Pleasanton, California–The Caledonian Club of San Francisco crowned Dan McKim the winner of the Invitational U.S. Heavy Events Championships and the IHGF World Caber Championships, with Mike Zolkiewicz taking the IHGF World Weight for Height Championships and Adriane Blewitt winning the overall women’s title.


The IronMind caber debuted this weekend at the Caledonian Club of San Francisco’s 145th Scottish Highland Gathering and Games.  On Sunday, Dan McKim, who had just won the overall title, added the 2010 IHGF World Caber Championships as well, turning the big stick specially made for the occasion by the California Caber Company’s Frank Lux and Kit Sonneson.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Day two of the U.S. Invitational Heavy Events Championships began with the Open Stone, which Dan McKim won with a put of 51’ 2”.  Sean Betz was second, with 50’ 1” and Harrison Bailey III was third with 48’ 6-1/2”.  The 22-lb. hammer allowed Mike Pockoski to shine once again, and he fired off the winning throw with 116’ 8-1/2”.  Dan McKim was not about to roll over and play dead, though, and he got second place with 111’ 3”.  Sean Betz, stayed in the hunt with a third-place throw, 109’ 4-1/2”.

Headed into the final event, things were tight, with Mike Pockoski trailing Dan McKim by three points, and Sean Betz, just one point behind Mike, was considered the strongest in this final challenge: the light weight for distance.  Betz showed that early calls of his success were well warranted, as he uncorked the winning throw, 84’ 4”, while Harrison Bailey III earned second place with 83’ 4” and Mike Pockoski took third via his 82’ 2” throw.

How close was the battle for the prestigious title?  Sean Betz and Dan McKim were tied at 21 points, with Dan taking the title on countback, and Mike Pockoski was in third place, only one point in arrears.
The afternoon had more in store for the top professionals as the IHGF World Weight for Height Championships and the IHGF World Caber Championships would be contested.

After Mike Zolkiewicz’s blistering throws on Saturday, the sky seemed to be the limit, but maybe when a connecting link broke on the original weight, it symbolized that the magic spell had been temporarily broken.  The new weight wasn’t turning itself over like the old one, Mike Z told IronMind, which is why his throws were still going sky high, but then coming straight back down.  Still, the man who could say, “I’m going to throw 19 feet,” and have people believe him, won.  Following Mike Zolkiewizc, Dave Brown of sling ‘em high fame took second, and 2009 IHGF World Heavy Events world champion Aaron Neighbour took third.

Meant to be a challenge, the IronMind caber was introduced to the world the previous day and the handcrafted creation of Frank Lux and Kit Sonneson from the California Caber Company proved so formidable that it received a haircut that night, taking a foot off its top.  That, plus having the title at stake, was all that Dan McKim needed to turn caber, take the IHGF World Caber Championships victory and polish off his weekend in a big way.  Mike Pockoski was second and Harrison Bailey III was third.


Adriane Blewitt heads off to work—quietly impressive all weekend, she captured the women’s U.S. Championships title in a field that included former world champion Summer Pierson.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.
 

In the race for the women’s U.S. Heavy Events Championships, Adriane Blewitt consistently edged out Summer Pierson as she won “won 7 of the 8 events while setting 2 new field records - 51'9" in the open stone and 46' 10-1/2" in the heavy wt. for distance,” Athletic Director Steve Conway said.  “Summer  Pierson won the caber and placed second in all the other events,” said Conway.  In the Sunday U.S. Championships for caber and weight for height, Summer came out the winner on both, as Adriane waited to come in at a high height and no-heighted.  Summer is clearly better on the caber while Adriane is still trying to get the feel for it,” Conway explained.

And speaking of Steve Conway, the longtime athletic director for these games and an official at top Highland Games competitions worldwide—the man who puts together the pieces to make the heavy events happen for the Caledonian Club of San Francisco and many ten of thousands of fans year after year—was honored for his contributions by the International Highland Games Federation, as was IronMind’s Randall Strossen, for his work covering and promoting the sport.


IHGF vice president Francis Brebner (right) presented an award to IronMind’s Randall Strossen (left), for MILO’s coverage of the Highland Games.  IronMind® | Courtesy of Gary Ellis Photography.
                                                                              
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“Everything is attached,” strongman competitor Derek Poundstone told IronMind today, responding to reports that he might have torn ligament, as he confirmed that his injury was a muscle tear, but that won’t keep him out of the 2010 MET-Rx World’s Strongest Man contest.


Right before Fortissimus 2008, Derek Poundstone was diagnosed with abscessed tooth, but that didn’t keep him from biting into the contest and leaving with the title.  For Poundstone, dealing with pre-contest injuries is familiar territory, and he told IronMind that he plans to compete in the MET-Rx World’s Strongest Man contest despite his torn quad.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


“Muscle tears are unpredictable,” Poundstone said, as he explained that his medical doctor had said there was no way that he would be able to compete in the upcoming World’s Strongest Man contest, and the hard charging Poundstone allowed that he’d personally reached the point where he was saying to himself, “No—I can’t do it.”

But that’s all changed now and Poundstone, who sounds confident and ready to jump in the fray, said that late last week he decided not only that he could compete, but that he would and, fitting his style, he’s already running through events in his mind, ticking off what won’t even be affected by his leg.  Confidence is in no short supply for the strongman who has a history of going from the doctor’s office or the hospital to the field of competition on a somewhat regular basis—always beating the odds as he’s won when the conventional wisdom was that he’d be sidelined.

Focusing on the MET-Rx World’s Strongest Man 2010 contest, Poundstone said, “If it hurts, I’ll just drop out . . . but I don’t think it will happen.”

Meanwhile, while letting his torn quad heal, Poundstone is banging away on his upper body training, doing 315 lb.  x 10 in the seated military press today, for example, along with farmer’s walk shrugs (150 lb. per hand) and side laterals (50 lb. for 3 sets of 12 reps).

“My upper body’s never been stronger,” said Poundstone.  “I’m going to compete . . . What can the body do?!”

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Pleasanton, California–After the first day of competition at the 2010 U.S. Invitational Heavy Events Championships, Daniel McKim and Michael Pockoski share the lead on points, with Sean Betz in third place.


“I’m a freak at my event,” Mike Zolkiewicz declared.  His event is the 56-lb. weight for height, a classic test of power, and making good on his word, Zolkwiecizc lofted an easy 18-footer today before having three close misses at on a world record attempt of 18‘ 10”.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Fitting for the 145th edition of its Scottish Highland Gathering and Games, Caledonian Club of San Francisco athletic director Steve Conway had predicted a top flight showing from this weekend’s heavies and the close competition in the professional class along with Mike Zolkiewicz’s blistering throws in the 56-lb. weight for height have opened things with a bang.

Kicking off the competition, Daniel McKim won the Braemar Stone with a put of 37‘ 7-1/2”, followed by Sean Betz 37’ 4-1/2”) and Mike Zolkiewicz (35‘ 5”).  The light hammer followed, with Michael Pockoski taking top honors (138‘ 9”).  Sean Betz was second (138‘ 6”) and Daniel McKim was third (135‘ 7-1/2”).   The morning events wrapped up with the 56-lb. weight for distance, which was won by Michael Pockoski with a throw of 44’ 9”.  Sean Betz was second, with a throw of 44’ 1”, and Daniel McKim was third, with a throw of 43’ 3”.

Big things were expected in the weight for height as world record holder Mike Zolkiewizc was in the field, along with some others known to punch holes in the sky.  Early predictions of big throws proved accurate as Sean Betz hit 17’ and after Zolkiewicz nailed an easy 18’, he had three strong tries at 18’ 10” in an attempt to break the world record.

The IronMind® caber debuted and it proved true to its name as the 21’ 132-lb. brute was described by announce David Webster as being “the toughest in the world this year” and “very similar to the Braemar caber.”  When nobody turned it, however, “untossable” was added to the description and a smaller stick was brought in—which Harrison Bailey III turned for a 12:00 toss and a win.  Daniel McKim was second (12:10) and Hans Llokema was third (11:45).

Here are the official scores at the end of the first day of competiton:

The action resumes tomorrow, with the IHGF World Caber Championships, the IHGF World Weight for Height Championships, along with the Invitational Heavy Events Championships.

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Featuring 2010 IHGF world champion Larry Brock on the cover, the September issue of MILO® is out, so whether your special interest in the strength world is the Highland Games, strongman, Olympic-style weightlifting or grip, MILO has something to whet your appetite.


G-forces on the field of play: Larry Brock develops some serious rotational inertia on the 28-lb. weight for distance as he spins years of hard work into a big victory at the 2010 IHGF Heavy Events World Championships in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Click here to see the Table of Contents.
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IronMind’s Russian correspondent Sergey Klimakov had a phone conversation with Russian Weightlifting Federation General Secretary Yuri Teryaev on our behalf and while Mr. Teryaev said that he could not yet “give their comments on the composition of the national team at the World [Championships] in Turkey,” there is every expectation that the powerhouse Russian team will include superheavyweight star Evgeny Chigishev.


After making five good attempts at the 2008 Olympics, including a huge 210-kg snatch, Russia’s Evgeny Chigishev polished off this 250-kg clean and jerk, looking as if he had room to spare.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Head Russian weightlifting coach and former Olympic champion David Rigert has noted in recent interviews that the Russian men’s team will concentrate on the categories from 85-kg upward, where the team has traditionally been the strongest.

Based on Rigert’s comments the pool of candidates might well include Rinat Kireev, Apti Avkhadov and Oleg Perepechenov in the 85-kg category; and Alexander Ivanov and Andrei Demanov in the 94-kg category.  In the talent-laden 105-kg category, Dmitry Klokov and Vladimir Smorchkov would seem to be the frontrunners, with Yuri Tegkaev possibly being the most likely backup.

As reported earlier, Dmitry Lapikov has moved up the superheavyweight (+105 kg) category, but he is not expected to be lifting in Antalya—possibly being developed for bigger things to be unveiled at the 2011 European Weightlifting Championships.  Although no official announcement has been made listing the Russian team, the interviews with Rigert give every indication that Evgeny Chigishev will be starting and that he will be joined by either Andrei Kozlov or Chinghis Mogushkov.

“The main objective of the Russian team in weightlifting is a successful performance at the Olympics in 2012 in London,” said Rigert, as reported by Allsport and translated for IronMind by Sergey Klimakov.

Tomorrow, the Russian weightlifting team moves its training camp from Taganrog to a location near Moscow, and an official announcement of the Russian team roster for the World Weightlifting Championships is expected shortly.

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Labor Day weekend is always big in Pleasanton as the Caledonian Club of San Francisco presents its venerable Scottish Highland Gathering and Games, a magnet for many of the world’s best in the traditional Scottish Heavy Events.


Extending its tradition of excellence, the Caledonian Club of San Francisco will be hosting the 2010 U.S. Heavy Events Championships, as well as the 2010 IHGF Caber and Weight for Height World Championships as part of its 145th Scottish Highland Gathering & Games.  IronMind® | Artwork courtesy of Steve Conway.

Previewing the Heavy Events at the Caledonian Club of San Francisco's 145th Gathering and Games

Steve Conway
Athletic Director
Caledonian Club of San Francisco
 
The Caledonian Club of San Francisco’s 145th Gathering and Games is rapidly approaching and this promises to be an exciting event with top notch competition in all the classes.  The Pro class will contend for the combined IHGF World Championship and the 36th U.S. Invitational Heavy Events Championship in the weight for height and the caber; as well as the IHGF Pro Series and the U.S. Invitational Heavy Events Championships in the overall.

With that on the line, you can expect an all out effort from a great international field of athletes: Harrison Bailey, Sean Betz, Mike Zolkiewicz, Larry Brock, Mike Pockoski, Dave Brown and Dan McKim will represent the US; Aaron Neighbour is coming from Australia, Hans Lolkema from Holland and Craig Sinclair from Scotland. 

Larry Brock is the current IHGF World Champion and the rest of these athletes have a number of other championships to their credit.  Mike Zolkiewicz is the current world record holder in the traditional standing style weight for height and Dave Brown is the world record holder in the spinning style weight for height.  Mike may have the edge as it will be standing style only this year; with Dave and the rest of the pro’s pushing him, I’m sure Mike would love to take that record even higher.

The World Caber Championship will see the debut of two beautiful new cabers made by Frank Lux and Kit Sonneson from the California Caber Company.  The cabers have been dedicated to IronMind® and will no doubt prove to be a real challenge; the largest is 21’ and 140 lb., totally fitting for a competition of this caliber.  One favorite  will be Dan McKim, quite possibly one of the best U.S. caber tossers since Ryan Vierra, Mike Smith and Jim McGoldrick.  However, in a class this deep in talent nothing is a given.  Anyone of these world class athletes could walk away with all the titles!                                                                                                         

I also have to mention what an incredible line-up of amateurs that will be competing in the Men’s Amateur, Women’s Open and Masters classes.  John Collins, Mike Dickens, Jonathan Irwin, Spencer Tyler and world class power lifter Chad Aichs to name a few in the men’s class.   U.S. Champion Summer Pierson and World Champion Adriane Blewitt leading a tough class of women including four masters throwers.  Former pro football player Mike Baab taking on a 50+ masters class that includes 2010 World Champion Al Stagner, 2nd place finisher Kel Mulrey and  5-time World Heavyweight Arm Wrestling Champion Jay Lyttle.  Former highland pro and Braemar Games Champion Ken Lowther will have his hands full in the “younger” masters class with challengers Shawn Baker, David Youngberg, Ed Cosner and Anthony Lordi to name a few.  And for the first time at Pleasanton we will have a 60+ masters class, these gentleman will prove that it’s possible to be competitive at any age if you have the determination.  With athletes representing 8 countries and 18 states this promises to be one of the most hotly contested heavy events competitions in the U.S. this year! 

The Caledonian Club of San Francisco would like to invite you to watch one of the biggest and best Highland Games and gatherings in the world.  Please visit http://www.caledonian.org/ for more details.

The IronMind® caber will debut at the 2010 IHGF World Caber Championships held this weekend in Pleasanton, California, when the Caledonian Club of San Francisco presents its 145th Scottish Highland Gathering & Games.  IronMind® | Artwork courtesy of Steve Conway. 

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“In 35 degree [95 F] heat, Ervin Katona was the best of the rest,” Marcel Mostert told IronMind, as the Serbian strongman picked up his second Strongman Champions League (SCL) victory of the 2010 season.


“After winning the SCL–Bulgaria earlier this year, Ervin Katona won in his own country his second Strongman Champions League contest of the 2010 season, the SCL–Serbia,” Marcel Mostert told IronMind today.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Marcel Mostert.


“Newcomer Gery Schlier from Austria did a good job and got fifth place, just 1 point ahead of Golier Brano from Slovakia and Simon Sulaimon from Syria.
“Ervin Katona is now on the third place on the Strongman Champions League ranking [for the 2010 season], with Terry Hollands still leading,” said Mostert. 

Looking ahead, Mostert said, “The finals in the Ukraine in November will crown the overall winner of 2010,” a title that Andrus Murumets won in 2009 and Zydrunas Savickas won in 2008.|

Here are the official results for the top six from SCL–Serbia:

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Congratulations to Carl Donati Jr., who has just been certified on the IronMind Red Nail™, a benchmark short steel bend.


Carl Donati Jr.—an elementary special education teacher who has been lifting weights since he was in sixth grade—has just been certified on the IronMind Red Nail, proving he can bend formidable pieces of steel with his hands.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Carl Donati.


36 years old, standing 5’ 9” tall and weighing 230 lb., Carl told IronMind that over the years he has been lifting he has “gone from sport-specific training to bodybuilding to powerlifting.”  Carl he has has “been bending for nearly two years and am thrilled to have my name on the Red Nail Roster.  I have enjoyed the journey immensely. . .   .”

Congratulations, Carl—it’s official, you’ve been certified on the IronMind Red Nail—and many thanks to Bob Phillips for serving as Carl’s official referee.

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http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/Main/rednail_roster.html

Combine a star-studded field with a picturesque setting and you have a new high water mark for the Highland Games in Belgium, where Ken Lowther won the 2010 International Highland Games Federation (IHGF) World Pro Masters Championships this past weekend.


Ken Lowther, front and center, took top honors at the 2010 International Highland Games Federation (IHGF) World Pro Masters Championships this past weekend.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Marco van der Kelen.

 
2010 IHGF World Pro Masters Championships
by Francis Brebner
 
The IHGF World Pro Masters Championships was a huge success and a big attraction as the crowds flocked to Ooidonk Castle in Belgium.  In the opening ceremonies the Flemish Caledonian Pipe Band and Drums Clan Mackenzie played, followed by the official opening by the Count of Ooidonk. Also there in attendance to greet the championship lineup of athletes was the Lord High Constable of Scotland.
 
The group of international pro masters included Petur Gudmundsson (Iceland), Wout Zijlstra (Netherlands), Alistair Gunn (Scotland), Stephen Aitken (Scotland), Ken Lowther (USA), Andreas Deuschle (Germany), Hans-Dieter Dorow (Germany), Uli Mueller (Germany), Anthony Lordi (Switzerland), Gene Flynn (USA), and Dirk Bishop (Canada).  The pro masters proved tireless in their performances, giving their all with competitive spirit in each event and thrilling the crowd over the entire weekend.
 
Several TV stations were on hand filming the championships and capturing the masters’ world hammer record that was broken by Scotland’s Aitken.
 
The first event with the 22-lb. Braemar stone was a very hard-fought battle between USA’s Lowther and Germany’s Deuschle, with Lowther snatching the event with a put of 41’ 6”; in second place was Deuschle with 41’ 1” and in third place at 38’ 9” was Iceland’s Gudmundsson.
 
The second event, the 28-lb. weight for distance, was won by Aitken with a superb throw of 79’ 1”; in second place was Lowther with 71’ 9” and in third, Gudmundsson at 71’ 6”.
 
The 22-lb. hammer proved to be another victory for Aitken as he stormed the win with a fantastic throw of 109’ 1”.  Lowther followed in second place with 105’ 1”, and Scotland’s Gunn took third at 98’ 4”.
 
In the 16-lb. open stone, it was a very tight field indeed, with Gudmundsson claiming the win with a distance of 51’ 7” and Lowther taking second with 50’ 3”.  In third was Dorow at a distance of 49’ 9”.
 
The caber event, with a caber 19’ long and 145 lb., ended in a tie between Flynn and Lowther, who each secured 12:00 tosses; in third place was Zijlstra with a toss of 11:55.
 
The 42-lb. weight for distance was a close event between the top three athletes, with Flynn holding on to the win with a distance of 49’ 7” and Gudmundsson in a close second place with 49’ 5”.  Aitken landed in third spot with 49’ 5”.
 
The 16-lb. hammer was one of the highlights of the championships, with Aitken obliterating Gunn’s master record of 134’ 11” with a new world record distance of 136’ 3”.  Gunn came in second at 123’ 9”, and Bishop took third at 113’ 2”.
 
The final event with the 42-lb. weight over the bar was won by Flynn at a height of 19’.  Lowther and Aitken tied for second place at 18’.
 
In the challenge caber, which was 17’ 1” long and 160-lb., Flynn won with a toss of 9:50, the only athlete to turn the mighty stick.  Aitken and Dorow tied with 70 degree attempts.
 
Overall placings and points:

We extend a great big thank you to the main organisers Sabien Desmet and Tommy de Bruyn, who put a lot of hard work into this year’s event, making it the best ever traditional Games to date in Belgium.

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Hearing that a shortage of travel funds had terminated plans for qualified young Olympic-style weightlifters to compete in major international competitions, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger pledged to help raise the necessary money, and last night he did exactly that.


California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (center) added his considerable clout to the fundraising efforts of Kevin (left) and Paul Doherty (right), two brothers who have more than gone the extra mile in their schools to build an Olympic-style weightlifting program that uses athletic achievement to create multiple opportunities for their students.   IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.



It began in Columbus, Ohio earlier this year, at the sports festival run by Schwarzenegger and his fitness business partner Jim Lorimer.  Olympic-style weightlifting has been on the program at the  Arnold, as the three-day event is called, since 2003, and this year Sacramento High coach Paul Doherty had a chance to ask the California governor, “What’s it going to take to get you to come to the Kono?”

Doherty was referring to the open weightlifting competition he and his brother have run for five years, named in honor of Tommy Kono, an Olympic gold medalist who also happens to be a Sacramento High alumnus.

The governor asked his aide why the invitation hadn’t been passed along, and said that he would make it there this year.

In fact, as the contest drew near, Schwarzenegger invited Kono to the governor’s office and after visiting, they drove to Sacramento High together.

Besides wowing the Sac High students with his star power, Schwarzenegger explained how, as a teenager, he had been inspired after seeing Tommy Kono in Vienna, Austria - a fateful event because Schwarzenegger said Kono’s performance spurred on his own efforts and what he accomplished as a result led to his being invited to the United States.

The governor also explained to the student-athletes that the lessons they were learning in the gym - working hard, setting goals, achieving progress - would carry over to the rest of their lives.

As an introduction to his program, Coach Paul Doherty handed Governor Schwarzenegger the June 2009  issue of MILO—pointing out the article on Matthias Steiner’s appearance in Columbus, where Schwarzenegger met the young Austrian-turned-German who won a gold medal in weightlifting at the 2008 Olympics.  Doherty then pointed out the article on his school’s weightlifting program, a story not just of achievement on the competition platform, but also the story of kids outperforming their circumstances thanks to an inspired coach making the effort to put together the pieces of the puzzle.

Coach Doherty had also written a letter to the governor explaining his club’s need for financial support and slipped it into the MILO.  Without even opening the envelope, the governor, while thanking Coach Doherty for the book, said that he knew he’d just been asked for financial support, which he then pledged to provide.

Even as they were driving back to the state capitol, one of the governor’s aides sent Coach Doherty a text message asking him how much money he was requesting.

“50,” Doherty replied.

“50K?”

“Yes.”

Last night, at Sacramento’s Lucca Restaurant, Governor Schwarzenegger hosted a reception to benefit the weightlifting program of St. Hope Public Schools, one of which is Sacramento High.  The function was attended by a sample of the political and business elite that is part and parcel of the governor’s network, along with coaches, athletes and supporters from the weightlifting team.  The lifters lifted, the coaches coached and the governor delivered: netting approximately $80,000 for the weightlifting club that the governor explained was in the same position that his was in when he was a 15-year old kid in Austria, lifting for a club that needed travel money.

“We didn’t need as much, but it was the same thing.  That is why I pledged to always help,” said Schwarzenegger, who said he expects great things from these lifters, calling them the next generation that will bring back gold medals in the sport.

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Strongman Champions League launches the seventh stage of its 2010 season this coming Saturday, August 28, in Belgrade, Serbia.


Strongman Champions League (SCL) is set for this weekend’s contest in Serbia—home of Ervin Katona.  Here, he is shown competing at Fortissimus in 2008, where a strongman fan attending her first live contest told IronMind’s Randall Strossen that Ervin Katona was her favorite competitor.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


“The field will be not so strong as usual,” SCL cofounder Marcel Mostert told IronMind, “because we are just a few weeks before World’s Strongest Man [WSM], and a lot of guys want to give their best there.

“We are very proud that our top 10 were invited to WSM this year,” said Mostert.  “It’s a result of good cooperation with Colin Bryce and Giants Live.” 

And the real beneficiary of this cooperation is strongman, overall, as it assures a first-rate field of athletes.  Addressing this point, Mostert said, “I’m totally convinced that the best 30 athletes will be in Sun City this year,” referring to the 2010 MET-Rx WSM venue.

“In Serbia, of course Ervin Katona will be there in his home country, along with other names like Agris Kazelniks and Simon Sulaiman.  But also we will have complete new names there, like Gery Schiel from Austria and Akos Nagy from Hungary.”

The events are Log Lift, Farmer’s Walk, Weight for Height, Deadlift, Car Pull and Atlas stones.

“It will be a nice competition in 30-degree (86 F) heat!," Mostert said, adding that admission is free.

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“I am afraid that Alex Klushev from Russia is out [of World’s Strongest Man],” a source close to the athletes told IronMind.


Alex Curletto, shown competing at the 2010 Europe’s Strongest Man contest held in London's Wembley Arena, will be replacing an injured Alex Klushev at this year's MET-Rx World’s Strongest Man contest.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Colin Bryce.


“He blew his knee out last week.  Ekaterina [Majorskaya] confirmed it a couple of days ago.

“The replacement will be Alex Curletto, ‘Italy's Strongest Man.’  Although he has never officially won the title due to its lack of existence, he has been mixing it up with the top Brits for the last two years and at static events he is truly excellent.  He resides near Birmingham, UK now.

“He came 7th at Europe's Strongest Man in Wembley Arena and is a very worthy replacement for the Russian.

In a quasi-official statement, IronMind was also told, "WSM is very sad to see Alex Klushev drop out of this year’s contest with such a severe injury.  We wish him a a very speedy recovery.  In his place The World Strongest Man has invited Alex Curletto of Italy.  We are very pleased to welcome in such a worthy replacement and wish him the best of luck is South Africa."

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Another way to look at this is what should (and based on Bruce Wilhelm’s experience, what shouldn’t) be in your gym bag.


Olympic-style weightlifting is a pretty minimalist pursuit: one person against a barbell, with no spotters or extraneous equipment, but one glance at Armenia’s Tigran Martirosyan (shown snatching 170 kg in the 77-kg class at the 2009 World Weightlifting Championships) and you can see that you still need shoes, tape, chalk, wraps . . . making the merits of a good, well-packed gym bag hard to contest.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Want some tips on what to bring and why it’s important?  Follow the Training Articles menu on the IronMind home page to Jim Schmitz on the Lifts or click here for a direct link to What’s In Your Gym Bag?

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Featuring Stanley Pleskun (aka Stanless Steel), a man intent on performing such traditional feats of strength such as bending steel, the documentary Strongman is coming to Sacramento’s Guild Theater on August 29.


It’s about Stanless Steel, the stage name of a man (Stanley Pleskun) who levers sledgehammers and bends pieces of steel at will, a man who is certified on the No. 3 Captains of Crush Gripper, and who has made lower arm strength his special home—but as filmmaker Zach Levy told IronMind, Strongman is also about a lot more.  IronMind® | Artwork courtesy of Zach Levy.


Brought to Sacramento by Movies on a Big Screen, “an on-going weekly film screening series which shows documentaries and general independent films, along with some classics and cult titles, “ Strongman is “one of the more involving documentaries on a personality that I've seen in quite awhile, and it works on a number of levels.  At face value, it's a deeply personal look at the subject, Stanley Pleskun (Stanless Steel) while also providing a fascinating look at the world of performing strongmen: what is involved with being successful, and their current status within our culture,” Robert McKeown told IronMind.

Complementing the film, “Chip Conrad of BodyTribe Fitness in Sacramento will be in attendance to talk briefly about the history of strongmen and their shows, and the subsequent demise of the phenomenon to a modern small subculture,” said McKeown.

Mike Corlett, who profiled Stanley Pleskun for the March 2010 issue of MILO (Volume 17 - Number 2) said, “At times raw and uncomfortable, at other times fun and inspirational, Strongman depicts just what is humanly possible when you believe in yourself.”
 


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With its focus on “weapons, tactics and training for the real world,” it’s a given that S.W.A.T. magazine would recognize grip strength can be a matter of life or death.


Jess Banda’s article "Get A Grip" in the September issue of S.W.A.T. magazine makes it clear: Grip training can save your life or someone else’s.   IronMind® | Cover image copyright 2010 S.W.A.T Magazine.  All rights reserved.  Reprinted by permission of S.W.A.T. magazine.


When it comes to “apprehending, restraining and detaining a subject, your hands are your first point of contact,” Banda points out, so if things go south, “the strength of your forearms, hands and wrists will the difference between going home at the end of your shift and becoming a statistic.”

IronMind thinks this sounds like on-target advice, and Banda’s article explains everything from the role of pinching plates to crushing grippers.  For full details, including subscription information, please visit the official S.W.A.T. magazine website.

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Chelyabinsk, Russia hosted “a battle of two strong women,” Sergey Klimakov reported to IronMind, as Uralstrong Federation staged a two-event strongwoman showdown between Marina “The Armor” Kigileva and Aneta Florczyk this past weekend.

Organized by Uralstrong Federation, Marina “The Armor” Kigileva (left) and Aneta Florczyk (right) met in a two-event matchup featuring strongman favorites, the farmer’s walk and a bus pull.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Uralstrong Federation.


“There were two events, and the number of victories was in the ratio 1:1,” Klmakov continued.  “Aneta Florczyk expectedly won the Farmer's Walk, and Marina ‘The Armor’ Kigileva became the first in the Mini-Bus Pull.  It should be noted that the difference in weight in athletes was more than 30 kg in favor ‘The Armor,’ and it helped her win.”

Here are the official results:

Farmer's Walk: 2 x 70 kg for maximum distance

1. Aneta Florczyk:  80.3 meters
2. Marina Kigileva:  74.5 meters

Mini-Bus Pull  (2 tons, 33 meters, two attempts)

1. Marina Kigileva: 25.78 seconds, 27.77 seconds
2. Aneta Florczyk: 33.03 seconds, 33.15 seconds

“Florczyk said that she wants to work in parallel in weightlifting,” said Klimakov, who had a chance to interview the woman’s strength world standout for IronMind. 

“Two months ago, she became the second in women's weightlifting Polish Championship and [said she] will be ready for the championship next year, to be the first.  Also Florczyk said that her firm ‘Aneta-Strong’ [is pursuing] solutions for the organization of the World's Strongest Woman contest in 2011.”

Asked about her grip strength, Aneta Florczyk told Sergey Klimakov that she had recently tried the Rolling Thunder® in training and she, “has done more than the current women's world record.”

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He won the Arnold strongman contest and the Super Series Mohegan Sun earlier this year, so when IronMind asked Derek Poundstone about the 2010 MET-Rx World’s Strongest Man contest, his comments carried substantial gravity.


Derek Poundstone’s strongman career has been characterized by some standout performances, and his string of victories is missing only one big title—the biggest one in the field.  Poundstone is looking to plug that hole this year, as he comes into the 2010 MET-Rx World’s Strongest Man strong, confident and on a roll.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


“I'm feeling good and want to keep my winning streak going this year.  I feel great about the events and am by far the strongest I've ever been,” said the man who has a pattern of making good on his predictions.

Referring to a video his fiance is editing, Poundstone said, “Kristin's putting together some of the insane training I've been doing, but [what’s] most important [is] what I haven't been doing.  I've stopped trying to prove to myself that I'm the strongest with my training.
“I'm training smarter and focusing more on rest.  This has been how I've trained since prior to the Arnold.  So all in all I'm feeling good and the events are great for me.”

Poundstone describes his training as “half rocket science, half Dr. Jeckyll.  It’s a very interesting blend of odd lifts, pain tolerance and brute strength training.”

Not one to idle away his time, Poundstone told IronMind, “I'm heading to South Africa on Saturday for a convention on behalf of Solae, then [to] Japan for a TV show next weekend.”

Just another weekend in the life of an aspiring World’s Strongest Man winner.

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The qualifying heats and the events have just been officially announced for the 2010 MET-Rx World’s Strongest Man contest.

http://www.theworldsstrongestman.com/story_19.php

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Building on its legacy as the leader in strongman, the MET-Rx World’s Strongest Man 2010 is poised to raise the bar yet again as IronMind has received unofficial but highly-credible reports from a World’s Strongest Man insider about the the scope and intensity of this year’s events.


Supersized Phil Pfister, 2006 MET-Rx World’s Strongest Man winner, has the sort of frame and skill set that are well suited for the intense, all-around challenges posed by the WSM contest.  Although some smaller guys have won the contest, the nature of its demands makes this contest the special domain of the truly big and strong—guys who can, for example, deadlift two cars for reps, on demand.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Let’s talk strength for a moment, forgetting about mind-numbing discourses best suited for readers of strength lore and focus instead on what virtually all practitioners and experts would agree take the measure a man’s strength . . . things like squats, deadlifts and overhead presses.  And because this is strongman, let’s be sure to include stones and a farmer’s walk, for example, and let’s use an actual log for the overhead lift.

How about squats and deadlifts for reps, looking at about 340 kg in the qualifiers and then +350 kg in the finals, reminding everyone once again that none of these numbers is official, that WSM officials will announce the actual weights at the time of the final event testing and that events are always subject to change.

Incidentally, Gregor Edmunds is chief of equipment for the MET-Rx WSM 2010 contest, so World’s Strongest Man will once again benefit from having someone bearing a long, close, illustrious association with the contest overseeing this vital function.

Although again unofficial, IronMind has been tipped that the Atlas Stones will range up to 190 kg “on to the highest platforms in the world,” and there is a clear sense that the grandest stage in strongman is being set for an assault on the world record in the Log Lift. 

IronMind has also heard that the Farmer’s Walk implements will be in the range of 160 kg, there is talk of a 95-kg dumbbell, and more, so stay tuned and keep your eye on the official MET-Rx World's Strongest Man website.

“We believe in hitting leg strength, back strength, grip strength, shoulder strength, anaerobic strength, explosive strength  and most importantly in a contest lasting 7 days, mental strength,” a WSM insider told IronMind.

“This show is designed to find the strongest man in the world.  Thus we cover all the major areas deemed necessary to bestow such a great title on someone.  WSM is the original and still the best.  It’s the one that has lasted 30 years and will be here in another 30.  

“Why?  Because it’s the one that the greats have all won and in the future it’s the one they all want to win.”
                                                                       
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Promising “a unique way of developing your grip strength as well as your entire upper body,” the latest John Brookfield Grip Tip once again taps into the gripmaster’s supply of innovative ways to push your grip strength to new levels.


IronMind presents John Brookfield’s Grip Tips: Your go-to source for innovations in grip-strength training.  IronMind® | Artwork courtesy of IronMind Enterprises, Inc.


John Brookfield’s Grip Tips can be found in the Training Articles menu on the IronMind homepage, and this month’s article is entitled Rope Grasps and Release.


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On August 21, the Russian city of Chelyabinsk will be the site of  “a battle between two strong women . . . Aneta Florczyk and Marina “The Armor” Kigileva, reported Sergey Klimakov.


Russia’s Uralstrong Federation is holding a strongwoman contest pitting Aneta Florczyk (Poland) against Marina Kigileva (Russia).  IronMind® | Courtesy of Uralstrong Federation.


Dmitry Kononets, head of the Uralstrong Federation said, “We know nothing about coming international strongwoman contests, so we took the initiative ourselves.  We want to quickly check our Marina in serious competition.”

Here are the events:

Mini-Bus Pull  (1.5 - 2 tons, 33 meters)
Farmer's Walk: 2 x 70 kg for maximum distance

Florczyk has the women’s world record in the latter event, Kononets said, at 150 meters, and he calls her a “a real Ms. All in strongwoman” competition.

“However, Marina Kigileva is not a dark horse,” Klimakov said.  “The girl from Uralstrong Federation earlier pulled an agricultural harvester and rail locomotive (175 tons).  She won many times in the women's tournaments in Russia,” including Rolling Thunder competitions..

“The organizers believe that the battle Florczyk vs. Kigileva has special significance for the development of strongwoman [contests] in Russia,” Klimakov said.  “This duel will give it a new impetus.”

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We had a great event this past weekend as part of our Australian Highlander tour and the formation of the second stage of our Australian Stone tour,” Bill Lyndon reported to IronMind.


Luke Reynolds on the two-handed 70-lb. stone putt.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Kree Combey Photography.
 

“The Southern Highlander was held this past weekend in the Southern Highlands of Australia with some of the best heavies in Australia in attendance.  Under extreme rainy and cold conditions in fine Scottish style, a +1,000 strong crowd enjoyed a fantastic display of strength athletics,” Lyndon said.

The events were stones, stones and more stones:

• 70-lb. two Handed Putt.
• 56-lb. weight for Height
• 18' 140-lb. Caber
• Manhood Stones over a cross bar
• Binks Stone carry (Dinnie Style)

“It was a very hard fought event with some great displays of skill and strength, coming down to the last event with half a point separating Aaron Monks and Luke Reynolds with Luke needing a monumental effort to take the win and take ownership of the champion’s sword.

“Luke took the win in the  final event, the Binks stone carry, with a distance of  40’ 9”, Lyndon said.

Here are the top five overall, officially:

1.  Luke Reynolds
2.  Craig Reid, Aaron Monks (tie)
4.  Eben Le roux
5.  Morgan Westmoreland

“The Highlander-style events are proving very popular in Australia.  With our Scottish and Irish heritage being a very strong factor in the interest in booking many more of these styles of events, the F.A.S.C. is having a very busy year with several more high profile events scheduled for this coming summer season,” Lyndon told IronMind.

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The last year has seen a push to increase the financial transparency of the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), an organization that, for example, reportedly collects hundreds of thousands of US dollars annually for doping violation fines and that has traditionally operated with cash payments and little oversight, its critics charge.

  One of the leaders of the movement to bring IWF finances into line with generally accepted principles of financial management and accounting is European Weightlifting Federation (EWF) General Secretary Marino Ercolani Casadei, who is also a member of the IWF Auditors' Committee. 

Last Tuesday, IWF President Dr. Tamas Ajan sent a letter to Mr. Casadei declaring, “You are hereby instructed to refrain from participating in the activities and meetings of the IWF Auditors’ Committee,” citing a conflict of interest based on what Mr. Casadei describes as “the civil claim initiated by the EWF against IWF in relation to item 15 of the 2008 Balance sheet.”   

Dr. Ajan noted that he had “consulted with members of the Executive Board,” prior to making this decision, but questions have been raised about whether or not his decision represents an Executive Board position.

Over the weekend, EWF President Dr. Antonio Urso expressed his full support for Mr. Casadei, and countered the IWF charge, saying, “I am sure Ajan alone decided to exclude someone who, along with other colleagues, has for the first time in the history of the IWF, started to shed some light on the ‘drama’ of the financial management of the International Weightlifting Federation.”

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David Horne’s World of Grip–World’s Strongest Hands contest kicked off with its first leg yesterday, drawing 59 competitors, all bested by the man himself, David Horne.


Sure, David Horne won the grip contest, but can he bend his medal in his bare hands, too?  Probably.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of David Horne.


“Yesterday was fantastic,” David Horne reported to IronMind.  “Knackered now though!  59 competitors worldwide for this leg, so we're considering it a success so far.”

This meet was run as the digital counterpart to the postal meets that were common in the 20th century, with the same competition format used in multiple locations in Europe and the United States yesterday.  The events were the two-hand pinch, the wrist developer and the Vulcan Gripper.

Here are the official places and points for the top ten:

Elizabeth Horne won the women's competition (3 points); Mary Ann McKeague was second (6 points) and Sherrie Wheeler was third (10 points).

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"Mike Caruso is the latest heavyweight ASC pro and Tom Mutaffis is the new lightweight ASC pro,” Dione Wessels reported from Dallas, the site of the last North American Strongman (NAS) Platinum Plus contest this year.

These victories earned Caruso and Mutaffis their American Strongman Corp (ASC) pro cards, as they climbed the ladder based on their results in NAS competitions.

Here are the top five heavyweight scores, officially:

"In the heavyweight division, it came down to the last event, with small separations in points," Wessels said.  "There are at least ten very good amateurs that will be joining the pro ranks very soon!"

"Tom Mutaffis pretty much ran away with the lightweight division and will do well at the lightweight pro nationals in September," said Wessels.

Please check the official NAS website for full details.

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Sebastian Wenta won the Glasgow Green Highland Games today, with Scott Rider earning second place and Gregor Edmunds taking third place.

Scott Rider won the caber, Lukas Wenta won the shot with 59’ 10” and Gunnar Pfingston from Stuttgart put in a very credible performance, too,” Colin Bryce reported to IronMind.  “Koklyaev made several attempts at 18 feet but fatigue seeems to have got the better of him.”

Why should he be tired?  Well, how about last night’s exhibition?

“Misha did 400 kg x 3 in the deadlift, a 290-kg no-hands 'Koklyaev Squat' (sounds crazy and it was),  a 190-kg snatch, and a 270-kg behind the neck jerk!”

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Just in from Colin Bryce: The very popular Russian strongman Misha Koklyaev will be putting on a show tonight in Glasgow, Scotland, where he promises to deadlift 400 for reps, among other things.


He’s strong at just about everything and tonight, Russian strongman Misha Koklyaev is going to put on quite a show in Glasgow.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.




Calling it a “Master Class with Misha,” Bryce initially said that Koklyaev claimed he would do “3 reps at 400 kg in the deadlift,” but added: “If he feels good, then he will do 4."

“To follow that he will do some snatching and jerking,” said Bryce.  Koklyaev, while not a member of the Russian national weightliftingt team, has more than passing familiarity with the sport: he competed twice at the European Weightlifting Championships (bombing with 190 kg in snatch in 2002; placing 5th in 2004 with a 190-kg snatch and a 230-kg clean and jerk).  Koklyaev has also competed in the Highland Games, but strongman—with its blend of sport and entertainment—has been the perfect stage for the personable Russian strongman who will be making his much-awaited debut at World’s Strongest Man next month.

Koklyaev is a headturner in the strength world, so it's no wonder Bryce calls this, "A seminar not to be missed!”   So if you are in Glasgow, head over to Bellahouston’s Palace of Arts at 7:00 p.m. tonight.

And if you need more, as we go to press, IronMind was just told that Misha has upped the ante and now promises he will do four reps with the 400-kg deadlift and will attempt a “no-hands back squat with 290 kg.”
                                                                       
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Always a ferocious competitor, Bulgarian weightlifter Yani Marchokov (lifting for Qatar as Jaber Saeed Salem) did some damage in the training hall at the 2001 World Weightlifting Championships, shortly before winning the superheavyweight title, and IronMind was there to catch it on video.


Guess who’s coming to eat your lunch?  Say hello to Yani Marchokov (aka Jaber Saeed Salem).  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


As he prepared for this competition, Marchokov’s top training lifts were 210-kg snatch and 260-kg clean and jerk - so if you want to see the final run up by a guy who’s lifted some really big weights, and won the world championships, here’s your chance as a highlights clip of Marchokov’s final workout before winning the worlds has just been added to the IronMind channel on YouTube:


http://www.youtube.com/user/IronMindVideos

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This year’s Spokane Highland Games “attracted a record number of amateur athletes, totaling nearly 30 entries, and an enthusiastic crowd of three thousand spectators,” Francis Brebner reported to IronMind—all paving the way to the 2011 IHGF Heavy Events World Amateur Championships.
 
“Last Friday evening, an IHGF clinic was arranged by Jon McKenzie, the athletic director for the Games, which was attended by 11 athletes, most of whom were novices who showed a lot of potential,” Brebner said.
 
The next day, Reggie Gibbs won the Amateur B class, Jason Montgomery won the Amateur A, Eric Wechter won the Masters and Karyn Dallmore won the Women’s class.
 
“Jon McKenzie said he was very happy with this year’s Games and is looking forward to the Spokane Games moving up a gear next year as it hosts the 2011 IHGF World Amateur Championships,” said Brebner.
                                                                       
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Third-year pro Dan McKim had the hot hand at the Detroit Highland Games, winning all the events in a field packed with talent.

2010 Detroit Highland Games
by Francis Brebner
 
The 161st Detroit Highland Games this past weekend got off to an almighty start for Daniel McKim as he cut through his opposition like Moses through the Red Sea.  Competing in his third year as a pro, Dan made almost a clean sweep of all the events, crushing a lineup of top-class contenders, including Harrison Bailey, Sean Betz, Kerry Overfelt, Mike Pockoski, Chris Chafin, Dave Barron, Craig Smith, Doug Steiger, and Mark Valenti.
 
In the 16-lb. open stone, McKim took the win over his nearest rival, Mike Pocksoki, with a put of 51’ 9”.  In a very close second place was Pockoski at 51’ 4-1/2”, with Smith in third at 49’ 4” and Betz in fourth at 48’ 9”.
 
The 28-lb. weight for distance was another sweet victory for McKim, who prevailed against some of the world’s top-ranked throwers with a winning distance of 82’ 7”.   Bailey followed in second at 82’ 1”, with Betz in third at 80’ 1-1/2” and Pockoski in fourth at 79’ 2-1/2”.
 
The action stepped up in the 22-lb. hammer as several athletes had throws over 110’, with McKim once more coming out on top with a winning distance of 113’ 1”.  In second place was Barron with 112’ 8”, just squeezing Pockoski into third position with 112’ 7”; Betz trailed in fourth place at 110’.
 
The caber event was McKim’s fourth straight victory with 12:00 and 11:30 tosses.  Smith was in second with a 12:00 and a 2:30, with Barron clocking in third with 11:00 and Betz taking fourth with a 2:00 toss.
 
The final event of the competition was the 56-lb. weight over the bar, and Bailey won this event at a height of 18’, followed by Betz and Pockoski at 16’ 10-1/2”.
 
Overall placings:

1.  Dan McKim         
2.  Sean Betz and Mike Pockoski (tie)
4.  Harrison Bailey
5.  Craig Smith
6.  Dave Barron
7.  Kerry Overfelt
8.  Mark Valenti
9.  Chris Chafin
10.Doug Steiger
 
Since the beginning of the season, Dan McKim and Mike Pockoski have been continually improving.  I would have to tip McKim to be a possible of the IHGF World Caber Championships which will be hosted by the Caledonian Club of San Francisco at the 2010 Pleasanton Scottish Games, the second leg in the IHGF World Highland Games Super Series, on 4–5 September.
                                                                       
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A few days ago, a source close to the decision-making process told IronMind that it was hoped the competitors for the 2010 MET-Rx World’s Strongest Man (WSM) contest would be announced this week.

Following the announcement of the competitors, the assumption is that the qualifying groups and the events will be announced in fairly short order.

So, with each passing day, some might argue, the probability of the official announcement of the list of competitors increases.  Nonetheless, what is certain is that this could well prove to be the most competitive of all WSM contests, as the 2010 MET-RX World’s Strongest Man contest will tap into the largest, most talented pool of strongman competitors ever to walk the face of the earth.

Using a simple momentum projection, IronMind is guessing that the structure could well be groups of six in the qualifiers, with the top two competitors going forward to the finals.  Speculation about a heavy log has more than made the rounds as has a general feeling that the WSM event designers have been working overtime planning the 2010 MET-Rx World’s Strongest Man contest.

The leader of the pack is about to flex its muscles.

Continuing to make a big splash in the strongman world, Icelandic giant Haffþór Júlíusson Björnsson “won five out of six events at last weekend’s OK Budar strongman contest on the South Coast of Iceland, Hjalti Arnason reported to IronMind.


Height runs in his family: Haffþór (center), who stands 205 cm tall, is flanked by his 203-mm tall father (left) and his 207-cm grandfather (right).  Incidentally that HP laptop Haffþór is holding was his prize for winning the OK Budar Strongman Championships in Icelandic last weekend.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Hjalti Arnason.


The events were: tire flip, deadlift for reps (260 kg), overhead medley and a weight for height medley (2 16-kg kettlebells, a beer keg and a 56-lb. weight).  Georg Ögmundsson was second and Ari Gunnarsson third.

Haffþór Júlíusson Björnsson “is getting better every day,” Arnason said.  “He is now focusing on the Jon Pal Sigmarsson Classic,” which will be held at the 2010 Icelandic Fitness and Health Expo, November 19 - 21.

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Last Saturday, Sacramento High hosted the Tommy Kono V Weightlifting Championships and as coach Paul Doherty described it, the Hassle Free Barbell Club “put on a display for all to see the next batch of Junior champions in the US's bid to compete against the world's best.”


85-kg D’Angelo Osorio, yet another talented young weightlifter from Northern California, served notice by snatching 120 kg at the Tommy Kono V weightlifting competition at Sacramento High last Saturday.  Sac High’s Mel Lawson Theater had been revitalized for the meet, to better showcase the sport.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Sounds big and it’s not bluff because as Coach Doherty told IronMind, “Jenny Lam, Chioma Amechi, Sae Vang, D'Angelo Osorio, Ian Wilson and Alex Lee all took the next step towards the 2011 Junior World Weightlifting Championships.”

Earlier in the week, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger visited the weight room at Sacramento High, honoring alum Tommy Kono, who was an Olympic gold medalist in weightlifting when Schwarzenegger was just beginning his own career in the iron game.  

Governor Schwarzenegger was rich in his praise of Kono, who he said inspired him, and turning his message to the young student-athletes filling the weight room, Schwarzenegger told them that the lessons they were learning would carry over and benefit them for the rest of their lives.

Hearing that funding shortages had kept some of the young athletes from being able to compete in the 2010 Junior World Weightlifting Championships, Governor Schwarzenegger pledged to the group that he would identify a source of financial support.

With a personal visit by Tommy Kono and Arnold Schwarzenegger priming them for the contest, Coach Doherty told IronMind everything, “The young guns kept firing forward.  Vang set new personal records in the snatch and total with lifts of 98 and 226, while Ian Wilson broke yet another PWA [Pacific Weightlifting Association] record with an incredibly impressive 142-kg snatch.  And armed with a monster clean and jerk, the youngest of the group has no intention of ‘waiting for his turn’ as he continues his furious record-setting pace. 

“85-kg 17-year old D'Angelo Osorio brought his A game to the stage, knocking off huge PRs of 120 and 150 to be considered for contention soon on that Junior Worlds roster,” Doherty said.  “New to the scene but with loads of talent, super heavyweight winner Alex Lee will be one to talk about in March.  The 18-year-old superstar is 6 months out of surgery and qualified for the American Open, where he hopes to post a total that will put him in contention for that [Junior Worlds] team.
 
“Speaking of March,” said Doherty, “the youths may be bidding for their spots on familiar ground as rumors of an international qualifier become more and more real each day.  The celebrity status of the club and the prime location of Northern California have garnered increasing interest for a monumental ‘IronMind Invitational.’ 

“The ‘IronMind Invitational,’ although in infancy now, will soon grow into a roaring reality for USA Weightlifting as the world's best flock to this hub of weightlifting talent," Doherty said.  "And if Ilya Ilin or Matthias Steiner can't humble you into new record lifts, then take a back seat as these new young guns shoot for the stars in 2011.”        


Coach Paul Doherty (left) highlights Sac High’s weightlifting program for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.
                                                           
                                                           
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Lithuania is about to present another huge talent to the 2010 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) contest, as Vitautas Lalas won the final WSM qualifier, Giants Live - Poland, with a most impressive performance and thereby earning a coveted invitation to the king of strongman contests.


Sure, he’s got big arms, but get this: strongman Vitautas Lalas says he can squat 300 kg x 20 reps, and after watching him win the Giants Live–Poland strongman competition this past weekend, Colin Bryce became a believer.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Colin Bryce.



With WSM 2010 coming up fast, Giants Live–Poland took on added significance and the top three finishers earned the most coveted invitation in strongman.  Here are the official places and points:

*qualified for World's Strongest Man 2010

Giants Live director Colin Bryce summed things by saying, “The contest was excellent.  The top three are going to WSM," and as Bryce noted, "All three are new faces to World's Strongest Man."

“Lalas was AWESOME to say the least,” Bryce reported.  “When he told me he had won the Lithuanian Nationals the week before, over [Vidas] Blekaitis, I knew he was strong.  But I didn’t believe him when he said he did 20 reps with 300 kg in the squat.  Well guess what–this guy could run through walls if he wanted to.  He is absolute dynamite.”

Putting Lalas’s victory in context, Bryce explained: “He is a static strongman who took the Poles on in what was a very mobile contest and won.  As for his mental strength,  he was still down in third [place] going into the truck pull, the last event, and he pulled out a victory over Kulaga and Sczcepanski for the overall win.”

Speaking of the third man to qualify for WSM 2010, Bryce said, “Kaluga reminds me of a cross between Mariusz [Pudzianowski] and the late, great Jesse Marunde: very explosive and a big hit with the girls too!”

The podium at Giants Live–Poland (left to right): Robert Szczepanksi (third), Vitautas Lalas (winner) and Janusz Kulaga (third).  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Colin Bryce.

 
                                                                   
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Describing it as “very successful with 40 coaches from the four corners of the US attending,” three-time US Olympic weightlifting coach Jim Schmitz was quick to praise the coaching clinic run by USA Weightlifting at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs this weekend.


As part of the weekend’s seminar, “Frank Mantek (left) and Michael Vater (right) conducted a lecture on German elite team ‘training methods.’ ”  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Jim Schmitz.


“Frank Mantek, the head coach of the German weightlifting team, and his top assistant Michael Vater covered in great detail German elite ‘training methods,’ ‘technique training,’ and ‘developing personalities and team building,” Schmitz told IronMind.  “It was extremely informative and interesting and well received by everyone.  Mike Gattone, USA Weightlifting's High Performance Director and Rick Adams USA Weightlifting CEO did a great job of organizing this great event.”


“Frank Mantek and Michael Vater demonstrated their ‘realanalyzer’ computer for analyzing, coaching, and correcting technique,” Jim Schmitz reported, “with Jackie Berube demonstrating.”  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Jim Schmitz.

                                                                   
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Roaring down the homestretch, Travis “The Texas Stoneman” grabbed the 2010 American Strongman Corp (ASC) USA Pro National Championships last night.


He came, he saw, he conquered: Travis Ortmayer celebrates his American Strongman Corp Pro USA National Championships victory yesterday.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Dione Wessels.


“The contest came down to the last event with a small separation in points,” ASC president Dione Wessels reported to IronMind last night.  “Travis won the stones with Palmer in second.  Mike Jenkins had a great showing in his first pro event."

Wessels confirmed that "the top 11 qualify for America's Strongest Man®" competition coming up later this year at the Mr. Olympia contest.

Asked about the mask given to contest winner Travis Ortmayer, Wessels told IronMind:  "The mask is a trophy.  The census from athletes was they want more unique trophies with a gladiator flair.  Lol."

Not just a hit with the athletes, the competition enjoyed rock solid community support as well, explained Wessels:  "The people in Hot Springs were amazing and true fans!  It was nice to be in arena with about 4,500 fans screaming for strongman."

Here are the top eleven places and points, officially:  

For more details on this competiton and the full calendar of American Strongman Corp events, please visit the official ASC website.

                                                                  
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Sebastian Wenta won the 2010 Killin Highland Games, which returned to a traditional format, Francis Brebner reported to IronMind.


The Killin Highland Games

by Francis Brebner

The Killin Highland Games, formerly the host to events with the Highlander theme, has returned to its roots of the traditional Games.  Held this midweek, it attracted a bumper crowd and its largest number of heavy entries to date.  
 
A total of 17 athletes turned out to compete in the Games, which had a prize list that ran to eighth place.
Amongst the star lineup were Sebastian Wenta, Lukas Wenta, David Dowson, Craig Sinclair, Bruce Aitken, Bruce Robb, Stuart Anderson, Stephen King, and the new Polish putting sensation Dominik Zielinski, to name but a few.

The first event with the 16-lb. open shot proved to be putting at its best, with the top three athletes surpassing 55’.  L. Wenta produced a class put of 58’ 4” for the win, with the rookie Zielinski in second place at 57’ 1” and S. Wenta in third place with 55’ 7”.  The Englishman Dowson came in a respectable fourth place with 52’ 9”.

The 22-lb. shot caused a stir.  Zeilinski blasted out a sensational put of 47’ 10” for the win, this time over L. Wenta, who placed second with a put of 45’ 11’’.  S. Wenta took third place with 45’ 5” and Dowson fourth with 41’ 11”.
 
The 28-lb. weight for distance was a close contest between S. Wenta and Sinclair, with S. Wenta coming out on top at 78’ 1”, with Sinclair in a close second at 77’ 11”.  Bruce Aitken squeezed into third place with 74’ 5” ahead of Bruce Robb, who placed fourth with 73’ 5”.
 
Moving on to the heavy weight for distance, which weighed 50 lb., S. Wenta once again took the honours with a winning distance of 51’ 3”.  In second place was L. Wenta with 47’ 1”, just pipping Sinclair, who took third at 46’ 11”, leaving Zeilinski in fourth place at 46’.

Aitken came into his own in the 16-lb. hammer as he let rip with an awesome throw of 135’ 1” for the win over King, who placed second with 129’ 7”.  In third place was S. Wenta with 120’ 9”, and in fourth, Sinclair with 120’ 3”. 


In the 22-lb. hammer, Aitken notched up his second win with a distance of 109’ 3”.  In second place was Sinclair at 106’ 2” and in third was King at 102’ 10”.  Snapping at his heels in fourth place was S. Wenta at 101’ 5”.


The caber measured over 18’ in length and weighed 125-lb., and L. Wenta nailed the win with a 12:01 toss over big brother S. Wenta, who did 12:05.  King and Zeilinski tied for third place with 12:10. 


The final event, the 56-lb. weight over the bar, was won by S. Wenta at a height of 16’ 6”.  In second place was L. Wenta with 15’ 6”, with a tie between Anderson and Zeilinski at 14’ 6” for third place. 


Overall placings:


1.  S. Wenta
2.  L. Wenta
3.  D. Zeilinski
4.  B. Aitken
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“We are done with day one and Marshall White is the overall leader after 4 events,” Dione Wessels reported from the 2010 North American Strongman (NAS)/ASC Pro USA National Championships last night.


Mike Jenkins (left), who won the Amateur Strongman World Championships at the 2010 Arnold, and Marshall White (right) are in the top two spots at the 2010 NAS/ASC Pro USA National Championships after the first day of competition.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Dione Wessels.


“Arnold Amateur strongman winner Mike Jenkins is looking very impressive in his first professional strongman event.  He and Marshall have been battling with 1st and 2nd place all evening," said Wessels.

Here are the official scores for the top five places after the first day of competition:

 
“[Saturday] we start at 1 p.m. with 330-lb. Axle Clean and Press for reps, Chevy Car deadlift, Ironmind Sandbag Medley, and the Atlas Stones.

“The city of Hot Springs has done a wonderful job bringing in fans and filling the Summit Arena. The event is free to the public,” Wessels said.

In addition to the glory of winning the pro USA strongman nationals, Wessels told IronMind, "the top 11 qualify for America's Strongest Man® at the Olympia."
                                                                   
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California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Olympic weightlifting champion Tommy Kono visited the weight room at Sacramento High School today as the governor showed his support for the upcoming Tommy Kono Open Weightlifting Championships and, specifically, the Olympic-style weightlifting program that coach Paul Doherty has been running at the school.


California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said that as a young man he watched Tommy Kono compete in the World Weightlifting Championships and was so inspired by Kono’s strength and  physique that he redoubled his own training efforts.  The result of this, the governor said, was that he won the Mr. Universe contest, which in turn led to his getting an invitation to come to the United States.  The rest, as they say, is history.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


This Saturday, August 7, Sacrmento High will host the the fifth edition of the Tommy Kono Open Weightlifting Championships and Coach Doherty’s team should have some extra wind in its sails - the governor pledged to help raise funds for the program that qualified more of its young athletes for the Junior World Weightlifting Championships this year than the club could afford to send.

Please click here for more details on the 2010 Tommy Kono Open Weightlifting Championships.

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Turnabout is fair play and this time it was Gregor Edmunds who edged Scott Rider, with Edmunds taking the title at the Skye Highland Games by one point today, Colin Bryce reported to IronMind.


Nearly 10- month old Wee Laurence Bryce looks perfectly comfortable being at the hot end of a microphone as his dad, Colin, takes a break from calling the action at the Callander Highland Games.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Colin Bryce.


“Just been told Mike Z[olkiewicz] beat the legendary Skye 56 record," Bryce said.  "It’s now 16 feet and it is a total dead weight - no ring.  [Scott] Rider again hit a ground record in shot 57’ 6".   But good hammers saw Gregor [Edmunds] to an overall one point victory.  Mike Z was third."

Also, here are some more details from the Callander Highland Games, courtesy of Colin Bryce, with these being the top throws:

Shot: 59 feet by Scott Rider
28-lb. for distance: 88 feet by Scott Rider
56-lb. weight for height:  17’ 6" by Mike Zolkiewicz
Light Hammer: 134 feet by Gregor Edmunds

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IronMind doesn’t have a full report on the action at the 2010 Callandar Highland Games, but we do know that Scott Rider edged out Gregor Edmunds in a close clash to win the overall title.


Scott Rider won the overall men’s title at the Callandar Highland Games and Adriane Blewitt won the women’s World Caber Championships.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Colin Bryce.

Colin Bryce, who was on the field in Scotland, told IronMind, “. . . World Caber for women was won by Adriane Blewitt.  And Scott Rider pips [Gregor] Edmunds by a point with a final throw of the 56 for distance to take the win.  Sebastian [Wenta] was third.”

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Ironically, it’s how hard you train during times of no progress that might well determine your overall progress, not to mention your ultimate high water mark, and that’s the subject of Steve “Inver Stone” Jeck’s latest gem from his quarry.


We call him Steve “Inver Stone” Jeck for good reason, because it was Steve Jeck who doubtless sparked the contemporary interest in this signature manhood stone:  When Jeck visited Scotland, hoisted the Inver Stone and sent a letter to IronMind about his adventure (MILO, Vol. 1 - No. 4; January 1994), he changed the course of the modern day strength world.  Artwork courtesy of IronMind®.


Sound a little too Zen-like for the land of might and muscle?  Read the latest gem Steve Jeck has mined - he calls it Success, for very good reason.

For more, click on the link or go to the Training Articles button at the top of the IronMind home page and select Steve Jeck’s “From the Quarry.”


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Bruce Aitken won the Halkirk Highland Games, but young Jamie Gunn made quite an impression - Francis Brebner filed a contest report with IronMind.


Bruce Aitken beat quite a field to take top honors at the Halkirk Highland Games.  IronMind® | File photo by Francis Brebner (taken at the Costa Mesa Highland Games several years ago).


2010 Halkirk Highland Games
by Francis Brebner
 
The 2010 Halkirk Highland Games held on 31 July attracted a large entry of heavy athletes from throughout Scotland, including Aaron Neighbour, Jason Young, Bruce Aitken, Craig Sinclair, Murray Gunn, and Alistair Gunn, as well as Alistair’s 18-year-old son Jamie and a 17-year-old local lad, Sam O’Kane.  With individual Scottish Championships titles up for grabs in the 28-lb. weight for distance and both the light and heavy hammers, all the major players had their sights on winning, as Halkirk is well known for awarding substantial prizes.
 
The day was overcast with several light rain showers, but that did not deter the several thousand spectators who came out to watch the festivities of the championships and the opening of the Games by The Right Honourable Viscount Thurso MP.
 
Over the years the Halkirk Highland Games have been host to many legendary athletes.  Geoff Capes made his debut in Halkirk some 25 years ago, winning all of the events except for both hammer events, which were won by then up-and-coming local athlete Alistair Gunn, preventing a clean sweep by Capes.  Capes also set three ground records that day, which have since been broken by other international competitors.
 
The 22-lb. shot was the first event of the day and it was the powerful Young who, at over forty years old, won with an amazing putt of 45’ 3”.  Aitken and Neighbour battled for a close second place, with Aitken beating Neighbour by a whisker with 42’ 3” and nudging Neighbour back into third place at 42’ 1”.  Sinclair finished in fourth place with 41’ 7”.
 
Young dominated the 16-lb. shot as well, with a great putt of 50’ 3”.  Aitken once more held on to second place with 47’ 1”, and Sinclair moved up to overtake Neighbour for third place with 46’ 3”, leaving Neighbour in fourth place at 45’ 3”.
 
Moving on to the 56-lb. weight for distance, Sinclair took the top honours over Aitken with his throw of 40’ 8”.  Aitken placed a close second with 39’ 3”; Young was third with 35’ 6”; and M. Gunn finished fourth with 34’ 2”.
 
In the next event, Sinclair regained his Scottish 28-lb. Weight-for-Distance Championships title with a throw of 77’ 2”.  In second place was Aitken with 75’ 10”.  M. Gunn moved up a gear into third place with a distance of 72’ 2”; and Neighbour came in fourth at 71’ 9”.
 
The Scottish 16-lb. Hammer Championships was won by Aitken with a great throw of 137’ 1”.  In second place, with a well-under-par throw, was Sinclair at 121’ 2”; Young was hot on his heels at 119’ 2”; and M. Gunn finished fourth at 118’ 2”.
 
Aitken kept up his good form with his second event championships win, this time in the Scottish 22-lb. Hammer Championships, with another vast throw of 111’ 3”.  Sinclair finished in second place with 104’ 9”, and M. Gunn upped the pace for third place again at 99’ 3”, followed by Young in fourth at 97’ 5”.
 
The 56-lb. weight over the bar was won by Neighbour at a height of 15’.  Sinclair, Aitken, and Young tied for second equal at 14’ 6”.
 
In the 16-lb. sheaf toss, Neighbour won with a throw of 29’, leaving both A. Gunn and Aitken tying for second equal at a height of 27’.  Sinclair, Young, M. Gunn and J. Gunn tied for fourth with tosses of 25’.
 
The final event, the caber, was won by Young with 12:01; in second place was Aitken with 12:03, third, M. Gunn with 12:06, and fourth, Sinclair with 11:50.
 
Overall results

1.  Bruce Aitken

2.  Craig Sinclair
3.  Jason Young
4.  Aaron Neighbour


Keep a close eye on Jamie Gunn in the near future—at only 18 years of age he is following in his father’s footsteps, and I anticipate that with the proper coaching from Dad, we could be looking at another generation of hammer champions.
 
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Strongman Project’s Heinz Ollesch has reported on the German Strongman Championships, which were won by Igor Werner.


German Strongman National Championships winner Igor Werner on the yoke.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Heinz Ollesch.
 
“Germanys strongest Man 2010 is Igor Werner,” Heinz Ollesch told IronMind today.  “He also won in 2007."

“The events were: Log Lift for maximum, Car Deadlift, Yoke Race (365 kg for 30 meter), Tire Flip (380 kg for 20 meters), Beer Keg overhead lift (100 kg for reps), and Farmer’s Walk (125 kg, 60 meters for time). 

“Igor equaled the German record in the Beer Keg overhead lift with 12 reps in 75 seconds,” Ollesch said.

Here are the overall top ten:
 

*winner in the 105-kg category; injured in the Tire Flip


I

Here’s the medal/prize ceremony group photo for the 2010 German Strongman Nationals.  Heinz Ollesch, himself a 12-time winner of Germany’s Strongest Man, heads up the Strongman Project, which produces top national and international strongman competitions in Germany.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Heinz Ollesch.
 
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“The Champions Have Been Crowned!,” North American Highlander (NAHA) founder D.J. Satterfeld reported to IronMind, with the NAHA National Championships producing “three new champions and two back-to-back champions.”


Charles Kasson, heavyweight champion, on the tire flip.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of D.J. Satterfield.


Summing things up, Satterfeld said, “It was a very warm, sunny day and the competitors put in some stellar performances,” as he filed this report with IronMind.


2010 North American Highland Nationals Championships
by D. J. Satterfeld

Amy Wattles from Idaho, won 5 of 6 events in a dominating performance, becoming NAHA’s first Women’s National Champion.  The Masters division saw John O’Brien from Missouri win his second national title in a row. 

The lightweight division was a battle all day with Corey Kenkel of Iowa coming out on top to win his first National Championship.  The middleweight division was once again dominated by Mark Wechter of Oregon, winning 5 of the 6 events and also becoming a back to back NAHA National Champion. 

In the closest battle of the day, the heavyweight division, Charles Kasson of Nebraska  took the crown. “Charles and Matt Vincent(2009 NAHA Heavyweight Champion) battled it out all day, with each winning  three events and each getting three 2nds, so it came down to body weight and Charles weighed 3lbs. less, claiming the victory.

This competition was once again a benefit for Camp CoHoLo, a local cancer camp for children ages 6-17.  We were fortunate enough to raise over $2,200 bringing our four-year total to $10,000 in donations to the camp.  The camp is run on donations only.

A highlight of the day was 10-year old Megan McConnaughey.  Megan is a camper from the camp and is fighting a serious battle of cancer right now.  “We were honored to have Megan attend the competition for a short while and say a few words to thank everyone and talk about the camp. It was a very humbling moment for all in attendance.

NAHA will have a full write-up, pics and scores posted on their website later this week.

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Reporting from Poland, NAS president Dione Wessels told IronMind that the top three from the Amateur Polish Strongman Championships will “qualify for the Amateur Strongman World Championships at the Arnold Sports Festival 2011!”


Here’s the podium from the 2010 Amateur Polish Strongman Championships.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Dione Wessels.

Wessels described the contest as featuring “very intense competition with over 10,000 fans watching.”  Mateusz Baron won, Robert Cyrwus was second and Krzysztof Schabowski was third.
                                                                     
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Terry Hollands’ season was off to a roaring start before a torn biceps put the brakes on his rush toward a top finish a the 2010 World’s Strongest Man contest, but before you count him out, guess who’s going to be competing in Sun City after all?


Despite tearing a biceps earlier this year, Terry Hollands will be competing at WSM 2010.  Here, Terry is shown down a 405-kg hip belt squat/hip lift.  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Terry Hollands.


“I would let you know I will be fit to compete at WSM (World’s Strongest Man),” Terry Hollands reported to IronMind’s Randall Strossen today, with an announcement that will be widely cheered by strongman fans.   “Although I won't be at full strength, I will be there and giving it everything I have as usual,” said the man known for having a heart as big as the rest of his body.

“My arm is progressing very well and last week [I] started back deadlifting and pressing.  Although I know my chances of winning this year have probably gone, I am still going with the intention of making the final. 

“I continued to train through all my recovery as much as I could and I am hoping this will help me get back to full strength quickly.”

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Showing the interest generated by the show, speculation about World’s Strongest Man 2010 details swirl well in advance of the official announcements, and now that the guessing game involving the location and dates of the 2010 edition of WSM has ended, and the primary players are known even if not yet announced, interest has shifted to speculation about the events.


In the days of some of the biggest names in strongman history, a log lift in the range of 160 kg was world class.  In Paris earlier this year, Zydrunas Savickas banged out 6 reps on a 160-kg log in less than one minute for a new Strongman Champions League (SCL) record.  IronMind | Randall J. Strossen photo.


A persistent rumor has been that you’d better be strong on the log lift this year if you want to win the title, and this was reinforced yesterday when a WSM insider told IronMind pointblank, “If you want to be World’s Strongest Man this year, then . . . train the heavy log.” 

At World’s Strongest Man 1989, mighty Bill Kazmaier hit 165 kg and Jamie Reeves did 170 for the win, reversing their best lifts at World’s Strongest Man the year before.

Time marches on, though, with a variety of factors changing along the way, and while nobody would claim that it was performed under clinically-identical conditions, Zydrunas Savickas has demolished the old world records in the log lift: His current best official lift stands at a whopping 212.5 kg, an SCL record, and if that’s not enough to garner your respect, Zydrunas has a personal record in training of at least 220 kg.

So, as World’s Strongest Man fans anticipate the 2010 contest, consider the very real possibility of a maximum log lift in the finals: Not just exciting in its own right, but certain to help determine who walks away with the biggest title in strongman, along with rewriting the World's Strongest Man record in the maximum log lift.

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The inaugural German Heavy Events (Highland Games) Championships were won by Gunnar Pfingsten, and IHGF vice president Francis Brebner has filed a contest report with IronMind.


Gunnar Pfingsten, winner of the 2010 German Highland Games Championships gets ready to pick the caber.  IronMind® | Robert Katenbeisser photo.


2010 German Heavy Events Championships
by Francis Brebner

On July 10 - 11, the 2010 German Heavy Events Championships was held in the picturesque town of Angelbachtal, Germany for the first time.  The Games was organized by Petra und Uli Müller, the Athletic Sport Association of Ludwigsburg-Oßweil, together with the MacManiacs from Angelbachtal.  The local association is part of the German Federation run by Manfred Mühlenhaus and Dr. Claus Dethloff, president and vice president of the Deutscher Highland Games Verband, which is also affiliated with the IHGF.



A total of ten athletes competed for the German Heavy Events Championships title; unfortunately, Markus Vortriede missed the competition due injury. 



In the 16-lb. open stone it was a real tussle between Gunnar Pfingsten and Andreas Deuschle, with the lead changing several times.  Eventually Pfingsten won with a put of 53’ 4-3/4”, with Deuschle in second place at 50’ 7-1/2” and David Frey in third place at 45’ 11”.
 

Next up was the 28-lb. Braemar stone and again there was a very close contest between Pfingsten and Deuschle, with the victory once more going to Pfingsten with a put of 34’ 8”.  Deuschle finished in second place with 33’ 5” and Frey was in third place once more with a respectable distance of 31’ 3”.

The 28-lb. weight for distance saw Pfingsten notch up his third straight win and establish a new German national record in the process with a distance of 81’ 4”.  Frey came in second with a throw of 73’ 6”, and in third place was the very talented 21-year-old Benedikt Tillemans at 66’ 3”.



In the 56-lb. weight for distance, it was Frey this time who showed a clear win with a distance of 36’ 2-1/2”—almost 6’ over Pfingsten, who placed second at 30’ 5”.  Tillemans finished in third place at 29’ 5”.
 
Moving on to the 16-lb. hammer, the competition proved very thrilling for the many German fans watching as German hammer record-holder Tillemans established a new German national record of 123’ 2”.  Pfingsten came in second with 117’ 5” and Austrian Martin Schiller finished third with 115’ 7”.
 


The next event was the 22-lb. heavy hammer, and once again Tillemans was on form, establishing his second German national record with a fantastic distance of 104’ 6”.  Schiller placed second at 90’ 7” and Pfingsten placed third at 90’ 2”.

In the 56-lb. weight over the bar, Pfingsten was back on top with his fourth win of the Games at a height of 13’ 8”.  Frey and Deuschle tied for second place at 13’ 1”.

The caber toss was the final event and it was won by Frey with the only successful 12 o’clock toss; Tillemans finished in second place and Pfingsten in third.



Overall points:

Both Manfred and Claus were very happy with the lineup of top A-division contenders who battled it out for the German Heavy Events Championships title and also to see new national records being established.  
 
Asking Manfred about Highland Games in Germany, he said, “For a start we had three Games.  This has now grown to 14 to 15 official Games and is still rapidly growing.  The future of Highland Games is looking very good here in Germany and for the new breed of German athletes that is coming into the sport.
 


“Several national records were established for Germany as we saw the quality and standards rise from the top Highland Games A-group athletes, a clear sign of what is to come in the near future.
 
“It will be fantastic to see some of our top athletes compete in next year’s IHGF World Amateur Heavy Events Championships in Spokane, Washington, USA.”



Here’s the field from the 2010 German Highland Games Championships.  IronMind® | Robert Katenbeisser photo.


 
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The big news in the strongman world yesterday was that World’s Strongest Man winner Zydrunas Savickas had gotten married over the weekend, but there’s more to the story because yesterday marked the beginning of his training specifically for the 2010 World’s Strongest Man contest.


Zydrunas Savickas is a strongman who keeps his lip buttoned and lets his performances speak for themselves.  But don’t think quiet means docile:  This photo was taken seconds after Zydrunas realized he had won the 2009 World’s Strongest Man contest and there are teeth in that look.  IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Yesterday, when Zydrunas Savickas told IronMind that he had launched his World’s Strongest Man (WSM) training that day and that “honeymoon will be after WSM,” it seemed like perfect timing to ask if the strongman who combines little talk with big results if he would take some questions on several key points.  Zydrunas kindly obliged us.

Setting the stage, strongman can be a game of wits and wile as well as strength and speed, so we had a concern about what Zydrunas could feel he might comment on without giving away any secrets to his competitors.  Not to worry, though, because Zydrunas told IronMind, “I do not have any secrets.  I just train hard.” 

Talk about being in character:  While some strongman competitors seem to put more energy into developing and presenting their on-stage personas, coming across as more sizzle than steak, Zydrunas Savickas quietly chugs away.  It’s kind of like when the flashy-looking sports car breaks down and sits by the side of the road while an unassuming yet unstoppable tractor passes it by.

The final product in sports is spectacularly physical, but the psychological component provides the underpinnings, something that might be forgotten when your subject is an imposing figure weighing more than twice an average man and whose strength is roughly equal to that of a handful of average men.  Yet, when asked what advice he would give a young boy who saw strongman on TV and decided he wanted to be a strongman when he grew up, the first thing Zydrunas said was, “You can be the strongest.  You must believe.”

Focus is a big thing in all forms of competitive activity and when you talk sports, the competitive landscape is shaped primarily by your fellow athletes.  So, IronMind asked Zydrunas, “Last year, everyone expected the World's Strongest Man contest to come down to a battle between you and Mariusz [Pudzianowski].  This year, who will be your main rival(s)?”

“I think it will be between me, Misha, Brian, Derek, and Travis,” Zydrunas said, referring to Mikhail Koklyaev, Brian Shaw, Derek Poundstone, and Travis Ortmayer, respectively.  That’s quite a talent-laden short list and IronMind would bet that all on it are going to be flattered that Zyrdunas Savickas mentioned them as top prospects for the WSM 2010 title.

When Jamie Reeves first introduced me to Zydrunas Savickas, he explained that Zydrunas was a 400-kg IPF squatter, a matter of no mean distinction, so it was natural to ask Zydrunas whether he missed powerlifting competition.

“I miss powerlifting competition, but it’s too hard to compete [at the] same time in strongman and powerlifting contests.  I not compete in powerlifting [in] 5 years, but I will come back for a few contests for sure.”

“What do you think about having so many powerlifting federations?  What do you think about all the support gear?,” was our followup, and Zydrunas replied, “I agree only IPF organization and I compete on this federation’s competition.  I think powerlifting must stop using support gear.”

For the past month or so, a hot thread on the IronMind Forum has been The Future of Strongman, with 32 pages of posts and nearly 9,000 views.  One of the dominant questions has been whether or not strongman needs a single, unified federation in order to advance, and while there have been numerous posts from leading names in multiple facets of strongman, there has been a noted shortage of comments from the top active competitors themselves.

Zydrunas Savickas not only is the current World’s Strongest Man winner, but he’s also the owner of buckets of strongman records, is a recognized king of shoulder and back strength - two key components in any reasonable assessment of strength - and is the only man in the world to have won World’s Strongest Man, the Arnold strongman contest, Fortissimus, and the IFSA world championships.  So with his credentials, just what does Zydrunas Savickas think of this weighty question?

“For sure, strongman must have one strong federation.  It’s only one way to go forward,” Zydrunas said.


Zydrunas Savickas and his bride Jurgita make a Hummer look particularly good:  Zydrunas Savickas won a few Hummers at the Arnold strongman contest, but when he sent IronMind this photo yesterday with the caption “ wedding car :) ” we had to ask if this was one of them.  “I sold all Hummers,” Zydrunas said.  “I just used my friend’s Hummer for wedding.”  IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Zydrunas Savickas.
                                                                     
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