IronMind checked in with Ingrid Marcum, to see if she was headed off to Lake Placid with the other 2010 Winter Olympic hopefuls - earlier this year, Marcum lifted in the IronMind Invitational at the Arnold, went on to win at USA Weightlifting National Championships, and then worked with John Brookfield as they developed new Battling Ropes training material.

“I will indeed be leaving for the US World Team Trials this Thursday,” Marcum said.  “We will be in Lake Placid until the 16th, after which we will travel to Park City.  There will be 2 races on each track before the US National team is named in late October.  Overall, the US brakemen are very strong and very fast this season, so competition is fierce!”

“Things went well in Calgary for me - I ran a personal best in the 30-meter sprint test of 3.93 seconds.  I also pushed well, placing 4th in the Push Championships - just .03 seconds out of third with times consisting of the total our top two pushes.  I did well enough to keep myself in the mix.  The drivers choose their push athletes for the Team Trials races, so right now it's just a waiting game.  The World Cup season begins at the end of October, the US team consisting of 3 drivers and 6 brakemen.”

“Looking forward to the competitive season, though we still have a long road ahead.”

2006 World’s Strongest Man Phil Pfister reportedly posted the fastest time on the Atlas Stones, and is on his way to the finals.

So are 5-time World’s Strongest Man winner Mariusz Pudzianowski, not to mention Zydrunas Savickas, Brian Shaw, Laurence Shahlaei, Travis Ortmayer, Derek Poundstone, Louis-Philippe Jean, Terry Hollands and Dave Ostlund.

Much has been said of Brian Shaw’s very strong showing and the relentless power of Zydrunas Savickas, but today added more exclamation points as Pfister capped off his qualifiers with yet another win (netting victories in five of the six events) in the group where Mariusz Pudzianowski was shut out.  Derek Poundstone came in as a big favorite for top honors, but he wasn’t able to load the final stone today - adding another dimension to pre-contest bets.  And Travis Ortmayer, all but written off as dead and buried, well, his obituary was a little premature.

It’s onward and upward now, so stay tuned for the finals of the 2009 World’s Strongest Man contest: Continue to follow the highlights each day on the official World’s Strongest Man website as well as on the IronMind News and the IronMind Twitter account.

With only ten slots available, the world’s top strongmen are down to the last day of the qualifying round at the 2009 World’s Strongest Man contest.

With hot weather, great action and a field seen as the best ever, action at the 2009 World’s Strongest Man contest has been tremendous by all accounts.

Brian Shaw going head to head with Zydrunas Savickas continues to be much talked about and their blazing performances in the Fingal’s Fingers was dramatic to say the least.

Andrus Murumets, tipped as an early favorite for the podiumn, “started really strong, but a surprising let down in his deadlift could well allow Dave Ostlund and Terry Hollands to go through from that group,” IronMind was told.  “They have kegs and stones today and it’s going to be difficult for Andrus to hang on to second position.”  Terry Hollands lead that group.

Phil Pfister and Mariusz Pudzianowski, both World’s Strongest Man winners, are said to be going through from their group, but this is unofficial.  Pfister has won four events, IronMind heard, and Pudzianowski “is yet to win an event in their heat.”  Darren Sadler produced a big performance in the deadlift.

Speaking of the deadlift, the Brits have done tremendously in the deadlift as well as the squat.

Between being sick and having a blown squat suit, Travis Ortmayer has had some bad luck, but it’s not over until it’s over.  

Continue to follow the highlights each day on the official World’s Strongest Man website as well as on the IronMind News and the IronMind Twitter account.

The latest John Brookfield Grip Tip has just been posted and it gives you a new way to build fingertip and wrist strength, while also pumping up your forearms.

Click here to go directly to John’s latest article, “2 x 2 Wrist Roller,” or click here for the full collection of John Brookfield’s Grip Tips, or navigate there from the Training Articles button on the IronMind homepage.

As another indication of the international appeal of Highland Games, the competition in Luzarches, France drew a field from seven countries.

Francis Brebner filed this report for IronMind.


2009 Luzarches Highland Games

By Francis Brebner

The Luzarches Highland Games in France this past weekend, which were held at the Golf de Mont Griffon, attracted more than a thousand spectators with its nice weather and international line-up of 11 athletes from 7 different countries, including Jimmy Van de Walle, the champion from Belgium; Gert Stegeman and Arnold Wassebali from the Netherlands; Anthony Lordi from Switzerland; Ed Cosner from the USA; Andreas Deuschle and David Frey from Germany; Bruce Aitken and Stephen Aitken from Scotland; and the organizer of the Games, Eric Alagille, from France.



Eric Alagille added that they had a wonderful judging team with Martine and Franck Pouhey from France, who judged the B class, and Tommy De Bruijn from Belguim, who despite his injury traveled to be the judge in the A class.  Eric Alagille also mentioned that the Luzarches Highland Games in France and the Montrose Highland Games in Scotland are a twin association, and “Bruce [Aitken] was the one who gave us the taste for heavy events seven years ago by agreeing to be our coach for the first Games that were organized here in Luzarches, France.”



The Luzarches Highland Games committee was especially grateful to Bruce Aitken, who out of friendship agreed to come and throw at the Games this year despite the knee injury which has excluded him from competing this whole season, but Bruce felt that he had to be there anyway, no matter what. 

In the first event with the 16-lb. stone, Deuschle took the win with a putt of 48’ 2”.  In second place was Stephen Aitken with 45’ 5” and in third place, Van de Walle with 42’ 10-1/2”. 



In the 22-lb. Braemar standing stone putt, Deuschle claimed a second straight victory with a throw of 39’ 1-1/2”.  Stephen Aitken again took second place with 38’ 1/2” and brother Bruce landed in third spot with 36’ 2-1/2” 

In the 28-lb. weight-for-distance, it was a very close competition between Stephen Aitken and Frey, with Aitken just taking the win at a distance of 79’ 6”, leaving Frey in second place at 79’ 3”.  Bruce Aitken again claimed third place at 77’ 7-1/2”.


The weight-over-the-bar was also won by Stephen Aitken at a height of 13’ 5-1/4”, giving him his second win of the competition. In second equal were Bruce Aitken and Frey, at a height of 12’ 5-1/2”.

Moving on to the caber, which was 17’ long and 125-lb, the event was won by Stephen Aitken with a 12:05.  Frey took second with an 11:50 and Stegeman third with 88 degrees.
 
In the 22-lb. hammer, both Aitken brothers claimed top positions, with Stephen Aitken taking first place at 103’ 3” and brother Bruce coming in second at 103’ 1-1/2”.  Van de Walle placed third at 82’ 5-1/2”.

In the 16-lb. hammer, Bruce took the win over brother Stephen with a distance of 125’ 3-3/4”, with Stephen following behind in second at 121’ 4”. Frey put up a good show with 108’ 8-3/4” for third place.


As room was very tight for the 16-lb. hammer, it was decided that it would be thrown from a little island to the shore to save from throwing it into the water.  This went down very well with the spectators and fans as they cheered on the athletes throughout this event.  Tommy De Bruijn, who was judging, had the honor of throwing the hammer back every time to the little island, but enjoyed it as much as everyone.  Tommy is still recovering from a knee injury which will need surgery, but he plans to be back for next year’s season stronger and throwing farther than ever.
 


Overall points – A class
:

1.  Stephen Aitken 10 
2.  David Frey 23.5
3.  Bruce Aitken 26


A special non-scoring event, the giant cork throw for distance, was won by Frey with a throw of 32’ 1”.



Final results – B class


1.  Dale Walker (Scotland)
2.  Markus Single (Germany) 
3.  Eric Alagille (France)

Final results woman’s category, all from Germany


1.  Petra Müller
2.  Katharina Köhler 
3.  Renate Rieger 


I, myself, reflected on the Games this past year, including top international Games such as Bressuire, France; Antigonish, Canada; and Pleasanton California, and other Games that are getting established and growing in places like Germany, Norway, Switzerland and here in Luzarches, France—and what can I say but that the tradition is here to stay and is growing ever larger each year.

There was plenty of action at the 2009 U.S. National Highland Athletic Championships, and David Barron called the action for IronMind.
 

Kerry Overfelt wins the 2009 U.S. National Highland Athletic Championships

By David Barron
 
2009 marked the 22nd annual Celtic Classic in Bethlehem, Pennsylvanis and it was the third year of hosting the official U.S. National Highland Athletic Invitational Championships.  With 2007 winner Larry Brock and nine-time champion Ryan Vierra both sidelined with injuries, the door was open for a new athlete to claim the title.
 
The ten American athletes who qualified for the biggest show in U.S. Highland Games were in top shape coming in.  Former world champion Sean Betz was strong out of the gate, winning both the light hammer with 132 feet and the 22 lb. Braemar stone, with a standing throw of over 42 feet. But in the  56 lb. weight for distance, Kerry Overfelt the  38-year old "Kentucky Cannonball" left the rest of the field in his dust with a massive throw of over 47 feet , setting a new field record and winning the event by almost three feet over defending champion Harrison Bailey.
 
In the sheaf toss, hometown favorite Harrison came into his own, thrilling the crowd by sending the bag over 34 feet for the win, beating out Sean and Kerry, who both cleared 32 feet. Harrison was strong in the caber as well, taking third place with a 12:15 toss of the 19-ft. 130-lb. stick, just ahead of Sean and Kerry.  At the end of the day, Kerry was in the lead by only one point over Harrison and Sean, who were both tied in second place.
 
On Sunday, the weather finally broke and the rains came, making the footing difficult.  The first event was the heavy hammer competition, where Kerry claimed the event with a great come from behind throw of 111 ft.  The unofficial highlight of the weekend came in the last round, when Will Barron angled a throw into the corner of the field, sending the hammer smashing through the side of the athlete's portable toilet (luckily unoccupied).   Field judge Don McKenzie bravely entered the john and measured the throw from inside.  As MC and former champion Steve Pulcinella announced, "this is why we'll never be an Olympic sport."
 
The muddy field didn't seem to bother the athletes in the open stone competition, with six of them throwing well over 51 ft.  But in a field full of accomplished throwers it was newcomer Dan McKim from Kansas City, Missouri who launched the stone past 55 ft. to claim the win.  Dan had a little bit of help with his technique from "the Godfather" of the Highland Games, many-time champion Paul Ferency, who was on hand to give technical advice and tell everyone how expensive everything is today.
 
A ninth place finish in the stone put, Kerry's least favorite event, made it a whole new ball game, as Sean's 53-ft. throw put him in a solid first place overall, while Harrison's 52-ft. throw put him only two points behind Kerry.  To pull out the win, Kerry knew he would have to put up some big numbers in the last two events.  He did not disappoint, winning the 28-lb. weight with an all-time personal best throw of over 91 ft.  Harrison was second with 88 ft., but Kerry clearly had the momentum going into the final event. In the 56-lb. weight for height, he and Sean both spun the weight over 17 ft., staying even with world record holder Zolkewicz who was worn down from competing at the New Hampshire Highlander contest just a week before.  Harrison took the win by nailing 18 ft. cleanly, with the spinning technique he pioneered.
 
After the results were added and re-checked twice, Kerry Overfelt was announced as the 2009 National Champion, winning the overall competition by just half a point over Harrison. At 38, the self-proclaimed "hardest working athlete in the Highland Games" has become one of the most dominant athletes on the professional circuit, and now he is only the third man to win the Celtic Classic since Ryan Vierra's near-decade of dominance was a huge achievement for him.

Group 4 had a rest day at the World’s Strongest Man (WSM) qualifiers, but the others competitors battled it out in their quest to make the WSM 2009 finals.

In group 2, Zydrunas Savickas narrowly beat Brian Shaw in the Fingal’s Fingers, continuing to spotlight the developing story that sees the formidable and established Zydrunas Savickas challenged by the young, but rapid-charging Brian Shaw.

Group 5, also contesting the Fingal’s Fingers, wasn’t short of a surrounding story either as Dave Ostlund won, with Terry Hollands coming in second.  Ostlund, who made 2008 World’s Strongest Man podium, is coming back from a severe injury earlier this year and is focusing on making the finals as the first step toward another high placing in WSM, and Hollands, a formidable figure in any strongman contest, is said to be coming into this contest in excellent condition.

In group 1, Derek Poundstone won the dumbbell press, with Ilin Kostiantyn coming in second, and in group 3, Phil Pfister and Alexander Klyushev tied for first on the dumbbell.  The dumbbell was reportedly 95 kg, although this number, along with all the other details in this report, is unofficial.

Tomorrow is the last day of the qualifying round, with the top two competitors going on to the 2009 World’s Strongest Man final, the premier event in strongman.

IronMind has just learned that Jimmy Marku, not Derek Poundstone, won the squat in the group 1 qualifying heat earlier today.

This is still unofficial, but it’s been confirmed by a number of people.
 

Derek Poundstone continued with his strong start at the 2009 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) contest - having won all four of his events so far, IronMind was told unofficially today, and this would make him the only competitor with a perfect record at this point in the contest.

This morning, each WSM qualifying group either squatted or deadlifted.  In the squat, Laurence Shahlaei won in his group and Derek Poundstone won in his group.  The group winners in the deadlift were Mark Felix, Darren Sadler and Terry Hollands.

Three groups also did the Carwalk, where the group winners were Phil Pfister, Derek Poundstone and Laurence Shahlei.

Brian Shaw is continuing to make a huge impression and was called “an absolute surprise” by a sharp-eyed observer who has put Shaw on his short list for the podium.  Zydrunas Savickas was described as being “massively strong,” and along with Shaw and Poundstone, the Big Z is seen as rounding out the most likely top three in the 2009 World’s Strongest Man contest.

The qualifying round for the 2009 World’s Strongest Man contest continues tomorrow, with Fingal’s Fingers and the Dumbbell press for reps.  Incidentally, it was also reported that the deadlift event in the finals has been changed from a hold to reps

The Slater Stone over the Bar, the final event of the contest, decided who won the MHP Olympia’s Strongest Man contest, and it was Andy Vincent who took home the title in Las Vegas tonight.

“Van [Hatfield] needed to place no lower than third to win the contest,” American Strongman Corporation (ASC) president Dione Wessels told IronMind.  “Andy Vincent tied with Tamas Malatkinski for first and Van tied with John Conner and Matt Dawson for 3rd.  The three-way tie caused a split in points with Andy getting the 1/2 point causing a tie between him and Van.  On the countback, Andy wins with 4 total wins to Van's 3.”

Here are the top five:

1. Andy Vincent
2. Van Hatfield
3. John conner
4. Matt Dawson
5. David Hansen 

Full results will be posted on the official American Strongman Corporation website.

Unofficially, here are the winners of the Truck Pull at the World’s Strongest Man (WSM) qualifiers today.

Group 1: Derek Poundstone
Group 2: Brian Shaw
Group 3: Phil Pfister
Group 4: Laurence Shahlei
Group 5: Terry Hollands

With the first day of WSM qualifiers completed, there were no big surprises and “things went pretty much as expected,” a well-qualified observer told IronMind. 

Although it’s a bit early to say for sure, there was a sense today that one of the key matchups in the 2009 World’s Strongest Man contest has already come to light and it pits Brian Shaw against Zydrunas Savickas.

The action resumes tomorrow, with Squat, Fingal’s Fingers and the Car Walk.

For hardcore World’s Strongest Man fans, you can follow the highlights each day on the official World’s Strongest Man website as well as on the IronMind News and the IronMind Twitter account.

With the qualifying round underway at the 2009 World’s Strongest Man contest, there’s a straight line pattern in groups 1 and 3, as these competitors completed the truck pull - their second event of the day.

Adding to his win on the first event, Derek Poundstone won the truck pull, so he’s got a perfect record in group 1.  Similarly, in group 3, Phil Pfister once again pushed Mariusz Pudzianowski into second place, giving him two wins in two events.

Qualifying events continue today, in the first day of competition at the 2009 World’s Strongest Man contest.

Unofficially, IronMind has received partial results from the first event in the 2009 World’s Strongest Man qualifiers.

Although these results are unofficial and incomplete, IronMind believes they are accurate, and all groups have completed the first event in the qualifying round of the 2009 World’s Strongest Man contest.

Group 1: Poundstone wins, Nee is sixth
Group 2: Savickas wins, Shaw is second and Felix is third, Skog is sixth
Group 3: Pfister wins, Pudzianowski is second and Sadler is fourth
Group 4: Arsjo wins, Shahlaei is second, Ortmayer is third and Skog is fourth
Group 5: Murumets wins, Hollands is second and Ostlund is fifth

Hardcore World’s Strongest Man fan should keep their eye on the official World’s Strongest Man site for updates, and IronMind will continue to pass along news as well.

“After three events, Andy Vincent leads by half a point,” Dione Wessels reported to IronMind from the Olympia’s Strongest Man contest, “and Van Hatfield is second.”

“The first event was a last man standing on the Slater Pro Log.  Five athletes succeeded at 400 pounds while Van Hatfield and Scott Weech were the only two athletes to get 440 pounds!  The second event was the House of Pain Yoke and Barrel Medley.  The yoke was 900 pounds and the barrels were filled with water which causes difficulty for most.  The third event was the Slater Atlas stone run.  The stones were 300 pounds up to 410 pounds, on the run.  Several athletes completed 4 stones and Andy Vincent was the only athlete to finish all 5 stones.”

“The show was flawless with a very large crowd of over 3,000 cheering the athletes on. Today we start at noon and will have four events.  We will also find out who is the MHP Olympia's Strongest Man,” said Wessels.

Formerly a top powerlifter and strongman, now a contest promoter and a filmmaker, Hjalti Arnason knew Jon Pall Sigmarsson when “he was a young kid in school,” and later they lived, trained and competed together -  which is why IronMind turned to Arnason with a straightforward question: “What was it  . . . why did so many people love Jon Pall so much?”

“It’s not a problem for Jon Pall.”  Hjalti Arnason, Douglas Edmunds and Mark Higgins (left to right) outside the Smarabio theater in Reykjavik, at the premiere of the Jon Pal Sigmarsson documentary by Hjalti Arnason and Steingrimur Thordarson.  Randall J. Strossen photo.


“It was his charisma . . . He was the first [strongman] to become a household name in Europe,” Arnason said, and, certainly, while strongman aficionados might debate the relative strengths of one top competitor versus another, the supremacy of Jon Pall Sigmarsson’s popularity appears unchallenged.

“Jon Pall was always so happy,” Arnason told IronMind.  “He made other people feel good . . . and there is demand for that kind of person in television.”

Known also for his outgoing personality, Jon Pall Sigmarsson was more complex than that, Arnason explained.

“He was a humble, shy kind of guy, but when he competed, he became aggressive, self-confident.  I think he decided to do this consciously, to help him believe in himself,” said Arnason.

The film on Jon Pall Sigmarsson made by Hjalti Arnason and Steingrimur Thordarsson set a new standard for documentary coverage of a strongman, and polls indicate that it remains one of the most popular films in Iceland, Arnason said - a tribute to both the man himself and the filmmakers.

“Slawomir Tozcek has pulled out of the event and Jarek Dymek has replaced him,” a Strongman Champions League - London spokesman told IronMind today.

Jarek Dymek, shown on the overhead stone lift at the 2006 World’s Strongest Man contest, has just joined the field for SCL-London.  Randall J. Strossen photo.


Dymek, who, along with Mariusz Pudzianowski, is a past winner of the World’s Strongest Team title, is said to be in excellent condition, just days from the start of the 2009 World’s Strongest Man, and his addition to the SCL-London card adds another big-name strongman to the lineup.

More updates are expected, so keep your eye on the IronMind News column and on the IronMind Twitter page.

Asked about the year-end schedule for Strongman Champions League (SCL), co-founder Marcel Mostert told IronMind, “Directly after the World’s Strongest Man we continue our tour starting with the SCL Spain on 10 October.”

Marcel Mostert puts his teeth to work at the 2004 World’s Strongest Man contest.  Randall J. Strossen photo.


“Thereafter, the SCL England in London on 18 October, the SCL Hungary on 31 October, and we’re very busy to finalize the last details for doing the SCL Grand Final on 25 November in China, to crown the SCL champion of 2009.  Co-director Ilkka Kinnunen will fly next week to China to finish this in a good way,” Mostert said.

Meantime, Marcel Mostert will be back at the WSM 2009 for the first time since 2004, and while Giants Live remains the sole official qualifying tour for the World’s Strongest Man contest, the full roster of competitors comes from multiple sources and Mostert’s contribution to the starting field will be seen this year.

World’s Strongest Man 2009 will be presenting “the best of the best” in the strongman world, Mostert told IronMind, adding, “We are very happy that the Strongman Champions League found a good connection and cooperation with [WSM owner] IMG and the World’s Strongest Man contest.  We have worked for some months about cooperation between SCL and IMG, and we are both happy with the success, as we think it will benefit the whole strongman world.”

“The first results we see already are in the lineup for the world strongest man 2009,” continued Mostert.

“The top five of the Strongman Champions League now are automatically invited [to World’s Strongest Man],” said Mostert, who attributes this to the success of SCL and “the good will and spirit of IMG.”

“In our opinion, we have in this year at WSM really the best strongman who there are in the world, without any doubt.  It will be very exciting to see,” Mostert said.

Using a high-tech measuring tool, Ilkka Kinnunen (left) works with Marcel Mostert (right) at WSM 2004, where the team does some precision mapping for the barrel squat apparatus.  Randall J. Strossen photo.

A few years ago, Odd Haugen pegged Dave Ostlund as “the future of strongman,” and when Ostlund made the World’s Strongest Man podium in 2008, Haugen was looking smarter than ever.

Dave Ostlund was in the driver’s seat at the 2008 World’s Strongest Man contest, where he finished in third place - his first visit to the WSM podium.  Randall J. Strossen photo.


Misfortune struck at the Arnold earlier this year, though, when Ostlund tore his left biceps on the stone-for-reps event.

“Coming off the floor, my left arm just slipped off . . . it felt like a localized, intense cramp . . . I couldn’t apply any power to the stone,” Ostlund told IronMind.

And for good reason, because it turned out that Ostlund had a 95% tear of his biceps, enough to put him out of action, essentially, until his comeback in Malta at the World’s Strongest Man contest later this week.

Ostlund, always good for an analytic approach to his game, said that he’s not even going to think about the qualifiers at first - it’s head down and full steam ahead through two events, he said, before he’ll take stock of his relative position.  Ostlund’s in a group with Andrus Murumets, Christian Savoie, Florian Trimple, Jarek Dymek and Terry Hollands, with only two of them going on to the finals.

Being cautious, Ostlund is quick to point out that Hollands’ training is said to be going very well, that Dymek is supposed to be in the best shape in years, that Savoie is coming off his biggest year yet in Canada, and as for Murumets, he’s making some short lists for the top spot in the finals.

Dave Ostlund did over a dozen contests in 2005, but now, being sidelined since his injury, he said that all the rest means he’s free of a lot of little injuries, aches and pains that have been steady companions in earlier years.  Now, he explained, squatting isn’t the touch and go situation it’s usually been - his knees and the rest of his body feel fine, and that might be just the ticket he needs to get back on the World’s Strongest Man podium again this year.

In the last Highland Games of the season in Scotland, Bruce Robb ended with another mark in his win column.

IronMind would like to say a special thanks to Francis Brebner, our ace Highland Games reporter, who has shared his knowledge and passion with Highland Games competitors and fans worldwide through his steady coverage of the planet’s major Highland Games competitions this year.  As our mutual friend David Webster would say, “Well done, Francis!”

 
2009 Invercharron Highland Games
by Francis Brebner

The 28th Invercharron Highland Games, in the Kyle of Sutherland in Scotland, attracted 2,000 spectators and were opened by the very popular radio broadcaster for BBC Radio Scotland, Mark Stephen, who presents the weekly outdoor magazine program Out of Doors.  Weather conditions for the day were dry, but with a very cold wind.
 
Judging the heavies was Charlie Simpson from Wick, who was a great all-round athlete and one of the best in his day.  Since his retirement from the Games, he now judges most of the Games in the northeast of Scotland.
 
The heavy events were sponsored by Skibo Castle, home of the Carnegie Club, and had a line-up of seven top heavy athletes, including Bruce Robb, Craig Sinclair, Grant Sinclair, Stephen Aitken, Stuart Anderson, Jason Young, and Malcolm Cleghorn.
 
In the opening event with the 16-lb. shot, Bruce Robb took the win and edged out Young, with a putt of 51’.  In second place was Young with 49’ 3”, and in third, Craig Sinclair at 47’ 1”, leaving Aitken in fourth place at 45’ 5”.
 
The 22-lb. stone putt was also a very close competition between Robb and Young, with Robb again snatching victory with a distance of 41’ 9”.  Young took second with 40’ 10”; Aitken followed in third at 36’ 11” and Craig Sinclair in fourth place at 36’ 7”.
 
With two wins under his belt going into the 28-lb. weight for distance, Robb added a third, but he had to work hard for it, fighting off Craig Sinclair with a distance of 79’ 2”.  Sinclair came in second place at 78’ 8” and Young in third at 66’ 8”; Aitken trailed in fourth place at 65’.
 
The 56-lb. weight for distance was Robb’s fourth straight win, with a distance of 39’.  In second was Craig Sinclair at 37’ 8”; in third spot again was Young at 32’ 11” and in fourth, Aitken at 32’ 7”.
 
After four events Robb was in a good position and was looking to have it all his own way—until the 16-lb. hammer, in which Craig Sinclair blasted out the winning distance of 126’ 6”.  In second was Robb with 120’, in third Young with 116’, and in fourth Aitken with 112’.
 
In the heavy hammer, Craig Sinclair pulled off another great win with a throw of 108’ 7”.  Close behind was Robb at 107’ 9”.  Young landed in third spot at 90’ and Aitken came in fourth place with a well below par throw of 87’ 2”.
 
The caber, which was 19’ and 110-lb., was a tie for first equal between Robb and Young, with both tossing perfect 12:00s.  Craig Sinclair was third with 12:04 and Aitken was fourth with 75 degrees.
 
Going into the final event, the Scottish 56-lb. Weight Over the Bar Championships, Jason Young unfortunately had to pull out due to back problems, which had occurred in the caber event.  Robb once again claimed the national title with a winning height of 14’ 6”.  Craig Sinclair took second at 14’ and Malcolm Cleghorn came in third at 13’.  Ever fourth was Aitken at 12’ 6”.
 
Overall places:

1. Bruce Robb
2. Craig Sinclair
3. Jason Young
4. Stephen Aitken
 
This concluded the final Games for the year in Scotland.  I look forward to the next season with great interest to see how the young blood in the sport will rise to meet the challenge— which I am sure they will.

Jason Vale, Mirline Berrouet and Mike Selearis won the Captains of Crush® Grippers Queensboro Strongest Arm titles this weekend: “The Queensboro Championships are a qualifying event for the Empire State Armwrestling Finals,” New York Arm Wrestling Association (NYAWA) founder and president Gene Camp told IronMind today, explaining what was at stake.

Shown at the award ceremony are the the winners of the Captain’s of Crush® Queensboro Strongest Arms are (left to right) Jason Vale (Belleros, NY), Mirline Berrouet (So. Ozone Park, NY) and Mike Selearis (Elmhurst, NY).  Valentin Boros photo/courtesy of Gene Camp/NYAWA.


“This was the New York Arm Wrestling Association's 32nd Annual White Castle 'Queensboro' Arm Wrestling Championships held at the Queens County Farm Museum’s Annual County Fair,” Camp said.  In addition to being a qualifier for the year-end Empire State Arm Wrestling Finals, this is "the oldest of all the borough championships," said Camp.

The Queensboro Arm Wrestling Championships are part of the full program of arm wrestling matches and training sessions offered by the New York Arm Wrestling Association throughout the year, and the contests have been known to drawn such distinguished guests as New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Billed as “the most important event in the strength athletics calendar,” the World’s Strongest Man contest is drawing near and just in case you’ve missed it, the new website and online store have been launched.

It’s the archetypal strongman contest, event and competitor: Mariusz Pudzianowski, five-time winner of the World’s Strongest Man contest, pits his muscles against a semi in the truck pull.  Photo courtesy of RDA.

The press release sent to IronMind says, “At www.theworldsstrongestman.com, fans will be able to keep abreast of breaking news at the 2009 competition (which takes place in Malta from 26th September to 3rd October) via a daily update.  The site also offers in-depth biographies of all athletes competing at the event as well as extensive stills and video galleries.” 
 
And for strongman fans who have been clamoring for World’s Strongest Man merchandise, here’s you chance to your shopping basket: “For the first time the site also features an online store with a range of clothing and DVDs on offer with more items to be launched soon.”

Having just added a title sponsor (Lebara Mobile) is no reason for Denim Bison representative and Strongman Champions League - London event organizer Sandra Donskyte to rest on her laurels: instead, last week she was off to Lithuania, where she “caught up with the Big Z [Zydrunas Savickas] in Vilnius, at his personal gym.”

Zydrunas Savickas in his office.  Photo courtesy of Sandra Donskyte/Denim Bison.


In Sandra’s words, she was there “to see how this strongman sweats before the two biggest events of the year,” referring to the World’s Strongest Man contest and the Strongman Champions League - London contest.

Here’s an entry from Sandra’s journal:

Lithuania.  Vilnius.  Zydrunas Savickas‘ Gym.  Friday.  Midday.  Training for Dead Lift lasting 3 hours.  Loads of water.  Loads of sweat.  Very little emotions.  No stress.  You can only see the challenge of added kilograms: 100kg . . . 200kg . . . 300kg . . . 400kg.  The aura of a real powerful man.  The strongman will train for the Atlas Stones event  in the other Lithuanian town with his like minded friends on Saturday.  Sunday is a day off for sport.

And as far as the title sponsor goes, Strongman Champions League - London announced, “SCL '09 is sponsored by LEBARA MOBILE!  Lebara offer some excellent packages for mobile users, both domestically & when calling internationally!  Lebara Mobile keeps prices simple with flat rates & no hidden charges, & offers free calls between Lebara users!  Additionally, for those of you calling Eastern Europe, calls are only 2p per minute presently!  Hurry now as this offer ends on 30 November 2009!”  

For more on Sandra's visit with the Big Z and full event details, please visit the official Strongman Champions League - London website.

With “a beautiful, sunny, 80-degree day at the Dino Gym (Abilene, Kansas), the setting could not have been more perfect,” D.J. Satterfield told IronMind : “The inaugural North American Highlander Association nationals are now official and the champions have been crowned.”

Left to right: Justin Cantwell (lightweight), Mark Wechter (middleweight), Matt Vincent (heavyweight), John O'Brien (masters).  Photo courtesy of D.J. Satterfield/North American Highlander Association.


Here are the division winners

Justin Cantwell - lightweight
Mark Wechter - middleweight
Matt Vincent - heavyweight
John O’Brien - masters

“The lightweight division was quite a battle,” reported Satterfield, “ coming down to the Atlas stones.  Justin Cantwell was very consistent in every event.  In the middleweight division, Mark Wechter got out to an early lead and was not going to be caught.  Mark won 5 of 6 events.  In the heavyweight division, Matt Vincent had a dominating performance along with some huge throws.  The masters division saw John O’Brien get out to the early lead and hold off all the other competitors in his division,” summarized Satterfield.

“All in all, we saw a great display of strength and athleticism, by all athletes.  The highlander format, once again, showed the athletes must be proficient in  strongman and Highland Games, not just one of them.  You must be an all-around strength athlete, Satterfield said.

“North American Highlander Association would like to thank Al Myers, Scott Tully and all others involved in making NAHA Nationals a huge success in just its first year.  A special thank you to all the competitors that came out and put on a great contest.  The Dino Gym is an incredible facility and NAHA was very thankful for them hosting the inaugural NAHA Nationals,” said Satterfield.

Please visit the official North American Highlander Association website for full results. 

Also, NAHA founder D.J. Satterfield told IronMind, "We will be announcing the 2010 NAHA nationals date, location, and [posting an] entry form, in January."

Calling the action at the New Hampshire Highlander Games (Loon Mountain), David Barron told IronMind, “It all came down to the last event.”

Earlier in the day, Sam McMahon had won the boulder clean and press (230 lb.) with 8 reps.  “Dan Ford had 7 and rookie Sam Grammer pulls a big upset taking third place with 3 good reps,” Barron reported.  Four-time World’s Strongest Man winner Magnus Ver Magnusson was the referee and he was running a tight ship, as one wag told IronMind, “Magnus discounted a lot of close reps and is an evil man.”

From there, Dan Ford let it rip, as he “was last to go with the Jon Pall Stone . . . the first and only athlete to break 200 feet,” said Barron.  “The crowd cheers him all the way to 218 feet to win the event and take the overall lead.  Zolk was second, and McMahon third.”

“There was barely a whisker's difference among the top five athletes going into the McGlashen Stones,” Barron said, setting the stage for the last event. 

“In the final clash between strongman and Highland athlete, it was Dan Ford, the steelworker and hometown hero from Tewksbury, Massachusetts, who loaded all five stones and claimed the overall title ahead of Mike Zolkewicz by half a point.  Dutch strongman and thrower Hans Lolkema, who never lifted a weight before he was 32 took third.”

Mike Zolkewicz had a big day at the Loon Mountain (New Hampshire) Highlander Games today, narrowly missing a new world record in the 56-lb. weight for height.

Reporting from the field, top competitor David Barron told IronMind that when Mike Zolkewicz won with a throw of 16’ 6” he “clears it by two feet.   Three attempts at a new world record of 18’ 10”, and puts the weight on top of the bar.  Could not have been closer.”

Hans Lolkema was second and Barron was third in the 56-lb. weight for height.

“Hans Lolkema mastered a huge caber for the win,” Barron reported, after picking up second place himself.  Gerard Benderoth was third, “with a standing turn of the 19-ft. 140-lb. log.  Dan Ford won the 508-lb. Loon Stone Walk."

Unofficially, here are the overall places after the first day of competition:

1. Mike Zolkewicz
2. Hans Lolkema
3. Dan Ford
4. David Barron
5. Gerard Benderoth
6. Sam McMahon
7. Jim Glassman
8. Aaron Neighbour/Sam Grammer

The action continues tomorrow with "the Husafell Stone, stone press, McGlashedn stones and caber for distance,” said Barron.

Stay tuned for more from the Loon Mountain Highlander Games and you can also catch live updates on the IronMind Twitter page.

Rev. Kevin Fast set a new Guinness World Record by pulling a 416,299 lb. plane a distance of 8.8 meters yesterday, according to a press release sent to IronMind.

Fast, a Lutheran Pastor from Cobourg, Ontario and a strongman competitor, pulled the plane in 1 minute and 16 seconds, according to the press release, which also included these details:

“Canadian Record-Keeper Carey Low presided over the event ensuring that the plane pull met the Guinness World Record guidelines.  He officially declared that Fast broke the record, which was previously held by David Huxley of Australia, who pulled a Boeing 747-400, weighing 412,264 lb. on 15 October 1997 at Sydney, Australia.”

Rev. Fast also holds the Guinness World Record for "Heaviest Vehicle Pulled Over 100-Ft."

Strongman, which is billed as “a cinema verité documentary about Stanless Steel, The Strongest Man in the World at Bending Steel and Metal,” is “is still on the festival circuit, but the idea is to transition it into the art-house and independent theatrical world towards the end of the year,” director Zachary Levy told IronMind today.

“Right now, the precise dates are still being worked out, but the movie is going to open in Los Angeles at the Downtown Independent theater in late November or early December,” Levy said.

“The first ever Mr. Olympia Strongman Challenge is eight days away,” American Strongman Corporation’s Dione Wessels told IronMind.

The MHP Olympia’s Strongest Man contest is just over a week away.  Artwork courtesy of Dione Wessels.
 

This contest,  described as a big milestone for ASC, will see "ten of the best strongman athletes in America compete for MHP's Olympia's Strongest Man challenge in Las Vegas, Nevada.  Fifteen thousand dollars in cash will be up for grabs," Wessels said.

“Along with the the American Strongman ‘Live’ event, there will also be other audience participation competitions during the weekend,” said Wessels.

“American Strongman and Flex Magazine will have an event at the Flex Magazine and Muscle and Fitness Booth.  Participants will be required to deadlift a "Smart Car" for reps, press a log overhead for repetitions, and do a keg run.  The participants will have 30 seconds to complete each event,” Wessels said.

“At the American Strongman booth, there will be several new designs of clothing, including the 2009 America's Strongest Man® event clothing for sale.  It is also a great chance to win some true grip merchandise from IronMind® Enterprises by lifting a challenge weight on the Rolling Thunder.  This is a great event for those that are true grip enthusiasts as well as those wanting to test their strength against some of the country's best strongman athletes,” said Wessels.

“There will also be a farmer's carry, kettlebell lifting and deadlifting at the MHP booth.  If you are a fitness enthusiasts of any type, you definitely do not want to miss the 2009 Olympia weekend expo,” Wessels said.

The Pitlochry Games - steeped in Highland Games history as they’ve drawn such names as Brian Oldfield, Geoff Capes, Hamish Davidson, Bill and Grant Anderson - were held this past weekend and Bruce Robb added his name to the list of champions.

Francis Brebner filed this report for IronMind.


2009 Pitlochry Highland Games

By Francis Brebner
 
This weekend’s Pitlochry Highland Games, which are held in the tranquil setting of Perthshire, Scotland, attracted a crowd of more than six thousand spectators, who enjoyed a lovely day of Scottish weather, which is seldom seen.
 
The Pitlochry Games have drawn big names over the many years, with past greats such as Brian Oldfield of the USA, Geoff Capes of England, and Scotland’s legends Hamish Davidson, Bill Anderson, and Grant Anderson.
 
More than twelve top Scottish heavies made up the field and gave a good performance throughout the competition; the only person missing was Scotland’s number one hammer thrower, Craig Sinclair.
 
In the opening event with the 16-lb. shot, Bruce Robb took the win with a putt of 50’ 9”; in second place was Stephen Aitken with 47’ and in third place was Scot Thompson with 46’ 10”.
 
The 22-lb. shot was also won by Robb with a putt of 43’ 6”, with Thompson coming in second at 40’ 6” and Aitken taking third spot at 39’ 10”.
 
In the 16-lb. hammer, Aitken claimed the win with 130’; in second was Robb with 122’ 11” and in third, Alistair Gunn at 117’ 10”.
 
At this point in the competition Steven King retired due to a slight injury.
 
The 22-lb. hammer was won by Aitken with 105’ 9”; Robb took second at 101’ 9” and once again Gunn squeezed in for a third place finish with 96’ 7”.
 
With two wins under his belt, Robb added another with a throw of 79’ 10” in the 28-lb. weight-for-distance; in second was Aitken with 71’ 9” and in third, John MacLeod at 70’ 2”.
 
The caber, weighing 125-lb. and 19’ 9” long, was won by Robb; in second was Aitken, followed by Neil Elliot in third.
 
In the 56-lb. weight-over-the-bar, Robb cleared 14’ 6” for the win, with Aitken and Thompson sharing second equal at a height of 14’.
 
Overall standings:

1. Bruce Robb
2. Stephen Aitken
3. Neil Elliot
 
The final Games in the whole of the Scottish circuit will be the Invercharron Highland Games in Ardgay this coming weekend, where our band of heavy athletes will fight it out for the 56-lb. weight-over-the-bar Scottish national title.

“The stage is set for the first ever North American Highlander Association (NAHA) Nationals at the Dino Gym in Abilene, Kansas,” NAHA founder D.J. Satterfeld told IronMind today.

“The anvil trophies and a total of $1,000 in cash are waiting to go home with the 2009 national champions and runners-up,” NAHA founder D.J. Satterfield told IronMind.

NAHA combines traditional Scottish Highland Games and strongman events, “resulting in the ultimate test of overall strength and athletic ability,” explains the organization’s website.

“With less than a week to go, we are anxiously awaiting to see who will walk away with the top honors,” said Satterfield.  “Who will they be?”

“The divisions are going to be very competitive, with strongman (pro and ams), Highland Games competitors, powerlifters, pro football players, triathletes and more, all vying for the titles.  North American Highlander athletes must be very well-rounded and not proficient in just one strength discipline.  The competitors are all very excited and ready to go.  The action starts at 11 a.m. September 19,” Satterfield said.

“Since its inception, in November 2008, the response has been nothing short of spectacular to the North American Highlander Association.  In only 10 months, we are represented in 17 states and have 12 contests already on the calendar with more to come.  We would like to once again thank everyone for their continued support,” said Satterfield.

For details on the North American Highlander Association, please visit their official website.

It’s not official and it might not be correct, but here’s IronMind’s guess at the qualifying heats for the 2009 World’s Strongest Man contest.

Ervin Katona
Alexander Klyushev
Jimmy Laureys
Phil Pfister
Mariusz Pudzianowski
Darren Sadler

Mark Felix
Stefan Solvi Petursson
Zydrunas Savickas
Brian Shaw
Marshall White
Martin Wildauer

Jarek Dymek
Terry Hollands

Andrus Murumets
Dave Ostlund
Christian Savoie
Florian Trimpl

Louis-Philippe Jean
Kostiantyn Ilin
Jimmy Marku
Kevin Nee
Derek Poundstone
Sebastian Wenta

Johannes Arsjo
Agris Kazelniks
Travis Ortmayer
Laurence Shahlaei
Richard Skog
Ettiene Smit

Stay tuned - the official announcement from World’s Strongest Man should be coming any day, we would guess.

“It´s now official,” Sakari Selkäinaho told IronMind, “Janne Virtanen confirmed his entry to the Finnish Open Grip Strength Championships.”

Janne Virtanen, 2000 World’s Strongest Man winner, will be competing at Finnish Open Grip Strength Championships next month.  Image courtesy of Sakari Selkäinaho.

 
One of the nice things about grip strength is that everyone can try their hand at it.  Still, many if not most of the top performers in grip strength are strongman competitors and 2000 World’s Strongest Man winner Janne Virtanen is far from a slouch in these two departments.

“Virtanen´s grip power has been unbeatable many times on strongman meets,” contest promoter Sakari Selkäinaho told IronMind, “and most recently, at the Rolling Thunder Europeans. 

“At the Finnish Open Grip Strength Championships, we expect Janne to face more competition than ever before as there are four or five guys who can win this event" said Kimmo Kokko, who is known as the father of Finnish grip strength.  Timo Tuukkanen, last year’s champion Juha Harju, Jouni Pakarinen along with Janne Virtanen are among the favorites according to Kokko.   “The gripster who has a good day is the best," Kokko said.

"I expect a strong battle between Janne Virtanen and Juha Harju, and the outcome depends mostly on who does best at his weak events." says Sakari Selkäinaho.

“The German national weightlifting team built around Matthias Steiner finished the first world championship-test competition in Braunau (Austria) successfully,” sports manager and chief coach of the national team Frank Mantek told IronMind.

Matthias Steiner: “The Life Successfully Lifted” . . . coming out in Germany on October 16.  Image courtesy of Frank Mantek/Michael Vater.

 
“A good one year after his magnificent Olympic victory, including the break of several months resulting from his [hernia] operation, Matthias Steiner is again back on the weightlifting stage,” said Mantek.

“For the preparation on this year's world championships in Goyang (South Korea) the best weightlifters of Germany demonstrated their skills at the ‘International Günther Stapfer Memorial’ in Braunau,” Mantek said.

“After the first intensive time of competition preparation, this event served as the first achievement examination on the way for the world championship,” said Mantek - explaining that this was his way to gauge the success of the initial phase of intense training for the World Weightlifting Championships.

Frank Mantek, himself an Olympic medalist in weightlifting, said the he was “very contented with the achievements” of his athletes.

“Olympic champion Matthias Steiner (+105 kg) mastered a load of 190 kg in the snatch and 235 kg in clean and jerk,” said Mantek.  “European champion Jürgen Spieß (-94 kg) succeeded with 170 kg in the snatch and 200 kg in clean and jerk.  And superheavyweight Almir Velagic mastered 180 kg in the snatch and 220 in clean and jerk,” Mantek summarized.
 
“Athletically-speaking, we have achieved a positive balance: We are going in the right direction for Goyang.  Now the second world championship preparation phase begins; it ends with the German Championships which will take place on the 23rd/24th of October, 2009 in Ladenburg.  Following that, we will focus with the nominated athletes on the [final] phase [leading] up to the world championships in South Korea," explained Mantek. 

“Not only athletically, but also in terms of spirit and mood, the tournament in Austria was a success,” said Mantek, who uses the research of psychologist Dr. Steven Reiss as one of his primary coaching tools.

“The numerous guests in the sold-out hall celebrated the German athletes and inspired them to these results.  In a final short speech Matthias Steiner thanked his audience with the words ‘Thanks, we have used this!’  And this experience increases our desire for the other athletic successes in this post-Olympic year.”

And speaking of Matthias Steiner, his book, “The Life Successfully Lifted,” will be coming out in Germany on October 16 - an event that Mantek said is causing great excitement.

Chris Andrews told IronMind, “Staunch Energy drink and OZ Strongman is proud to announce the USC – Ultimate Strongman Championships: For the very first time the biggest names in Strongman will finally hit the shores of Australia.”

“I am extremely grateful and excited to have the biggest names in the world of strongman finally coming downunder,” Chris Andrews told IronMind.   “This will be an event not to be missed,” he said.  Artwork courtesy of Chris Andrews.


Set for Brisbane, Australia December 4 - 6 at the Sieemans Sports Complex, Andrews has a list of competitors that include some of the most-recognized names in strongman from around the world as well as competitors drawn from Australia and New Zealand.

“I am extremely grateful and excited to have the biggest names in the world of strongman finally coming downunder,” Chris Andrews told IronMind.   “This will be an event not to be missed,” he said.  Artwork courtesy of Chris Andrews.

Here is the full start list:
 
Zydrunas Savikas - Lithuania

Benedikt Magnusson - Iceland
Derek Poundstone - USA
Alan Kliese - Australia
Andy Vincent - USA

Rauno Heinla - Estonia
Terry Hollands - UK
Van Hatfield - USA
Travis Ortmayer - USA
Ettiene Smit - South Africa
Alexander Klyushev - Russia
Nick Hansen - New Zealand
Jeremy Hogg - Australia
Eben LeRoux - Australia
Jono MacFarlane - New Zealand

“We have been very fortunate to have Dione Wessels, president of American Strongman Corporation (ASC)  as our head official,” Andrews said:  “Dione brings a wealth of knowledge in strongman to this event.”

“The USC is all about the very strongest men who have straight out right raw power to face the ultimate test,” said Andrews.  “The events are the very core classic disciplines designed to test every element of complete and total strength. They are very heavy [and] this has brought much discussion around this topic.  I based the weights around the current performances around the globe and the results produced by the top athletes.  I then realized that we need to take it up a notch and take it to the next level.”

Day 1
Truck pull: 30 tons



Day 2
Farmer’s Walk: 175 kg x 2, 20 meters for time
Slater’s Monster Dumbbell Press:  98-kg for max reps
Car
(Ute) Deadlift: 400kg for max reps (19.5" bar height)
Conan’s Wheel: 380 kg for distance

Day 3
Super Yoke: 450 kg,  20 meters for time

Slater’s True Log lift Medley: 125 kg,  140 kg, 160 kg,  180 kg,  200 kg

Power Stairs: 200 kg,  225 kg,  250 kg
Atlas Stones: 140 kg,  160 kg,  170 kg, 180 kg,  190 kg,  220 kg

“There has been much controversy about this event,” Andrews told IronMind, “[but] all I can say is that I am extremely happy that everyone views this event in such high regard.  However, this is our very first international event and we will remain humble and stay focused on the big event ahead.”
 

Next month is the North American Strongman Corporation (NAS) U.S. National Championships, a contest that has been held every year since 1997, NAS vice president Dione Wessels told IronMind - the top fifteen will go on the Arnold next year, where amateur strongman will debut in 2010.

North American Strongman (NAS) is building on its success.  Artwork courtesy of Dione Wessels.

It’s big news that Wessels is bringing amateur strongman to the Arnold in 2010 and Wessels said that the winner is guaranteed an invitation to the 2011 professional strongman contest at the Arnold, which has been run by Dr. Terry Todd since 2002.  What’s even bigger news, though, is that Wessels told IronMind she hopes her strongman contest at the 2011 Arnold will be the amateur strongman world championships.

Wessels has helped build NAS into an organization that holds over a hundred contests a year and is developing the international ties that will create the basis for the amateur strongman world championships Wessels envisions. 

Although Wessels said the events at the Arnold won’t be announced until next month, she told Ironmind they will parallel those used in the professional strongman contest, although in a scaled down and remixed form; and at least based on rumors, Wessels’ contest might inject some elements long seen as missing from the professional contest - aimed at making the contest more interesting to both casual spectators and hardcore strongman fans.
 
Stay tuned for more details.

Last year Mariusz Pudzianowski made strongman history by becoming the first person ever to win the World’s Strongest Man contest five times - a landmark achievement in strongman and one that could easily have served as Pudzianowski’s final and most glorious performance in strongman.

5X World’s Strongest Man winner Mariusz Pudzianowski told IronMind that he’s not quite ready to hang up his harness yet.  Randall J. Strossen photo.


Yet, the one-man strongman empire, easily the most recognized face in strongman and the man said to command the highest earnings in the field, hasn’t hung up his harness quite yet.

“Yes, I have very big motivation to compete in the 2009 WSM,” Mariusz Pudzianowski told IronMind when asked about his drive level this year versus last year - especially since it was apparent to at least one person who bet on Pudzianowski to win the 2008 WSM title that the strongman superstar would die trying, if necessary, in his quest for the fifth World’s Strongest Man title.

Now, it’s a new chapter for Mariusz Pudzianowski.

“But I don’t want to make a new record (6th title) against my body,” he said. “I have my own record: it was 5 time WSM title and it suits me very well!  New WSM competition I will realize like it will be big new strongman game!  I like that style!” Pudzianowski said.

“Sixth or seven it means for me nothing,” Pudzianowski continued.  “I have had my dream now!  In 2008 it was the year for extremely huge motivation to win 5 time WSM.  In 2009 year it will be normal competition for me.”

That’s the psychological side of things, but what of the physical?  So IronMind also asked Mariusz Pudzianowski - considering strength, fitness and injuries - how he would compare his state of preparation for WSM at this moment to where he was last year at this time

“[Now] I have more power like the year before.  In 2008 I have more small injuries.  Now in that time I feel more powerful but what happens we will see,” he said philosophically.

The news about Mariusz Pudzianowski reportedly signing for an MMA fight generated a lot of interest and IronMind asked him for the latest on this, starting with his background in martial arts.

“With training in [this] I have a lot of experience since my childhood, all of this was before strongman,” Pudzianowskii said.

And as far as whether or not he’s likely to grace an octagon with his presence, Pudzianowski was adamant.

“Yes, it is true that I will fight in MMA because I like to fight,” he said, not that this means he is cutting his ties with strongman: “It is new challenge for me, but I will stay all the time with strongman and all that heavy stuff I like it very much,” Pudzianowski said.

And for anyone who still thinks Mariusz Pudzianowski has lost his taste for strongman competition and will either be a pushover or simply won’t show up for the 2009 World’s Strongest Man contest, heed his words:

“I ‘PUDZIAN’ will fight till the end.  I heard that someone thinks that I will stop my fight for the next [WSM] title – IT ISN’T THE TRUE!  I THINK THAT THEY HAVE CRAZY MINDS about it!  I promise I will fight till the END!”

He’s dominated the Highlander format created by Dr. Douglas Edmunds, but don’t think that mean Sebastian Wenta is anything less than world class in the traditional Highland Games as well.

Sebastian Wenta on the 28-lb. weight for distance.  Photo courtesy of Wojtek Witkowski.


“In this year he was at England, Scotland, Ireland - at all Highland Games and Highlander Challenge competitions,” his manager Wojtek Witkowski told IronMind today.  “18 starts and he wins 17 and in 1 he was  the second!  I think that it is a record!.”  As reported earlier, Sebastian Wenta spent last weekend winning top honors at the most prestigious Braemar Royal Highland Games, as a another crowning achievement this season.

“On 19 of September, Sebastian Wenta will organize in his own city the first Polish Championships in Highlander Challenge with special guests (Polish Olympians):
  
* Szymon Ziolkowski - hammer throw
* Tomasz Majewski - shot put
* Piotr Malachowski - discus throw
  
“This competition will be the first, but in next year he will organize more with Dr. Douglas Edmunds.  The historic value of the show and all standards would be upheld,” said Witkowski.

The September 2009 issue of MILO: A Journal For Serious Strength Athletes is available now, so whether your speciality is strongman, grip strength, Olympic-style weightlifting, arm wrestling, stone lifting or just strength in general, here’s your book of first choice.

On the cover: USA’s John Brzenk went five for six against Russian Denis Cyplenkov at the PAL debut in Las Vegas.  Check out the arm on Denis Cyplenkov - until you see it in person, you won't believe it.  Randall J. Strossen photo.

To buy this issue of MILO, click here; and to subscribe to MILO, please click here.

Sebastian Wenta has been racking up victories on the 2009 Highland Games circuit and over the weekend, he added the illustrious Braemar title to his collection.

Francis Brebner filed this report for IronMind.


2009 Braemar Royal Highland Games
 
by Francis Brebner
      
The Braemar Royal Highland Games this weekend attracted more than 20,000 spectators to the Games despite light showers throughout the day.  More than a dozen top-line athletes battled it out before the Royal Braemar party, which included Her Majesty the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh, and Prince Charles and Princess Anne.
 
The first event with the 16-lb. open stone was a double whammy for the Wenta brothers from Poland, with Sebastian Wenta claiming the win with a throw of 57’ 1”, with brother Lucas Wenta in second with 54’ 9”.  Just inches behind was Australia’s Aaron Neighbour in third place with 54’ 3”; England’s David Dowson took fourth with a respectable putt of 50’ 5”.
 
In the 28-lb. weight for distance, Neighbour marginally took the win over Scotland’s Bruce Robb with a distance of 82’ 1”, pushing Robb into second place at 81’ 8”.  In third place was Sebastian Wenta with 80’ 1” and in fourth, Scotland’s Craig Sinclair at 79’ 4”.
 
In the 56-lb. weight for distance, a determined Bruce Robb took the win by a clear nose with a pounding throw of 42’ 11”.  In second place was Sebastian Wenta at 40’ 6” and in third, Neighbour at 39’ 1”.  Sinclair landed in fourth spot with 34’ 3”.
 
In the next event with the 22-lb. hammer, Sinclair come into his own as he blew away his rivals with a dominating distance of 111’ 10” for the win.  In second place was Robb with 107’ 7”, in third was Sebastian Wenta with 104’ 7”, and just inches behind him in fourth was Neighbour at 104’ 2”.
 
The 56-lb. weight over the bar was an easy win for Sebastian Wenta at 15’ 6”, with Robb coming in second place at 15’.  This left a mass tie for third between Sinclair, Stephen Aitkin, Neighbour, and Lucas Wenta at 14’ 6”.
 
The fifth event of the competition was the open caber, which was 20’ 1” in length and 121 lb.  This proved to be a riveting competition as the top four fought for the win.  Robb and USA’s Rob Troupe tied with 12:00 tosses, but in a very close third and fourth were Neighbour at 12:01 and Sinclair at 12:03.
 
Next the athletes moved to the Braemar caber which was 19’ 9” in length and a little heavier at 132-lb.  This time there was no tie as the best man of the day, Robb, nailed a perfect 12:00 for the win, with Sebastian Wenta in second place with 12:10, Aitkin in third with 12:12, and Troupe in fourth with 12:14.
 
In the 28-lb. Braemar standing putt, it was Sebastian Wenta who claimed another victory with a distance of 37’ 4”.  In second was brother Lucas Wenta with 36’ 1”, with Robb in third at 35’ 1” and just an inch behind, Neighbour at 35’.
 
Going into the last event of the championships, Bruce Robb was leading by a half a point over Sebastian Wenta.  It was all or nothing for both these athletes—a case of who could keep it together.
 
The hammer (light) was once again won by Sinclair, with a distance of 125’ 6”.  Sebastian Wenta, who had been lying in fifth in this event, was the very last thrower in the competition and managed to pull off second place with a noble effort of 124’ 7”—which also secured him the overall title.  In third place was Neighbour at 122’ 8” and in fourth, Aitkin at 121’ 6”.
 
Just to note, this is the third year in a row that Robb has lost the Braemar title, each year by a half point more than the previous year.
 
2009 Braemar Championships points:
 
1.  Sebastian Wenta 61
2.  Bruce Robb 58.5
3.  Aaron Neighbour 46.25
4.  Craig Sinclair 39.25
 
However, Robb’s consolation was that he won the Glenfiddich Championships:
 
Overall points:
 
1.  Bruce Robb 320 points
2.  Stephen Aitkin 294.5
3.  Craig Sinclair 210.5
4.  David Dowson 131.25
5.  Stuart Anderson 120
 
Glenfiddich Qualifiers
 
Braemar under 25 Championships
 
1.  John MacLeod 25 points
2.  Sinclair Patience 24
3.  Daniel Carlin 22
4.  Grant Sinclair 13
 
Glenfiddich under 25 League Championships
 
1.  Sinclair Patience 309 points
2.  John MacLeod 272
3.  Dale Walker 168
4.  Grant Sinclair 132

Although it’s not yet officially posted on the World’s Strongest Man website, IronMind has it from multiple sources, including the man himself, that Louis-Philippe Jean that has been tapped as the final man named to the 2009 World’s Strongest Man starting field.

Louis-Philippe Jean had been widely expected to win Canada’s Strongest Man, but Christian Savoire captured the title and thereby the guaranteed invitation to the World’s Strongest Man contest.  While disappointed in his second-place finish at Canada’s Strongest Man, Louis-Philippe was generous in his praise of Christian Savoire and he vowed to keep training as if he would get the highly-coveted invitation to World’s Strongest Man after all.

As ever, there most likely was some push-pull over who would fill this final opening in the biggest strongman contest of them all, but in the end, Louis-Philippe Jean and his advocates prevailed.

Strongman Champions League co-founder Marcel Mostert and Ilkka Kinnunen are about as experienced as any active strongman promoters, but when the name Denim Bison popped up and was announced as the group putting on the Strongman Champions League - London contest, this aroused a lot of interest at IronMind.

“Something is coming . . .  that will shake London” -  one element in the Denim Bison marketing mix is a series of trailers, such as this one.


“Who are these guys?” we asked, as we traded emails with Denim Bison principals Sandra Donskyte Marco Ruggiero - Ms. Donskyte is the Event Marketing Manager and Mr. Ruggiero is the Event Manager.  Between them, they are trying to break through the glass ceiling on arena-based strongman contests and along the way they kindly paused to answer a few questions for IronMind.

IronMind: Denim Bison - a great name - what caught your eye about strongman? 

Sandra: I was caught by two ordinary guys back in Lithuania in 2005 that organized International Strongman Competition 'The Cekol Cup '05' under the 'Hercules Events Ltd' roof.  Apparently they needed a woman to help them manage these strongmen.  I have to admit it was a hardcore school however collected invaluable knowledge about the industry and left so I could do my own comeback.  Meeting Marco was a real blessing so we both united and are ready to rock the Strongmen World!

Marco: As far as the name goes, we wanted something that represented forward thinking.  Sandra had a dream about bringing Strongman to this country, & I remembered being a big fan of strongman when I was younger. Watching guys like Geoff Capes & Magnus Ver Magnusson was a great Sunday activity for me.  When Sandra suggested about doing a strongman competition, it made me think in my humble opinion how strongman had dropped off the map a little since the glory days of the 80's. I relished the challenge of contributing what I can into the strongman scene.

IronMind: Anything you'd like to say about other events you've promoted/your special skills/special interests?

Sandra: I have always been a very eventful person so organizing, promoting and participating in sporting, cultural and entertainment events is my natural speciality. The ISCL London '09 event is both my brightest and the biggest goal of this year.  There was no and will not be such a challenge on the way to its achievement that would kill my enthusiasm and desire to make it.

Marco: I've promoted bands, gigs, products, myself & others for free.  Now, my personal goal is to make the ISCL '09 into something which raises the bar as far as strongman goes, at an affordable price for everyone.  The amount of challenges we've had to, and continue to overcome in establishing this competition only serve to drive me on in my desire to succeed.  That, being a qualified economist (helps with low budgets!) & apparently having a nice ways with words tend to be how I contribute!

IronMind: You seem to be taking this contest in a new direction - without giving away any secrets, what are you doing differently?

Sandra: We are concentrating on quality and creativity.  This is crucial when changing the perception of Strongman Sport. We have just simply fallen in love with this event!

Marco: I just want to bring back the days where strongman was a respected sport.  Without meaning to annoy too many people, I'm glad if we're doing something to shake up the industry a bit, as I feel the sport of strongman has a lot more potential that what currently exists.  To be honest though, we're just very fortunate to have some amazing people around us helping us create our vision.  Without them, none of this would be possible.

For full details on the SCL-London event, including ticket information, please visit the official website.

With Christian Savoie forging the path, Team Canada carved out a victory in North America’s Strongest Man contest today, as Chad Coy once again gave IronMind an update.

“Hercules was won by Karl Gillingham,” Chad Coy reported.  “Second went to Corey St. Clair and third Christian Savoie.  The tire flip was won by Josh Thigpen, second went to Jean-Francois Caroon, and third was Christian Savoie.  The Train Wheel Load was won by by Jean-Francois Caroon, second went to Christian Savoie and third was Scott Cumnie.”

Here are the final scores:

1. Christian Savoie - 94
2. Jean-Francois Caron - 80
3. Josh Thigpen - 74.5
4. Karl Gillingham - 73
5. Scott Cumnie - 65.5
6. Jonathan Connor - 62
7. Corey St. Clair - 55
8. Mike Saunders - 47
9. Grant Connor - 44.5
10. Chad Coy - 43.5
11. Grant Higa - 35
12. Luke Skaarup-28
 
In the team scoring, Canada won 359 to 343 over the US.
 
IronMind’s intrepid reporter, Chad Coy, said, “I had a great hold and placed fifth.  I dislocated my middle finger on the second flip of the tire and placed 11th.  The finger hurt on the wheels and I loaded four, but in the slowest time.  I dropped from 8th to 10th.  I accomplished my goals of walking out on my own two feet, I was not last and, well, a finger is no big deal . . . 21 years of football and a dislocated finger is nothing . . . it only hurts my typing!”

Besides the top Finnish grip-strength specialists, the Finnish Open Grip Championships has drawn some new faces . . . the Russians are coming.

“The deadline has now closed and we have 7 men and 6 women at the Finnish Open [Grip Championships],” organizer Sakari Selkäinaho told IronMind today.  “The event will be televised and will come out on the MTV#Max, the subchannel of our biggest TV channel.”

“The Russian Team looks good and I expect all men to challenge our best; they are not well known grip specialists but have impressive records in other sports that require grip strength.”

“For the women, powerlifter and strongwoman Tatiana Merezko will put Jaana Tanner´s Champion position into danger,” Selkäinaho said.

Here is the lineup:

Men:

* Aleksei Lotov RUS
* Matti Heiskanen FIN
* Juha Harju FIN
* Vasili Kuznetsov RUS
* Timo Tuukkanen FIN
* Jouni Pakarinen FIN
* Maxim Baruzdin RUS
* Jukka Lahtinen FIN

Women:

* Yvonne Häkkinen FIN
* Anna Gudkova RUS
* Galina Fedorova RUS
* Jaana Tanner FIN
* Tatiana Merezko RUS
*Tamara Ochirova RUS

Click here for a recent background article on the Finnish Open Grip Championships and watch this column for news on the latest developments.

 

IMG just made a lot of World’s Strongest Man fans happy, as their new website has been launched.

The new WSM website features 2009 World’s Strongest Man event details, athlete profiles, an online store and much more.

Click here for the latest on the World’s Strongest Man.

“On the 5th of September, in Volgograd, the Power Extreme Federation of Russia jointly with its Volglgrad regional section organized the first stage of Championship of Russia on power extreme [strongman],” Power Extreme Federation’s Katerina Mayorskaya reported to IronMind.

It was a close battle, but Yury Kolmakov won the first stage of the Russian Strongman Championships this weekend.  Aleksandr Mikehaiylov photo.

This was a six-event contest, Ms. Mayorskaya said, with 10 competitors.  “The tournament was attended by by more that 10,000 people, led by Vladimir Turchinskiy, while Mikchail Koklyaev was its chief referee,” said Ms. Mayorskaya.

Here are the results for the top five competitors:

1. Yury Kolmakov - 43.00 points
2. Vladimir Glushko - 42.00
3. Vladimir Kalinichenko - 41.50
4. Alexey Samsonov - 37.00
5. Aleksandr Mancerov - 36.5

“The Federation expresses its special gratitude to the Mayor of Volgograd, Mr. Roman Grebennikov, and the Administration of the city for their valuable support of the tournament,” said Ms. Mayorskaya.

“The US lost a lot of ground” on the second day of North America’s Strongest Man, Chad Coy reported to IronMind.  “Canada is leading the team contest 244 to 224.”

“The Car Hold was won by Jean Francois-Caron, second went to Grant Connor and third was Grant Higa .  The Super Yoke was won by Jean-Francis Caron, Christian Savoie was second and third went to Grant Conner.  The Farmer’s Medley was won by Christian Savoie, the only man to complete the course: 265, 305, 335, 355 all for 50 ft.  Karl Gillingham got second with 199 ft, and Josh Thigpen took third,” Coy said.
 
Here are the individual points after the second day:

1. Christian Savoie - 64 points
2. Jean-Francois Caron - 53
3. Karl Gillingham - 48
4. Josh Thigpen - 45.5
5. John Connor - 45
6. Scott Cumnie - 43.5
7. Grant Connor - 36.5
8. Chad Coy - 32.5
9. Mike Saunders - 30
10.Corey St. Clair - 27
11.Grant Higa - 26
12.Luke Skaarup - 17

This contest is in Gatineau, Quebec and it is organized by Hugo Girard.

After spending the night in the number two position at the U.S. Invitational Heavy Events Championships, Sean Betz wasted no time closing the gap in this prestigious Highland Games competition.

Sean Betz came in second place to Harrison Bailey III on the 22-lb. weight for distance, the final event in the U.S. Invitational Heavy Events Championships, but that was more than good enough to hang onto his lead and leave town with the title.  Randall J. Strossen photo.


Betz was fourth in the open stone, the first event today, but Harrision Bailey III (HB III), the overall leader, was sixth, so this moved Betz to within 1/2 point of HB III.  Scott Rider won the Open stone with a 55’ 10”, followed by Daniel McKim at 51’ 2-1/2” and Rusty Price at 50’ 3”. 

In terms of the Betz-Bailey dual, the pattern continued on the heavy hammer, as Betz was second and Bailey was sixth, which moved Betz into the overall lead.  Michael Pockoski won the event with a throw of 115’ 5”, which also gave him the World Hammer Championships title.  Sean Betz followed at 112’ 1” and then it was Eric Frasure at 111’ 5”.

Harrison Bailey III bounced back for the win on the 28-lb weight for distance (83’); Sean Betz was second (81’ 5-1/2”) and Ryan Vierra was third (81’ 1-1/2”).

Here are the final overall places and points:

1. Sean Betz - 25 points
2. Harrison Bailey III - 27.5
3. Daniel McKim - 33
4. Eric Frasure - 38.5
5. Michael Pockoski - 41
6. Scott Rider - 41
7. Ryan Vierra - 50-1/2
8. Bert Sorin - 55 1/2
9. Rusty Price - 61
10.Lucais McKay - 67
 

Christian Savoie, the reigning Canada’s Strongest Man champion, is leading the North America’s Strongest Man contest on individual points and the USA has the team lead at the end of the first day of competition, Chad Coy reported to IronMind.

Day one had three events: Truck Pull, Max Log and Stones.“Christian Savoie won the Truck Pull; second was Scott Cumnie and third was was Karl Gillingham.  The Log was won By John Connor; Scott Cumnie and Chad Coy tied for second.  All hit 350 lb. - John did it with his second attempt and Scott and Chad on their last.

“The Stones were won by John Connor, with second going to Christian and third going to Josh Thigpen.  These three loaded all 5 stones,” said Coy.

USA leads Canada 121 points to 113 in the team scoring and here are the individual standing and point after the first day:

Christian Savoie - 32 points
John Connor - 29
Josh Thigpen - 26.5
Scott Cumnie - 25.5
Karl Gillingham - 22
Jean-Francois Caron - 20
Corey St. Clair-17
Chad Coy - 15.5
Grant Connor -14.5
Mike Saunders - 13
Grant Higa - 11
Luke Skaarup - 8

“Day two will be Car Hold for time,Yoke Walk and the Farmer’s Medley,” Coy said.  “On a personal note, the Truck Pull is behind me (my worst event), I was not last on any event, I did not get hurt, and I walked out on my own two feet .... Day One’s goals down!”

Pleasanton, California - HB III (Harrison Bailey III) had a big day at the U.S. Invitational Heavy Events Championships - winning three of the four events today and emerging as the leader after the first day of competition at this major Highland Games competition.

Harrison Bailey III is in the driver’s seat at Pleasanton, where he told IronMind that if he can remember his hammers tomorrow, things will be looking good.  Randall J. Strossen photo.


Here are the cumulative points after day 1:

Harrison Bailey III 14.5 points
Sean Betz 17
Daniel McKim 22
Michael Pockoski 25
Scott Rider 26
Eric Frasure 26.5
Bert Sorin 31.5
Ryan Vierra 31.5
Rusty Price 39
10.Lucais McKay 42

The action started with close competition on the Braemar Stone: Sean Betz won with a throw of 37’ 11-1/2”, followed by Rusty Price at 37’ 10-1/2” and then Scott Rider at 37’ 7”.

Bert Sorin won the 16-lb. hammer, and from there it was Harrison Bailey III’s day as he swept through the remaining three events, starting with the 56-lb. weight for distance - where he won\ with a throw of 45’ 5-1/2”.  He was first equal with Eric Frasure on the 56-lb. weight for height (both making 18’)  and then added a victory on the caber to his haul for the day.

Harrison Bailey III was tipped as a early favorite for the podium, and 2008 Highland Games world champion Sean Betz told IronMind earlier in the day that he saw HB III as the man with whom he would most likely be locking horns in the quest for top honors here at Pleasanton - citing HB III’s consistency.

HB III had quite a day and Sean Betz’s crystal ball is looking pretty good, too.

###

Follow the action again tomorrow on IronMind's Twitter account.
 

Congratulations to Taichi Morodomi, who has just been certified as officially closing the Captains of Crush No. 3 Gripper, marking an extraordinary display of grip strength.

Who's new:  Taichi Morodomi - the latest man to officially certify on the No. 3 Captains of Crush Gripper, the universal benchmark of world-class grip strength.  Photo courtesy of Keiko Kawaguchi/Iron Man Japan.


Taichi Morodomi is a 28-year old resident of Fukuoka, Japan who has been training on grippers for a little over one year, so he has impressive talent and drive to achieve this world standard level of grip strength so quickly.

Looking forward, Mr. Morodomi said that he is aiming to certify on the IronMind Red Nail and also on on the Captains of Crush No. 3.5 Gripper.

Congratulations, it is official: Taichi Morodami is now certified on the No. 3 Captains of Crush Gripper and his name has been added to the official list!

If you’re a Highland Games fan and can’t make it to Pleasanton, California this weekend for the World Hammer Championships and the U.S. Invitational Heavy Events Championships, you can follow the action on IronMind’s Twitter page.

Especially because it’s his home field, don’t expect five-time Highland Games world champion Ryan Vierra to just roll over and make it easy for the young guys look good this weekend.  Randall J. Strossen photo.

IronMind will be on the field, feeding real-time updates to the IronMind Twitter page - you won’t be able to smell the grass or hear the bagpipes, but at least you know how the throwing is going.

Lay claim to the having “Queens’ strongest arm” and “maybe qualify for the year-end Empire State Arm Wrestling Finals”  . . . that’s what on the line said New York Arm Wrestling Association (NYAWA) president Gene Camp.

“The ‘Queensboro’ Arm Wrestling Championships is the oldest of all the borough championships,” said Camp, “and it’s also one of the most exciting events of the NY Golden Arm Series because Queens has some of the best ranked arm wrestlers in the entire city.”

For full details, please visit the NYAWA website.
 

Northern California, home of the Pacific Weightlifting Association (PWA), continues its strong program of Olympic-style weightlifting competitions and USA Weightlifting (USAW) coaching certification courses.

Hot off the press from PWA president Butch Curry:

“1. The next PWA event is the California Strength Open in San Ramon.  Please be aware that the date has been changed to Sunday September 27th (instead of Sat. Sept. 26): INFO and ENTRY.

Entries are limited to 50 lifters, so get your entry in early.

2. On October 24 & 25, Three-time Olympic Coach, Jim Schmitz, will be running a USAW Coach Course where you can become a Certified Club Coach or a Sports Performance Coach at CrossFit Modesto in Modesto.  You can register Online at: CLUB and PERFORMANCE.

3. The 46th Annual Golden West Open will take place at California State University, Sacramento (aka Sac. State) on Sunday November 15th.  Info and Entries to follow soon.

4. Of interest to some will be the 2nd Bad Girl Open on Sunday October 18th at FIT in Los Altos.  Because or USA Weightlifting (USAW) and US Olympic Committee (USOC) Rules, this women's only meet will NOT be sanctioned by USAW.  So totals won't count for qualifying for any National Events, but reports from the Bad Girl I are that all participants enjoyed it. Y ou can get more info on the Bad Girl Website.”

A little rain didn’t dampen the spirits at the Birnam Highland Games, where world champion Aaron Neighbour was victorious.

Francis Brebner filed this report for IronMind.

2009 Birnam Highland Games

Reported by Francis Brebner

The Birnam Highland Games, which are twinned with the Livermore Highland Games in California, had a great turnout of top heavy athletes this weekend despite a full week of rain leading up to the Games. 


The current world champion, Australia’s Aaron Neighbour, was on fine form, and along with England’s David Dowson and Scotland’s number one hammer thrower, Craig Sinclair, as well as Daniel Carlin, Stephen Aitken, and former world champion Alistair Gunn, made up the field.  

Before a crowd of over 4,000 spectators, these athletes set the stage for a real skirmish as the Games got under way with the 16-lb. open shot.  Neighbour and Dowson were fighting it out all the way, with Neighbour going the winning distance of 51’ 4” and Dowson following in second place at 50’ 9”.  The 18-year-old rookie of the Games circuit, Daniel Carlin, landed in third spot with 43’ 9”.

In the 22-lb. open shot, again it came down to Neighbour and Dowson, with Neighbour just snatching the win on his last throw with a distance of 44’ 10”.  Dowson was in second place with 43’ 6” and Sinclair was in third with 38’ 11”.

The 28-lb. weight for distance was a sweet victory for Neighbour, who smashed his existing ground record of 83’ 11” established at last year’s Games, replacing it with a new ground record of 86’ 6”.  In second place was Sinclair at 78’ 3”, with Stuart Anderson in third place at 70’ 7”.

In the 16-lb. hammer, there was no question about was going to win:  Sinclair stamped his authority on his specialty event with a winning throw of 129’ 4”.  In second place was Neighbour with 118’ 4” and in third place, Alistair Gunn with 115’.

The 22-lb. hammer was won also by Sinclair, with a throw of 114’ 5”; in second place was Neighbour at 110’ 10” and in third, Gunn at 104’ 8”.

In the caber, which was 19’ with very little taper and 120 lb., the win went to Sinclair with 12:04; in second place was Aitken with 12:10 and in third place was Neighbour with 12:13.

The final event with the 56-lb. weight over the bar was won by Neighbour at a height of 14’.  Sinclair took second at 13’ 6”, and third equal were Dowson, Aitken, and Gunn at 13’.
Overall standings:

1. Aaron Neighbour
2. Craig Sinclair
3. David Dowson

This weekend will see the finale of the Glenfiddich Championships Series at the Royal Braemar Games in Scotland, and the U.S. Championships in Pleasanton, California - both are world-class premier events on the international circuit.

Athletic Director Steve Conway said that things are looking bright for this weekend, with a full field of top Highland Games heavies and beautiful Northern California weather predicted.

Ready to compete in the IHGF World Hammer Championships and the U.S. Invitational Heavy Events Championships, the big guys in kilts will be flocking to Pleasanton, California this weekend.  Artwork courtesy of Steve Conway/Caledonian Club of San Francisco.
 

Dave Brown has been added to the roster as an alternative, Conway told IronMind, and Jim “Big Chief” McGoldrick will present the trophies; so with David Webster on the microphone calling the action and Francis Brebner refereeing, top international talent will be evident at all levels of the competition.

Please visit the Caledonian Club of San Francisco’s official website for full details.

Of course, now that you are locked in mortal combat with gravity, you might wish you had a second chance to stay awake in Physics 101, thinking there might be some secrets that would push up your lifts.

Steve Jeck’s From the Quarry: your source for some rock-solid thinking.  Artwork courtesy of IronMind.


Fear not because Steve “Inver Stone” Jeck has done a little homework for you, as he has been busily digging in his quarry.

Want to see how the wisdom of Albert Einstein applies to your lifting?  Follow the menu from the Training Articles button at the top of the IronMind homepage to Steve Jeck’s “From the Quarry” or click here for a direct link.
 

Chalk up another big one for New York Armwrestling.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg (right) mows down NY Armwrestling founder and president Gene Camp (left) at the 27th Annual White Castle “Kingsboro” Arm Wrestling Championships.  Photo courtesy of Gene Camp/New York Armwrestling, Inc.

 
Giorgi Gelashvili won the men’s overall Captains of Crush Grippers Brooklyn Strongest Arm award, the Arm Star award and the title in two weight classes, but it was New York Armwrestling founder and president Gene Camp who had the honor getting beaten at the table by distinguished guest New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Sponsored by Whitecastle and held at the Brighton Jubilee Festival - with Brighton Neighborhood Association President Pat Singer in attendance - New York Armwrestling rocked the Big Apple once again.

Gene Camp told IronMind, “One of our best events of the year.  Drew a great captive audience and Mayor Bloomberg. This is the first time that the winners of the Captain's of Crush Brooklyn's Strongest Arm awards actually came from Brooklyn. Congrats to [men’s winner] Giorgi Gelashvili and [women’s winner] Joyce Boone.”

For full results, please check the official New York Armwrestling, Inc. website.

The World Strongman Super Series will be coming to Muscle Beach (Venice, California) on November 14, Super Series spokesman Kjell Karlsson told IronMind today.

Johannes Årsjö, winner of Sweden’s Strongest Man last weekend, will be competing in World’s Strongest Man later this month and at the Super Series contest at Muscle Beach in November.  Photo courtesy of Worldstrongman Super Series.

Originally scheduled for October, the contest date was moved since “most of the participating athletes will compete for the World Strongest Man in September [and this] will give enough time for everybody to recover and be fit to fight for a place in the World Strongman Super Series Final in Gothenburg, Sweden, on the 5th of December,” Karlsson explained.

And speaking of Sweden, “Last Saturday, Sweden got a new strongman champion as 24 year-old Johannes Årsjö beat the reigning champion, Anders Johansson, as he won four out of six disciplines,” Karlsson reported.

“Johannes said he is in good shape and the coming months will be really challenging.  He will compete with the world elite in World’s Strongest Man in September, the Worldstrongman Super Series in Venice Beach on the 14th of November and the Worldstrongman Super Series Final in Gothenburg on the 5th of December,” Karlsson said.

We apologize for the confusion, but IronMind has a new Twitter account starting today.

All IronMind tweets prior to September 1, 2009 will remain on our old Twitter account, IronMindEnt, but starting today, all tweets will be on IronMind.

We are sorry for this hassle, but please start following IronMind on Twitter here from now on.

Thank you!
 

“I’m pretty excited about the events in the finals,” Phil Pfister told IronMind today, as he talked about his training for the upcoming 2009 World’s Strongest Man contest.

In 2006, Phil Pfister won the most coveted crown in strongman, World’s Strongest Man, ending an American drought that had lasted almost a quarter century.  Guys the size of Phil dwarf the cars they lift: Phil told IronMind that he’s currently weighing “a lean, mean 369.”  Randall J. Strossen photo.

“I’m really psyched about the finals and could see myself finishing in the top three in all seven events, but you never know,” Pfister said.

Not everything is under one’s control Pfister said, as he explained that you could come in at 100% but a twist of fate might keep you from the top rungs of the ladder, or you could come in at 90 - 95% and hit things perfectly.

“There’s always some luck involved,” said Pfister, who was the first American since the iconic Bill Kazmaier to win the World’s Strongest Man title and in so doing, made good on early predictions that he might be the guy to do just that.

Besides keeping his hand in the top echelon of the strongman, Pfister now works as a community relations officer for Chesapeake Energy, “one of the largest producers of natural gas in the nation and the most active driller of new wells in the U.S."

Pfister, who has a penchant for surfing whenever given the opportunity, said he’s been enjoying “jet skiing and boating . . . stuff like that,” this summer, along with his full time job and family responsibilities.

Releasing a new trailer, Strongman Champions League is getting ready to shake London when it opens at Wembley Arena on October 18.

Event organizer Denim Bison calls it, “the BIGGEST strongman competition to ever take place in the UK!  Over 5,000 people are expected to attend!”

Denim Bison also said, “There's been a rumour [that] a legendary UK strongman will be coming to co-present ISCL '09,” so keep you eye on the official ISCL website and on the IronMind News column and Twitter account for details such as an expected announcement involving “a preferential ISCL hotel deal for those of you coming from afar.”

IronMind was also told that there are “a few posters and flyers remaining,” so if you’d like to promote the event in your area, please email Marco Ruggeriero, ISCL ’09 Event Manager directly.

“We organized 5th stage of Latvian Strongman  Championship,” Vlad Redkin reported to IronMind, as amateur strongman continues to grow internationally.

Left to right: Lauris Gabrans (second place), Roberts Kieperszo (first place), Oskars Laksa (third place) and and Guntars Kusinsh (president of LSAF, Latvian Federation for Amateur Strongman).  Photo courtesy of Vlad Redkin.
 

Held in Riga’s ALFA park, there were six events:

1. Farmers walk: 2 x 110 kg/30 meters
2. Viking Press: 100 kg
3. Deadlift: reps (car)
4. Conan wheel: 350 kg
5. Tires flips: 320 kg/8 flips
6. Truck pull: 75 tons/15 meters

Here are the top five, overall:

1. Roberts Kieperszo (Talsi) 62 points
2. Lauris Gabrans (Dobele) 41
3. Oskars Laksa (Talsi) 38
4. Arturs Zeltinsh (Nauksheni) 33.5
5. Sergejs Makarenko (Riga) 28.5