilius Petrauskas/Antanas Abrutis � 15 points
5. Rene Minkwitz/Boris Haraldsson � 7 points

Started earlier this year, the World Strongman Federation is a continuation of Vlad Redkin's efforts in the strongman world. "Step by step we will win," Vlad told IronMind, adding, "WSF is an absolutely public organization."

American Strongman Corporation (ASC) is having "its final qualifier [for the ASC U.S. Nationals] in Minneola, Florida at the �Splash Bash for the Troops,'" ASC president Dione Wessels told IronMind.


Strongman, along with such things as "waterslides, face painting, a rock climbing wall and much more" will be part of the "Splash Bash for the Troops" on May 17 in Minneola, Florida, ASC president Dione Wessels told IronMind. Artwork courtesy of the Lake County Tourism Department.

"This event is taking place during the National Armed forces weekend on May 17, 2008. The purpose of the entire event is to say thank you to those in the Armed Forces who have selflessly sacrificed everything," Wessels said, and strongman is one of the activities planned for the event.

"The ASC athletes will compete head to head in six events over the course of the afternoon. The line-up will consist of over 25 athletes, which include David Ostlund, Jason Bergmann, Tom McClure, and many more!" said Wessels. For more details, please visit the ASC website: www.americanstrongman.com.

Never mind who can't - weightlifters can, and this month's "Schmitz on the Lifts" talks about weightlifters and jumping.


The caption for the cover of MILO Vol. 5, No. 1 reads: "Marc Huster (GER) celebrates his 213.5-kg world record clean and jerk in the 83-kg category at the 1996 Olympic Games (Atlanta). We once asked high-spirited Marc if he ever considered a second career as a high jumper. He said, "Maybe a kangaroo." Randall J. Strossen, who took this photo, dubbed it "Flying Huster."

Whether you are a competitive weightlifter or maybe someone who just likes the benefits of doing snatches and cleans and jerks, "Schmitz on the Lifts" should be a regular part of your reading. Go to the Training Articles button at the top of the IronMind home page and select "Schmitz on the Lifts" for the latest article, or follow this link.

"Norway's Strongest Man is soon around the corner," Lene Karlsen, of MILO-strongman-author fame, told IronMind.


Norway's Strongest Man will be packed with Nordic might and muscle, and Viking himself will be on a microphone . . . Elvis requests anyone? Artwork courtesy of Lene Karlsen; Randall J. Strossen photo.

If you think strongman is only for guys in their 20s, consider the age range in this field: the youngest is 17 and the oldest is 59, and there is something like a 50-kg spread in bodyweights, too. Norway's Strongest Man will be held on May 24, in Gol in Hallingdal, and besides being a big contest in its own right, Norway's Strongest Man is a qualifier for the Super Series Viking Power Challenge on July 5 at the Storefjell Hotel. How big is Norway's Strongest Man? Svend Karlsen told IronMind today that the winner has been guaranteed an invitation to this year's World's Strongest Man contest.

Besides the twelve competitors - who include Richard Skog, Arild Haugen, and Odd Haugen - watch for Jarek Dymek as the referee, and "Svend �Viking' Karlsen will do the live commentary together with Truls Nebell for TV2," said Lene Karlsen.

For full details, please check: http://www.viking-power.no/

Continuing to show that Finland occupies a special place in the strength world, not one, but two more top Finnish grip guys - Tomi Kujala and Juha Harju - have just been certified on the Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper, the universal benchmark of a world-class grip.

Both of these men deserve a big round of applause and IronMind would like to be the first to congratulate them on this tremendous success. IronMind would also like to say that these two certifications had the strong support of the Finnish grip community, as Kimmo Kokko was the judge, Teemu Pohjola (CoC3 '07) assisted, and Matti Heiskanen was the liaison extraordinaire - many thanks to each of you for your assistance.

And for Tomi Kujala and Juha Harju, it's official: you've been certified on the Captains of Crush No. 3 Gripper and your names have been added to the official Captains of Crush No. 3 Certification list, a distinction you carry forevermore. Congratulations!

Jyrki Rantanen has just confirmed that 2000 World's Strongest Man winner Janne Virtanen will be teaming up with Tarmo Mitt at this weekend's World Strongman Federation competition in Riga, Lativa.


Janne Virtanen tunes up his grip for this weekend's World Strongman Federation competition. That's a 205-kg power stairs weight. Jyrki Rantanen photo.

World's Strongest Man winner in 2000? Sure, Janne is a mere youth compared to 59-year-old Odd Haugen, who's still competitive, but what about the whispers that he's too old or too frequently injured? For some answers, we asked Jyrki Rantanen, who trains with Janne.

"Despite the rumors that Janne Virtanen is always injured, he's starting his 2008 season earlier than it was planned: Tarmo Mitt called Janne to compete as his partner in Riga this weekend at Vlad Redkin's WSF competition. Three days' warning time is enough in the middle of heavy training season," said Jyrki, with a smile. "Of course, Janne helps his friend."

"Janne's training is going great," continued Jyrki. "He just started events for this year with the following warm-up day":

Farmer's walk: 175 kg (per hand) for distance with a turn
Yoke: 350 kg with turns
Log Lift: 150 kg for reps

"Janne is aiming to do a 2 x 200-kg farmer's walk for 30-40 meters this summer," added Jyrki.

"His season continues in Moscow, 14-15 June, and in Norway, 5 July. Janne is also looking for some other top competitions during the year, and of course he hopes that he's invited to the World's Strongest Man, and he's also considering the invitation which he got from the Strongman Champions League."

From the sound of this, IronMind would have to say that if Janne Virtanen isn't alive and well, he must be doing a pretty good job of faking it.

Marcel Mostert told IronMind that May 10 will see the second Strongman Champions League competition, set for Sobotica, Serbia.


With Marcel Mostert (center) calmly tabulating the scores, Travis Ortmayer seems to be saying of the stones, "First I load them . . . and then I eat them!" Watch the broadcast of the Strongman Champions League contest in Latvia and find out. Photo courtesy of Marcel Mostert.

"Again, a great competition with heavy events and top athletes, where only the strongest will survive," said Mostert. Here's the lineup of competitors: Zydrunas Savickas (Lithuania), Misha Koklyaev (Russia), Igor Werner (Germany), Esa Quintus (Finland), Ervin Katona (Serbia), Andrus Murumets (Estonia), Agris Kazelniks (Latvia), Stefan Solvi Petursson (Iceland), Jarno Hams (Holland), Zdenek Sedmik (Czech), and Bernd Kirshbaumer (Austria), and one additional competitor from Serbia has yet to be named.

Mostert also provided the official list of events:

1. Bus Pull (arm-over-arm): 25 meters
2. Viking Press: 140 kg for reps
3. Yoke: 410 kg
4. Deadlift: 340 kg for reps
5. Atlas Stones: 175/210 kg for reps
6. Medley: tire flip (400 kg) and farmer's walk (150 kg)

Marcel Mostert and Ilkka Kinnunen will referee, and the total prize money is US$15,000.

Also up from the Strongman Champions League is the Eurosport broadcast of its first contest, held in Latvia, on May 16 at 20:30. "Everybody can see this fantastic show, with the new world record in the Yoke Race," Mostert told IronMind.

"Our first thoughts are for Mariusz Pudzianowski," said Paul Ohl, speaking for the Fortissimus Organizing Committee in the wake of the top strongman's announcement that he is going in for surgery and will have to miss a number of contests as a result.

Ohl statement continued, "Given his attitude as a competitor and his love for strongman competition, we know how hard it is for him to miss FORTISSIMUS, and, for that matter, all other international contests. As for FORTISSIMUS 2008, we feel deeply for the champion he is, but first and foremost for the human being. As the well-being of the athlete, of any athlete, should be, and certainly is in our case, our main concern.

Mariusz Pudzianowski was the first strength athlete to confirm officially his participation to FORTISSIMUS 2008. The support he gave us along with the members of TEAM PUDZIANOWSKI was immensely appreciated by our entire organization.

Out of respect for Mariusz Pudzianowski, FORTISSIMUS 2008 has decided to leave Mariusz' competitor's spot vacant and thus seek no substitute."

Mariusz Pudzianowski is going in for surgery "at the end of May or beginning of June," and given the required rehabilitation time, he will be forced out of some major competitions.


Mariusz Pudzianowski has won four World's Strongest Man titles, and this year he would like to add a record fifth title to his considerable collection. Hjalti Arnason photo.

"I resign from participation in many international competitions and shows with regret, and I pay my respect to the organizers of these events," read the official statement. "I hope you will show an understanding of my choice and you will respect my decision."

Looking at a two-month rehabilitation program, Mariusz is scheduling the operation as soon as possible: "I also want to finish my rehabilitation in time to be able to take part in the most important competition for me, which is the World's Strongest Man competition!"

Mariusz had high praise for the Super Series contest at Madison Square Garden, telling IronMind, "Madison Square Garden will be one of the most difficult contests in the U.S. . . . I think competition will be tough there!" Still, in terms of his priorities, there was little choice for Mariusz, who told IronMind, "I have a chance and I want to win the fifth World's Strongest Man title. I'll be working hard for this to happen; I know it will be very difficult, but it's my only goal this year!"

Despite his plans to go under the knife, you can still count on seeing Mariusz Pudzianowski as part of the Super Series Madison Square Garden Grand Prix because he "will come to New York for three days of promotion and as an honorary guest at the event in the WaMu Theater at MSG on June 21," Super Series Managing Director Jesper Albansson told IronMind. "Obviously we are sad that Mariusz is not competing, but we are happy that he takes responsibility for his own well-being. We have invited Mariusz to New York and the event in the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden so that the fans will be able to meet and greet him. We have a few exciting things lined up for him there."

More details are expected to follow.

It was a big day for the U.S. at the Highland Games World Championships, as Americans filled the podium: Sean Betz won, followed by Larry Brock and Ryan Vierra.


USA, USA, USA: Larry Brock (left), Sean Betz (center) and Ryan Vierra (right) fill the podium at the Highland Game World Championships. Photo courtesy of Francis Brebner.

Here is the report filed by Francis Brebner:

Clean Sweep for America

America took top honors at this year's World Highland Games Championships (which were held in Bridgeport, Virginia), as Sean Betz triumphed over the five-time world champion Ryan Vierra - who was gunning for his sixth title, which would have put him in the history books with the most wins.

Overall, it was a great competition with fantastic distances thrown in all events.

Betz won three of the eight events: the weight over the bar, 16-pound hammer and 56-pound weight for distance. Larry Brock won two events, the 22-pound hammer and the caber. Ryan Vierra won the 28-pound weight for distance, Scott Rider dominated the 17-pound open stone, and Kyrylo Chuprynin won the Braemer stone putt.

Points were, overall, Betz in first place with 19 points; Larry Brock in second, with 24 points; and Ryan Vierra in third, with 26 points.

Asking Betz how he felt after winning the World Championships, he said, "I feel great. I knew I had to place in the top three in every event, which I did. It just came all together for me . . . I am so happy."

Gigi Marunde highlighted the Jesse Marunde Memorial Invitational Strongman Contest with this special report for IronMind:

"The�annual Sequim�Strongman Contest�took place as part of the local Irrigation Festival as it has for the past four years, but�was renamed the Jesse Marunde Invitational Strongman Contest.�

It goes without saying how deeply Jesse was missed.��We were honored and comforted by the presence of�some of the greatest strongman competitors of all time.��Phil Pfister, Magnus Samuelsson, Karl Gillingham, Dave Ostlund,�and Odd Haugen joined west coast pros Grant Higa, Matt Parkes, Corey St. Clair, and Marshall White, as well as one amateur competitor from Sequim, Breck Gault, who was Jesse's training partner.��Sarge Allen organized the contest along with Callie Marunde, who emceed with Kevin Nee.� Instead of a moment of silence, Callie told the crowd of 1000, '...silence was not Jesse's style.� Please join me in a round of applause.'� Everyone rose in a standing ovation.� The youth pastor from Jesse's church, who was a personal friend of his,�offered a prayer of blessing over the event and for our family, a prayer�that was answered when the small city of Sequim was rocked by what many said was an exhibition of a lifetime, an experience they will never forget.

Phil Pfister brought the crowd to a roar when he pressed the 314-lb. axle and then the 342-lb. 'Man Log' for a new Sequim contest record. Phil was also the lone competitor to hoist Jesse's 464-lb. stone, but it wasn't enough to beat Marshall White for first place overall. �Magnus came in third and Karl fourth."

Phil Pfister told IronMind that it's official: the 2008 America's Strongest Man contest has been postponed.


After winning the Truck Pull, Phil Pfister knew that he was on a roll and headed toward winning the 2006 World's Strongest Man title. Randall J. Strossen photo.

"Both the mayor of Charleston and the governor of West Virginia, who were major sponsors of America's Strongest Man, have decided to postpone that contest until 2009 in order to concentrate on an even larger, more prestigious contest this fall," Pfister told IronMind. "There simply were not the resources to do both contests this year."

All America's Strongest Man competitors have been notified, Pfister said, and their entry fees are being returned.

"On the 10th of May, I will organize the next stage of WSF World Cup, for European strongman teams," Vlad Redkin told IronMind.


Vlad Redkin's WSF World Cup is set for a contest in Riga, Latvia on May 10. Artwork courtesy of Vlad Redkin.

Here are the teams that will be competing:

Vikings: Rene Minkwitz and Boris Haraldsson
Baltics: Tarmo Mitt and Antanas Abrutis
Poland: Krzysztof Schabowski and Krzysztof Radzikowski
Belarus: Sergej Rjumin and Alex Lapirov
Russia: Slava Maksjuta and Renat Tugushev
Latvia: Artis Plivda and Rolands Gulbis

These are the events:

1. Truck Pull (7.5 tons) + Stones (three stones, 160 - 180 kg)
2. Viking Press (in pairs)
3. Yoke (380 kg) + Farmer's Walk (140 kg - 20 meters)
4. Duck Walk (200 kg, 15 meters) + Tires Flip (five reps)
5. Hercules Hold (two cars, in pairs)
6. Farmer's Walk (four girls, in pairs)

Randall Strossen said that he was honored to have IronMind and Captains of Crush grippers featured today in a Sacramento Bee story written by Blair Robertson, with a photo by Randall Benton.

"Blair called, saying that he'd bought one of our grippers, loved it, and then noticed on the package that IronMind is a local business, and said he would like to do a story on us," Strossen explained. "It turned out that Blair is an avid cyclist and golfer, so his affinity for grip strength was a natural, and the moment I talked to him, it was apparent that Blair was hooked on Captains of Crush grippers."

Here's a link to the story:

http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/907261.html

Many thanks to The Sacramento Bee, Blair Robertson and Randall Benton.

Bill Lyndon has announced his Australian strongman grand prix, "The Australian Hercules," which is set for May 25.


Bill Lyndon's Australian Hercules is a strongman grand prix that Lyndon said will send top competitors to international events. Courtesy of Bill Lyndon.

Lyndon said that he has "20 athletes participating and all are big strongmen and ready for action. The top places will be placed in international events." The athletes are Derek Boyer, Warrick Brant, Ben Maddern, Ebin Le Reux, Robbie Fernandez, Luke Reynolds, Parmesh Silwal, Marc Wells and Aaron Monks

"We will also run an intermediate class of another 10 athletes," Lyndon said."

Here are the events:

Arm-over-Arm Pull: 9000-kg truck
Super Yoke:�385 kg
Log Lift: 130 kg for reps
Farmer's Walk: 150 kg/50 meters
Deadlift: maximum lift, three attempts, bar at 450 mm
Stones: up to 180 kg

Bill Lyndon also made special mention of Aaron Neighbour, a discus thrower who "broke the Australian record with the Valhalla Stone, which is 165 kg, with a carry of 119.2 meters. He stands at 198 cm and weighs 135 kg, and is a great prospect for the future."


Aaron Neighbour, a discus thrower who broke the Austrialian record in the Valhalla Stone, is said by Bill Lyndon to have a great future in strongman. Courtesy of Bill Lyndon.

Kanazawa, Japan - IronMind credits Andrei Chemerkin (Russia) for first suggesting that the Chinese Weightlifting Association might be uncorking a big surprise in Beijing . . . really big, as in the +105 kg Olympic gold medalist.


Rashid Sarifi Sadeh (Iran) hits the bottom with 230 kg on his second clean and jerk. Randall J. Strossen photo.

Chemerkin mentioned this possibility to IronMind's Randall Strossen way before other people were thinking along these lines and if this prediction comes to pass, the mystery man will be a secret a little longer because he wasn't lifting at the Asian Weightlifting Championships today . . . nor were any of the likely medalists from the big boy classes.

IronMind was told that Bulgaria's Yanne Marchochov has retired as a lifter and is now the coach for the Qatar weightlifting team, where he will have the opportunity to markedly improve performances: Aldosari Saeed (Qatar) posted 80/105 in the 105-kg class today, which was won by Mohammed Alaifuri (Iraq) with 165/195.

The supers were contested at a higher level, with Rashid Sharifi Sadeh taking top honors via 190/236.

Unimpressed by these numbers? Just be patient, because come August, expect to see much bigger winning lifts and the hands on the bar might well belong to a member of the Asian Weightlifting Federation.

And as for the mysterious lifter from the East, we could tell you a little more about what's brewing for Beijing in the supers, but you don't want IronMind to ruin the surprise do you?

Stay tuned.