Montmagny, Québec - Never without a quick answer, when Derek Poundstone was asked for his thoughts right before he started his turn at the final round of stones - his last chance to beat Zydrunas Savickas and claim the Fortissimus title - he mentioned his name, saying that we'd find out if he was worthy of it.


It was 517 pounds, but this was the stone that stood between Derek Poundstone and the Fortissimus title. Poundstone loaded the stone, the only man to do so, for which he won the title and he was crowned, "The mightiest man on the planet and the modern day successor to Louis Cyr." IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.
 

And pound the stone he did - the only man to load the 517-pound Cyr stone, taking the title and capping a great effort in which he hounded Zydrunas Savickas the first day, but came into day two in second place. That would change, though, as Poundstone pulled ahead today, although he and Savickas were battling neck and neck. Still, Poundstone wasn't ready to claim victory when he got ahead: "I don't like to count my chickens until my eggs hatch," he said, when people were ready to congratulate when he first pulled ahead of Zydrunas Savickas.

Derek Poundstone never lost his sense of humor either, because when he was second to Zydrunas on the one-arm dumbbell medley, he quipped, "At least I beat Travis - that gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling inside."

At that point, Poundstone led Savickas by one and a half points, but Savickas won the Atlas stones and Poundstone was third. With just the natural stones left, Savickas blazed through the first two, but was stopped by the third stone - the 517-pound monster. If Poundstone were to beat Savickas, he'd have to do what nobody else had managed - he would have to load this beast, and that's just what he did.

"Derek was fantastic tonight," Paul Ohl said. "Incredible, really. The challenge was met."

Here are the final places and points:

1. Derek Poundstone 119
2. Zydrunas Savickas 118
3. Sebastian Wenta 84.25
4. Louis-Philippe Jean 83.5
5. Travis Ortmayer 76.5
6. Mikhail Koklyaev 76.5
7. Mark Felix 67.5
8. Stefan Solvi Peturrson 63.75
9. Andrus Murumets 62
10. Christian Savoie 42.5
11. Arild Haugen 40.5
12. Ervin Katona 36.5
13. Dominic Filiou 25.5

Zydrunas Savickas won the Jon Pall Sigmarrson award for the highest total weight lifted over the two-day competition - a contest that ran approximately seven hours the first day and eight hours the second day!

As on the first day, the stands were packed again today with hugely enthusiastic fans who seemed to enjoy every moment of this epic strongman contest, proving that IronMind®'s immediate confidence in Québec as the natural home for this competition was founded on a rock as solid as the one that Derek Poundstone lifted for the title.

Montmagny, Québec - It was the last event, he was the last man to go, and in the end, it was lifting the last stone that gave him the title: Derek Poundstone had done what nobody else had managed to do when he got the 517-pound Louis Cyr stone on its pedestal, and that was just what he needed to win Fortissimus tonight.

Here are the top three:

1. Derek Poundstone 119 points
2. Zydrunas Savickas 118
3. Sebastian Wenta 84.25

More to follow.

Montmagny, Québec - It was seven hours, but the packed house stayed until the end, as Zydrunas Savickas and Derek Poundstone pulled ahead of the rest of the field in a strongman contest featuring some of the top names on the professional circuit.


Zydrunas Savickas went into the lead on the first event, when he won the Sigmarrson Wheels deadlift. As another element in its traditional tone, rather than being held in a stadium, Fortissimus is being contested in a large tent pitched on a field in the small town of Notre Dame du Rosaire, Quebec. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.
 

After the first day, here are the top ten:

1. Zydrunas Savickas 59 points
2. Derek Poundstone 57.5
3. Andrus Murumets 45
4. Sebastian Wenta 43.75
5. Mikhail Koklyaev 38.5
6. Travis Ortmayer 36.5
7. Louis-Philippe Jean 35.5
8. Ervin Katona 31.5
9. Mark Felix 31
10. Stefan Solvi Peturrson 29.25

Although Zydrunas Savickas started and ended the day with the lead, Derek Poundstone pushed him hard every step of the way. "It's kind of funny that the heaviest guy and the lightest guy are in first and second place," Poundstone told IronMind®.

Poundstone had pulled himself equal in points with Zydrunas Savickas going into the last event today, and finished ahead of the big man on the Husafell stone, but then he lost ground on the power stairs, saying, "I was in a lot of pain - I kept hoping to hear the whistle."

Both Poundstone and Savickas are proving to be very popular with the fans, who remained enthusiastic throughout this marathon day of strongman competition - winning high praise from the competitors for their support.

Montmagny, Québec - The Fortissimus opening banquet last night featured the many elements that came together to allow what had once sounded like a far-fetched dream to take solid form in a small Quebec town - a town with the vision and the faith to create and host a strongman contest unlike anything ever seen.


Under the watchful eye of Paul Ohl (left), head of the Fortissimus organizing committee, Randall Strossen (right) draws the names to determine the order for the first event. IronMind®
 

Paul Ohl, Louis Cyr scholar and strongman supporter extraordinaire, was approached by Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire Mayor Carl Dubé who proposed that Ohl organize a major strongman contest in his town. Paul Ohl agreed, and over the coming months the contest named Fortissimus began to take form.

IronMind® was quick to recognize the huge potential contribution such a contest could make to strongman, and the very idea of an independent competition based in Québec was one we found very exciting. The plan developed by Paul Ohl gained traction and over the coming months, a start list of the world's elite strongmen was assembled.

Last night, Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire Mayor Carl Dubé explained how the focus is usually on large cities, but that little towns like Montmagny can also do great things, and Paul Ohl summarized the journey that led from his initial conversations about Fortissimus to the contest that begins today.

Magnus Samuelsson, Zydrunas Savickas and Randall Strossen were inducted into the Louis Cyr Hall of Fame at last night's banquet - Samuelsson and Savickas for their accomplishments as athletes, and Strossen for his work as a journalist and photographer.

Here is the starting order for the first event, the Sigmarrson deadlift:

1. Arild Haugen
2. Zydrunas Savickas
3. Andrus Murumets
4. Ervin Katona
5. Mark Felix
6. Travis Ortmayer
7. Louis-Philippe Jean
8. Dominic Filiou
9. Christian Savoie
10. Sebastian Wenta
11. Mikhail Koklyaev
12. Derek Poundstone
13. Stefan Solvi Petursson

And, even though the first event in this year's competiton is still hours from beginning, discussions about Fortissimus 2009 have already begun. For now, though, sit back and get ready to enjoy the show.


Sculptor Germain Desbiens (left) very kindly took a moment to explain to Randall Strossen (right) some of the key features he incorporated into the design of the Fortissimus Hall of Fame awards. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Sam Dube.

Montmagny, Québec - Derek Poundstone did what he said he would at the Super Series Mohegan Sun Grand Prix, beating Mariusz Pudzianowski and winning the contest, and then Travis Ortmayer swept up the Super Series Madison Square Garden title, pushing Poundstone into second place in the process, so when these two guys hit the line at Fortissimus tomorrow, consider their matchup to be the contest within the contest.


Derek Poundstone (left) and Travis Ortmayer (right) signed autographs this morning in Montmagny, Québec. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.
 

Derek Poundstone and Travis Ortmayer are flexing their muscles these days, not as bodybuilders throwing poses, but as strongmen showing that they are leading the way not just among the Americans, but also among the best in the world. First, though, it's between them.

"I'm finally hitting my stride," Derek Poundstone told IronMind®, explaining that the rivalry between him and Travis Ortmayer is so fierce that if this went on forever, "We would end up killing each other from pushing so hard."

Travis Ortmayer makes no bones about the competition between himself and Derek Poundstone: "The heat is on." Saying that he wishes all his competitors good luck and an injury-free competition, the man who says he's "the best stone lifter of all time," added his bottom line, "Watch out . . . this is my year."

What's the story on the so-called "credit card set," "the old IronMind® rules," and the "new IronMind® rules" for certification on the world famous No. 3 and No. 4 Captains of Crush® Grippers?


Ready, set, go! Getting certified on the No. 3 or No. 4 Captains of Crush® Grippers requires a legal starting position, not to mention grip strength that's off the charts. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.
 

Here's a quick summary that will clear away the confusion and get you on your way to the kind of grip strength and gripper supremacy you would like.

Let's talk sets, as in the starting position for closing a gripper.

As explained in the book Captains of Crush® Grippers: What They Are and How To Close Them, in the very early 1990s, before IronMind® developed Captains of Crush® Grippers, we sold grippers made for us by Warren Tetting - IronMind® had decided to reintroduce the grippers that Warren had made for Peary Rader about 25 years earlier, but had been out of general production for nearly two decades. We always liked these grippers and we thought other people would enjoy them too, so we rolled up our sleeves and started beating the drum, spreading the word about these little wonders. Because some of these grippers were unusually wide, it could be difficult to get your fingers properly wrapped around the handles unless you had a hand the size of King Kong's, so IronMind® advised people to put the gripper in what we called the "sweet spot" before starting their crush. And when IronMind® began certifying people on the No. 3 Captains of Crush® Gripper in 1991, starting with Richard Sorin, this was the way things were done, with gripper placement being as natural and simple as anyone would expect.

Life went on merrily and after a while, a fellow, whom we'll call Bill, was bitten by the gripper bug and he started working the Internet to create a virtual grip world. Bill would go on to have one telephone conversation with Joe Kinney, the first man certified on the fearsome No. 4 Captains of Crush® Gripper, and he wrote an e-book that he claimed was an adaptation of Kinney's training. Joe Kinney, for the public record, was never told that this book was being written and has said that the ideas do not represent his thinking.

Its training programs aside, this e-book taught people what became known as the "deep set," which in straight English meant starting one's crush with a narrower than normal gap in between the gripper handles . . . and this is when the train went off the tracks.

As if by magic, guys instantly "got stronger," as they "closed" grippers that had eluded them only a short time before. To get an idea of how effectively this deep set can work, load up a bar to 100 pounds (45 kg) over your best squat and - using proven spotters or a tested power rack - give it shot in an IPF-approved style. Next, after you've crawled out from under the bar, unload it, put it back in position, reload it, and this time, try to do a quarter squat instead of a legal lift.

Voila! This time you were successful, right?

And this is what Bill's system brought to grippers: just as shortening the stroke would enable you to "break your PR squat by 100 pounds," Bill's system churned out guys who could suddenly "close" a No. 3 Captains of Crush® Gripper. When IronMind® saw what was going on, we thought, "Hey, that's fine if you want to do partial movements, but please don't tell us that this counts for closing a Captains of Crush® Gripper."

IronMind® came up with two possibilities: requiring, minimally, either a one-inch gap at the start or a two-inch gap, and after consulting with a number of people, we decided to give the one-inch gap a try, announcing this in the IronMind® News column.

This announcement was made on February 11, 2003, and after a year of trying this new guideline, seeing that one-inch had rapidly deteriorated into sometimes more like one-half inch and that it really did not represent the grand tradition of these unique grippers, we said, "No more - not with Captains of Crush® Grippers."

We figured that someone else could come along and use maybe a one-half inch start if they'd like to, but there was no reason for IronMind® to cheapen the best-known, most respected feat of grip strength . . . the very thing that ignited the grip fire that burns today. And so in March 2004 IronMind® instituted what has become known as the credit card rule. Here are links to the related stories from the IronMind® News column:

http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/Articles/2004/Mar/Captains_of_Crushx_Gripper_Certification_The_Challenge.html

http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/Articles/2004/Mar/Captains_of_Crushx_Certification_Full_Credit.html

http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/Articles/2004/Mar/Captains_of_Crushx_Certification_Hand-i-Craft.html

http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/Articles/2004/Mar/Captains_of_Crushx_Certification_No_Second-Class_Citizens.html

If you've followed this so far, you now understand that the starting position for certification on Captains of Crush® Grippers remained unchanged for 12 years, so if anything qualifies as "the old rules," these are they; and then for one year, the one-inch rule was tried - as a way to disallow the partial movements favored by some members of Bill's board.

However, IronMind® deemed the one-inch rule a failure, with its inconsistent judging and lowered standards - it violated the spirit of this celebrated feat of grip strength and it marginalized grip guys in the process. Thus, IronMind® devised and implemented a new standard - the credit card rule - that at once is historically accurate, manifestly objective, and unquestionably universal. In other words, it preserved the heritage and tradition of the Captains of Crush® Challenge, it used an unwavering method for defining a legal starting position, and the measurement tool was readily available worldwide.

Despite some initial protests, the credit card rule has been a huge success and broadly embraced in the grip world, allowing grip guys to both get stronger and prove their mettle, and lest anyone suggest that it makes things too hard for the new guys, consider the fact that Richard Sorin - the first man ever certified on a No. 3 Captains of Crush® Gripper and the man whose feats of grip strength did more than any others to inspire people to take up the challenge - put his money on the table and re-certified under the current rules, demonstrating a sense of honor equal to his prodigious grip strength:

http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/Articles/2007/Nov/Richard_Sorin_xThe_First_Last_and_Oldestx.html

The credit card rule is elegantly simple, but some people are still confused about how it works, maybe because it's so straightforward: the width of a credit card is the minimum acceptable starting position. Period.

Please note especially that you do not have to start a legal crush at the width of credit card - you can start wider, completely unset, for example, if that's what you prefer. All you have to do is demonstrate that a credit card fits between the bottoms of the handles before you begin your official squeeze.

That's it - simple as pie - and as we have told people since 1990, there really is a secret to closing a No. 3, but it has nothing to do with deep sets or e-books with dubious DNA: you just have to be really strong and squeeze really hard.

The Mighty Casey struck out when it counted most, but not so for the weightlifter Casey Burgener, and now, with his slot at the Beijing Olympics hanging in the balance, the leaders of USA Weightlifting are doing everything in their power to get this mighty Casey to the 2008 Olympics.


Casey Burgener (USA), shown lifting at the "Good Luck Beijing" Olympic Test Event held at the Olympic venue in January, remains one step from actually participating in the Games - despite earning the slot, first for his team and then for himself. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.

It reads likes the mercurial script of a surreal play: first the USA men's weightlifting team earned three Olympic slots, based on the team's performance at the 2007 World Weightlifting Championships, a designated Olympic qualifier. Stop the presses, though, because when all the drug tests were completed, the disqualification of some lifters - none from the United States - changed the team rankings, causing the U.S. men's Olympic weightlifting team to lose its precious three positions.

"How could a clean team be penalized because others were dirty" was the obvious and resounding question, one that might end up playing a central role in what happens next with Casey Burgener's fight to get to the Beijing Olympics.

Proving that it's never over until it's over, though, USA Weightlifting hastily sent a team of its top men to compete in the Pan American Championships earlier this year, with the goal of performing well enough that the three slots would be regained - which they were. And, as is fitting, the battle for that third slot on the USA men's Olympic weightlifting team came down to the final lifter at the Olympic Trials, where Casey Burgener, the very lifter who had amassed the most team points at the 2007 World Weightlifting Championships, made the lift he needed to get on the team.

It was a great moment, infused with drama and a sense of poetic justice, but the joy was short-lived because USA Weightlifting was subsequently told that, in fact, it did not have the third men's slot.

With a never-say-die attitude, USA Weightlifting Acting Executive Director Dennis Snethen told IronMind® today, "We are going to arbitration, based on the material sent to the governing body (USA Weightlifting). We are doing everything we can to get Casey that slot."

As the tug-of-war over this slot continues, it's easy to wring hands and join the doomsday brigade, but IronMind® thinks that nerves of steel backed by positive thoughts are better suited for the challenges ahead: "Casey Burgener, lifting in Beijing" . . . say it a few times and get used to the sound.

Congratulations to everyone who was part of the NYC Big Apple Grapple XXXI, the international arm wrestling championships at the the Jacob Javits Center last Sunday.

This was another home run for Gene Camp's New York Arm Wrestling Association (NYAWA), as his organization ran this competition as part of The Bar Show, at New York's Jacob Javits Center. IronMind® extends its special congratulations to winners of the Captains of Crush® Grippers awards:

Travis Bagent, NYC King of Arms
Josee Morneau, NYC Queen of Arms

Mike Hall, Arm-Star Award (amateur)
Jason Hall, Arm-Star Award (amateur)

Please check the NYCARMS website for complete results and a schedule of future NYAWA contests.
 

"So, the Champions League train rolls farther," Marcel Mostert told IronMind®, "with its next stop in Vilnius, Lithuania, on 19 July."


Travis Ortmayer was third in the Strongman Champions League competition in Holland, producing a performance that earned the respect of Marcel Mostert. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Marcel Mostert.

"It will be spectacular again, as we are going to do a plane pull with a Boeing from Lithuania Airlines. It will give for sure great pictures and filming, as Zydrunas will look small against a plane with its huge wings."

IronMind® has made much of Marcel Mostert's predictions in the past. "People keep asking me about winner predictions," said Mostert, "as I was right again in predicting the winner in Madison Square Garden in the USA. I'm happy for Travis that he won; he showed in our Strongman Champions League competition in Holland already that he was in good shape. We hope to see him back soon in the Champions League for his first win maybe there!"

And as for what he sees in his crystal ball on July 19:

"Well," said Mostert, "it's in the home of our leader, so I think we all can guess it!"

Francis Brebner has filed this report on the 2008 World Stone Putting Championships.


Ryan Vierra, who is nursing some injuries, has his eye on Pleasanton and Braemar later this year, not to mention Edinburgh next year. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Francis Brebner.
 

World Stone Putting Championships by Francis Brebner

This year's World Stone Putting Championships, which was held in Campbell, California, included an outstanding line-up of athletes, including Ryan Vierra, a former title-holder in this event; the current World Stone Putting champion, Larry Brock; the formidable Dave Brown; Mike Pockoski; and Andrew Hobson.

The first event for our heavy athletes was the 22-lb. Braemar stone put. Vierra took top honours with a distance of 38' 4-1/2"; in second was Brock with 36' 11", and in third, Pockoski with 35' 8-1/2". 

In the 56-lb. weight for distance, Brock triumphed over Vierra, with a throw of 42' 6", with Vierra close behind at 41' 6-1/2" and Brown in third with 39' 7".

In the 28-lb. weight for distance, again Brock dominated Vierra, with a throw of 83' 9", with Vierra having to settle for second at 81' 7", and Brown in the third spot with 76' 7-1/2".

In the 16-lb. hammer, Brock showed his top form, throwing the hammer 140' 1/2" for his third win of the competition, with Vierra again in second but still very close to Brock with a throw of 138' 5". In third was Pockoski with 126' 4".

In the 56-lb. weight over the bar, Brock again took his fourth event win with a height of 17' 6"; Vierra followed in second at 17', and Hobson in third at 16', rounding out the top three.

The next event was the caber, weighing in at 120 lb. and 20 ft. It was tossed by Vierra for a perfect 12 o'clock, which caused a quite a stir amongst the thousands of spectators as this caber has only been perfectly turned three times in the last decade and a half, Jim McGoldrick and Peter Gudmundsson of Iceland being the others who were successful with it. Brock took second on 11:30, and Brown third on 9:30.

Our final event of the Games was the 17-lb. World Stone Putting Championships. The Games Committee of Campbell, which included top international Highland Games judge Steve Conway of Scottish Heavy Athletics (SHA), made a change in the rules, allowing the top three stone throwers from the amateur Braemar competition to compete in the Championships at the end of the day.  This was encouragement for the amateurs to be able to compete alongside some of their pro idols in the sport.

The top three amateurs in their combined stones totals and master (40-49 class) Ron McKee were invited to compete for the World Stone Putting title only. Their scores did not impact the pro marks for their aggregate totals, and they did not compete for the prize money. It made for an exciting competition. This change in the rules allowed Rusty Price of California to showcase his talent by putting with pros. Rusty, virtually a newcomer to the Games circuit, has been competing in the Amateur A Class for just over two years, and has been training under the watchful eye of Ryan Vierra in the past year.

I asked Vierra what he thought the outcome would be, and he said, "I would have to say Rusty Price . . . he is putting well over 55' in practice, and if he keeps his cool and doesn't let the pressure get to him, I think he may well go farther. I have been training him now for about a year or so and I see real potential in this athlete. I would go so far as to say that in the next few years, we could see him in the top ten ranking list in the USA."

As the competition got underway, Rusty Price spun out a first throw of 52' 11", which was to lead over both Vierra and Brock, who were trailing with 51' 11" and 48' 8" respectively. In the second round, Price hit throw of 55' 6"; Vierra and Brock did not improve, leaving Price in a turf patch of his own going into the third and final round. With no pressure, again Price increased his lead to 56' 8-1/2", and with no gains from either Vierra or Brock, the young rookie had taken his first world stone-putting title.

Asking Vierra about his own overall performance, he said, "I was very happy, especially with the hammer, but my problem is that it will take me at least two weeks to recover from an old re-surfacing shoulder injury, and this is why I am having to pull out of competing in this year's Highland Games circuit in Scotland, Ireland, and France."

A six-week stint in Europe had been prearranged, along with fellow American competitors Larry Brock and Sean Betz. Ryan said he was disappointed to have to pull out, as he was very much looking forward to this year's tour of Scotland again and competing against the best European throwers in the world:

"I had a bad start to the season earlier with a injury to my calf muscle, which I have fully recovered from, but now I have the shoulder problem, which is causing me real problems, especially when throwing the hammers. There is no point in making it any worse, and in Scotland we would be throwing them at least three to four times a week in various competitions.

"So I have decided to take some time off and rest up for a while, competing in just a minimal amount of Games this year, giving it a chance to heal, but later building up slowly and focusing all of my attention on the USA Invitational Championships in Pleasanton in late August. If all goes well, I will then consider heading over to Scotland to compete in the Royal Braemar Gathering.

"And just to put an end to talk that I am retiring - not just yet is all I can say - I have my sights set on competing in next year's World Championships in Edinburgh, Scotland and am already thinking out my new game plan."

Andrus Murumets has produced enough outstanding performances that nobody should be surprised when he uncorks another great effort, as he did this weekend, when he won the Strongman Champions League contest in Bulgaria - defeating Strongman Champions League series leader Zydrunas Savickas.


Andrus Murumets (center) was the king of the hill when the Strongman Champions League came to Sofia, Bulgaria. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Marcel Mostert.
 

Here's how Marcel Mostert called the action for IronMind®.

"On a very sunny day in the open air in Sofia, Andrus Murumets beat the leader in the Strongman Champions League, Zydrunas Savickas. This was the fourth competition, now named with its head sponsor as the 'Jack Daniels Champions League Bulgaria,' and it was a success again.

"After six events, and with a new world record again (as so far in each Champions League competition), we crowned Andrus as the best man of the day.

"Despite the new world record from Zydrunas, seven reps with a massive log of 155 kg in 60 seconds, the big Z could not beat Andrus in the end. Even with the Atlas stones (130 - 180 kg), Andrus was a split second faster than Zydrunas.

Here are the final places and points:

1. Andrus Murumets, 62 points
2. Zydrunas Savickas, 57 points
3. Ervin Katona, 53 points
4. Stoyan Todorchev, 47 points
5. Agris Kazelniks, 43 points
6. Igor Pedan, 42 points
7. Jani Illikainen, 38.5 points
8. Okeksandr Lashin, 30 points
9. Simon Sulaiman, 25.5 points
10. Zsolt Szabo, 22 points
11. Gollier Brano, 20.5 points
12. Zdravko Zanev, 19.5 points

The latest John Brookfield "Grip Tip" shows you how effective pinch grip training doesn't have to be a drag . . . or does it?

If you want to wake up your lower arm muscles with something new, follow the link from the Training Articles button at the top of the IronMind home page.

"Jason Kristal is the 2008 America's Strongest Man," American Strongman president Dione Wessels told IronMind®, as Kristal moved up from third place after the first day of competition to claim the title at the ASC U.S. National Championships yesterday.

Jason Bergmann was second, Van Hatfield was third and Nick Best was fourth. The following places were: Marshall White, Tom McClure, Brad Dunn, Nick Brugal, John Conner, Gerard Benderoth, Dan Ford, Chad Coy, Brian Turner, Warrick Brant, and Ryan Bakke.

"It was a great show; all of the athletes displayed pure guts the entire two days. Mike Johnston and I appreciated all of those who came out, including the staff, Bill Kazmaier, and the fans who were glued to their seats for two days."

This was a two-day competition and things got off to a big start on day one: "Impressive highlights were Nick Best with 15 reps on the two-inch axle deadlift for reps," Wessels told IronMind®, "and the stone for height was the highlight of the day.

"It was a last-man-standing event, and a crowd favorite! Newcomer John Conner and Jason Kristal stayed in up to 70 inches with a 365-pound stone. And the most impressive was Tom McClure, with the 360-pound stone at 70 inches."

At the end of the first day, "the overall top three were Tom McClure in first, with a 6-point lead, followed by Jason Bergmann, second, and Jason Kristal in third."

New York City - It was packed at Madison Square Garden's WaMu Theater tonight, and the predictions proved true that the men to beat were Derek Poundstone and Travis Ortmayer.


He called it bittersweet, saying, "This was the first time I failed to load a stone," but a lot of people would be happy to trade places with Travis Ortmayer, as he won the Super Series Madison Square Garden Grand Prix tonight, for top bragging rights and a guaranteed invitation to the 2008 World's Strongest Man contest. Randall J. Strossen photo.


Between these two, Derek Poundstone had the edge coming in - he was coming off a big win at the Super Series Mohegan Sun Grand Prix, followed by a solid second-place performance at the Arnold, but even Derek Poundstone's biggest supporter - no less than Bill Kazmaier - allowed that "maybe Travis Ortmayer can do something."

The big Texan certainly did do something - he proved to be the master gardener, winning in front of a packed house . . . It was his first Super Series contest and by virtue of his win, Travis Ortmayer qualified for the 2008 World's Strongest Man contest.

"Do you think you can win World's Strongest Man?" Colin Bryce asked Ortmayer.

Pausing a second, as if to consider the question, Ortmayer replied without blinking an eye: "Of course I can."

Here are the top six:

1. Travis Ortmayer, 32.75 points
2. Derek Poundstone, 29
3. David Ostlund, 24.5
4. Brian Shaw, 21.5
5. Oli Thompson, 19
6. Mark Felix, 18.5

In addition to his winning the title, getting a guaranteed invitation to WSM, and his cash prize, Travis Ortmayer was awarded the Eleiko barbell set used for the deadlift event, a magnificent prize presented by Eleiko president Lennart Blomberg.

And for Derek Poundstone fans, here's a bonus: Be sure to watch Good Morning America tomorrow, June 22!

New York City - It was world-class, as the Super Series strongman contest set for Madison Square Garden's WaMu Theater on Saturday, June 21, gave New Yorkers a live demonstration of what's coming: Derek Poundstone ripped a phone book in half, Jarek Dymek flipped a tire, and Phil Pfister pulled a double-decker bus down 7th Avenue, in front of a sidewalk lined with fans and members of the press.


Phil Pfister thrills the crowd and gives the press an eyeful on 7th Avenue today, in front of Madison Square Garden, promoting the Super Series strongman contest set for Saturday night at The Garden. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Thanks to Super Series and Madison Square Garden, strongman has gone big time, and the headliners from today's exhibition will be on hand when the world-class field rolls out for real at the WaMu Theater this Saturday.

And talking world-class, it's official that Janne Virtanen will be joining the field, taking Hugo Girard's place, so that's one more World's Strongest Man winner you can see in person if you're in Manhattan this weekend.

If you can't make it to New York in the flesh, here's the next best thing: IronMind® has just learned that strongman.tv will be broadcasting the competition live, so check www.strongman.tv for the full details.

Originally set for June 21, the Strongman Champions League competition for Bulgaria has been rescheduled for June 22, IronMind® was just told.


Ilkka Kinnunen and Marcel Mostert, the founders of the Strongman Champions League, have introduced strongman contests around the world. Next stop for the Strongman Champions League is Sofia, Bulgaria. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Ilkka Kinnunen.
 

The contest will be held in front of the National Theater in Sofia, Bulgaria, featuring six events, with the action beginning at 5:00 p.m.

IronMind® has just received the schedule for the Strongman Champions League competition that will be held this summer as part of 2008 Venetian Fireworks show in Kokkola, Finland, on August 29 - 30.

On Friday, August 29, the strongman contest kicks off with the truck pull, at 8:00 p.m. (20:00), followed by a log lift and a keg toss later that evening. The strongman action continues the next day, starting with the car hold at 8:30 (20:30), and then continuing with the power stairs. There are many other exciting things going on there as well, and advance tickets are available from: www.lippu.fi.

The Fortissimus Hall of Fame, featuring seven categories of achievement, has just opened.

For full details on the categories and the 14 people named for honors, please visit the Fortissimus website and click on the Hall of Fame button.

"Coming with the Hall of Fame, FORTISSIMUS has created the LOUIS CYR AWARD OF MERIT, a prize honoring those who will be formally inducted," explained Paul Ohl. "Three of this year's nominees will receive that award at the FORTISSIMUS banquet, to be held Friday, June 27, 2008, the evening prior to the opening of the competition."

New York City - Super Series is raising the bar in strongman, bringing some of the top names in the professional strongman world to the WaMu Theater at Madison Square on Saturday night, June 21, and this morning things started on Fifth Avenue at Central Park as CBS The Early Show covered the action.


Derek Poundstone, one of the favorites for Saturday's Super Series strongman contest at the Garden, wowed the crowd on Fifth Avenue this morning. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


With Mariusz Pudzianowski, Jarek Dymek and Phil Pfister jumping on a double-decker bus loaded with screaming young ladies, Derek Poundstone lit up the Fifth Avenue crowd by tearing a phone book and then pulling the bus.

Tickets for Saturday's contest are available from the Madison Square Garden box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, and online at www.thegarden.com.

At 11:00 this morning, there will be more great pre-contest events, including another bus pull, in front of Madison Square Garden, on 7th Avenue, between 32nd and 31st Streets.

Turning up the heat for Saturday's Super Series strongman contest in Madison Square Garden's WaMu Theater, some of the world's top strongmen will be pulling a bus in front of Madison Square Garden at 11:00 am tomorrow, on 7th Avenue, between 32nd and 31st Streets, as well as performing other feats of strength.

Tickets for Saturday's contest are available from the Madison Square Garden box office, all Ticketmaster outlets and online at www.thegarden.com.

If you have enjoyed watching the World's Strongest Man show on TV, here's your chance to see the stars of the strongman world in person, at Madison Square Garden.

Douglas Edmunds is returning with the second edition of his Highlander Challenge World Championships - another made-for-television event that features big, strong guys in a contest, and what distinguishes this competition is that it mixes strongman and Highland Games events, in a setting with historical overtones - the pieces are assembled in a package that is intended to be fully engaging for television audiences.


Douglas Edmunds' Highlander World Championships are set for July 19 - 20. IronMind® | Art courtesy of Douglas Edmunds.
 

Edmunds has talked about the need to "sex up" the Highland Games, and with his experience in professional strongman, it was natural for him to combine the two disciplines, while also drawing liberally from history, with the resulting package clearly aimed to produce the kind of drama that will appeal to television viewers.

The Highlander Games World Championships are set for Scone Palace (Scotland), June 19 - 20.

Here are the final, official results from the Globe's Strongest Man contest, held in Moscow on June 14 - 15.


Janne Virtanen (left) and Stoyan Todorchev (right), who placed second and first, respectively, pause for a photo op. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Jyrki Rantanen.

Follow are the places and points:

1. Stoyan Todorchev (Bulgaria) 71 points
2. Janne Virtanen (Finland) 64 points
3. Elbrus Nigmatullin (Russia) 52.5 points
4. Vidas Blekaitis (Lithuania) 50.5 points
5. Tarmo Mitt (Estonia) 50 points
6. Karl Gillingham (USA) 48 points
7. Sebastian Wenta (Poland) 46.5 points
8. Mark Felix (United Kingdom) 44 points
9. Mihail Sidorichev (Russia) 39 points
10. Boris Haraldsson (Iceland) 33 points
11. Rolands Gulbis (Latvia) 24.5 points
12. Sergei Rumin (Belarus) 16 points

Top Highland Games competitors were active this weekend - following are summaries from the Georgetown Highland Games and from the Kansas Highland Games.


Greg Hadley won the Georgetown (Canada) Highland Games over the weekend. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Greg Hadley/Francis Brebner.

Francis Brebner filed this report for IronMind®:

The Georgetown Highland Games (Toronto, Canada) has been running a heavy events competition for the past 20 years and always attracts the top Canadians, combined with one or two top Americans.

This year's field included Greg Hadley, the current Canadian champion, along with top Americans Will Barron and Mark Valenti, plus Canadians Christopher Wand, Markus Wand, Warren Trask and Neil Lowry.

Hadley produced three personal bests at the Georgetown Games, the first being on the 17.8-lb. open stone. Hadley had set this record back in 2006, with a putt of 47' 3", and added nearly a foot this weekend, with a throw of 48' 6", for a new games field record.

In the 56-lb. weight for distance, the Canadian record had been set by the nine-time Canadian national champion Harry MacDonald in 2000, with a distance of 45' 3". Hadley just barely skimmed the old record, with a throw of 45' 4", to establish a new Canadian record by just one inch.

But that was not the end of Hadley's quest in setting Canadian records, as in the 22-lb. hammer, with a throw of 116' 4", Hadley came up just short of the Canadian record of 116' 7", which is held by four-time Canadian champion Doug MacDonald.

Just to mention it, Hadley also had a throw of 135' 8" with the 16-lb. hammer; he had 75' even in the 28-lb. weight for distance; and in the caber, which was 21' long and weighed 120 lb., Hadley scored a 11:45 . . . which was good for first place.

"In the 56-lb. weight for height, I could only manage a height of 14'," Hadley said. "I took it easy on this one, as I am coming off a back injury sustained in the IHGF Texas World Highland Games last weekend."

Asking Hadley how he felt about his overall performance, he added, "I was thrilled with my performance. In the last few years I've recorded multiple ground records in competition, but my confidence level was not high entering this competition, as I wasn't sure my back would hold up. But as we got started, everything felt good, and everything began coming together for me. But I must just say that Will Barron, from New York, also had a very good day - throwing the 28-lb. weight for distance 81' 9", which broke his old ground record of 80' 6", and this also established a new a new field record for him.

"'Everything is now feeling good," said Hadley, "and I am focusing all my attentions on my biggest competition of the year in Canada, the Canadian Championships, which are being held at my hometown games of Antigonish, on July 19 and 20. What a delight, as I will have the support of my home crowd."

Also this weekend, in the Kansas Highland Games, both Sean Betz and Larry Brock could be seen battling it out for the National Weight for Distance Championships.

Sean Betz won the 28-lb. weight, with a throw of 84' 9-1/2", and Larry Brock was just 1/2" behind, trailing by the narrowest of margins.

It all came down to the 56-lb. weight for distance, with Brock taking the win, with a throw of 43' 9", over Betz, who had to settle with 40' 3", for a second-place finish in the championship, as Larry Brock claimed yet another title with a win in the U.S. National Weight for Distance Championships in both (combined) weights for distance. Just to add something, Brock had one foul throw just over 47' also.

Brock said he was happy enough with his distances, as the weights being used for throwing were a bit dour to throw with.

"My next contest is the Campbell Games (Campbell, California) next week, where I will be defending my World Stone Putting Championship title, which I won last year."


Larry Brock won the U.S. National Weight for Distance Championships this weekend. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Larry Brock/Francis Brebner.

Just in, Stoyan Todorov (Bulgaria) won "The Globe's Strongest Man" contest in Moscow today, a contest organized by Sergey Chuburkov and featuring some of the top names from the international strongman circuit.

Continuing the solid start to his 2008 strongman season, former World's Strongest Man winner Janne Virtanen (Finland) was second, and Elbrus Nigmatullin (Russia) came in third place.

Here are the top eight:

1. Stoyan Todorov
2. Janne Virtanen
3. Elbrus Nigmatullin
4. Vidas Blakaitis
5. Tarmo Mitt
6. Karl Gillingham
7. Sebastian Wenta
8. Mark Felix

IronMind® received these results as a news flash - the official results will be posted as soon as we receive them.

The iconic strongman Jon Pall Sigmarsson, "who passed away 15 years ago in his native Iceland at the very young age of 32, will receive full honors at Fortissimus 2008," Paul Ohl told IronMind®, with the details outlined in the following press release.


Jon Pall Sigmarsson's historic deadlift at Huntley Castle (Scotland) in 1987. Photo courtesy of David Webster/IronMind®, reproduced from Sons of Samson - Volume 2 with permission.


"Not only will the four-time World's Strongest Man winner have day one of the competition named after him, but the opening event of that day will be the Sigmarsson Wheels Deadlift, and the very last event of the competition, the Circle of Stones, will also emulate Jon Pall's original stone lifting style."

"That first event will recall and celebrate one of strength's historic achievements as Jon Pall Sigmarsson established a memorable world record. In 1987, at the Pure Strength Ultimate Challenge Competition held at Huntley Castle in Scotland, Sigmarsson defeated both Bill Kazmaier and Geoff Capes at the Giant Wheels Deadlift, the last event of the competition. Both Kazmaier and Sigmarsson had gone over a 455-kg (1005-lb.) load. At the seventh attempt, Jon Pall Sigmarsson raised 523 kg (153 lb.), establishing the world record and winning the competition. That record still stands."

"In addition, the competitor who will complete FORTISSIMUS with the highest combined poundage for the ten events will be awarded the Jon Pall Sigmarsson Strength Award along with a bonus money prize."

Richard Lupkes (left) is the man whose battle with John Brzenk at the World Wristwrestling Championships in Petaluma, Californa twenty years ago is nearly mythical in its stature . . . Fast forward to the 2008 Arnold, where they were to meet again, only this time, Richard Lupkes blew through John Brzenk, setting the stage for his title match with Tim Bresnan (right), which Richard won in another display of his overwhelming strength.


After making short work of John Brzenk, Richard Lupkes (left) did the same with Tim Bresnan (right), becoming the 2008 Arnold armwrestling champion. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.
 

Richard Lupkes - for what he did in Petaluma in 1988 and in Columbus in 2008 - more than earned his spot as the cover man for the June 2008 issue of MILO®.

Living in the same area as Brad and Wade Gillingham - southwestern Minnesota, where towns have populations in the range of 200 or 300 people - Richard Lupkes farms where he was born and grew up. As Brad Gillingham pointed out, isn't it kind of funny that, back-to-back, two guys from this area have been MILO cover men? "Not when they have your credentials," we said. "You guys are naturals." IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.

Want to know to know a secret for getting stronger? Hint: It has a lot to do with what you're doing tomorrow.


Hard at it in the training hall at the 2007 World Weightlifting Championships, Russia's Evgeni Tchigishev is a favorite for a medal in weightlifting's super heavyweight class at the Beijing Olympics - you can bet that he's had plenty of memorable Saturday workouts in his career. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.

It's no accident that Saturday workouts have a longstanding tradition in the strength world - for a lot of people, Saturday is the biggest day of the week, and the time when PR performances are most likely to occur.

Whether you're new to this idea, already have a pile of fond Saturday workout memories, or are making big plans for what's going to happen for you on many Saturdays down the road, be sure to read the latest "Schmitz on the Lifts" by going to the Training Articles button at the top of the IronMind® home page and selecting "Schmitz on the Lifts."

With his head swathed in bandages from a car accident he'd been in just days before the Britain's Strongest Man contest, Jimmy Marku "was looking very gladiatorial," especially as blood poured down his face during the wrestling event, but a little bleeding never stopped him from picking up the prestigious strongman title, along with an invitation to the 2008 World's Strongest Man contest.

Terry Hollands finished second and Mark Felix was third, in what can only be described as a tremendous battle at Britain's Strongest Man.

IronMind® asked a highly-respected strongman expert with a particularly keen understanding of the British strongman community if Jimmy Marku's victory was the big upset it would seem to many observers.

"It was in the post, but we didn't see it coming," he told IronMind®.

While only Jimmy Marku is guaranteed an invitation to World's Strongest Man based on his Britain's Strongest Man performance, there is a feeling that the World's Strongest Man field might end up containing about five Brits, as well as five Americans, so Terry Hollands and Mark Felix, for example, could well be moving on to WSM 2008 even without winning in Minehead today.

Here are the final places - this is unofficial, but IronMind® believes they are accurate:

1. Jimmy Marku
2. Terry Hollands
3. Mark Felix
4. Lawrence Shahlaei
5. Mark Westaby
6. Oli Thompson
7. Eddie Ellwood
8. Darren Sadler

Please check the official World's Strongest Man website for the Britain's Strongest Man broadcast details.
 

The Atlas stones are about to begin at Britain's Strongest Man, where Jimmy Marku holds a seven-point lead over Terry Hollands, who is in second place.

While it is still mathematically possible for Terry Hollands to win at this point, if Jimmy Marku loads even just one stone, the victory is his.

Time was that you went to Bulgaria if you wanted to see the best weightlifters in the world, and you went to Finland if you wanted to see the best strongmen in the world, but those rigid distinctions have faded into the past and now the Strongman Champions League, with its strong Finnish connections, is bringing some of the world's top strongmen to Bulgaria.


Agris Kazelniks is among the strongmen featured in the next Strongman Champions League competition. Marcel Mostert has likened the Strongman Champions League to a train roaring down the tracks - hop on if you're up to it, he says to competitors, and if you are a strongman fan, Mostert says that you will love the top performances. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Ilkka Kinnunen.

Strongman Champions League co-founder Ilkka Kinnunen told IronMind® that, "The competition is organized by BFSA (Bulgarian Federation of Strength Athletes)," and it is building on last year's successes.

"Last year there were over 4,000 people watching the competition, and this year the interest has been even bigger, so we are expecting 5,000 - 6,000 people," said Miron Jordanovic, the BFSA chairman.

"The athlete list looks excellent," Kinnunen said. Here's the official start list: Zydrunas Savickas, Andrus Murumets, Agris Kazelniks, Jarno Hams, Jani Illikainen, Igor Pedan, Ervin Katona, Oleksandr Leshin, Zsolt Szabo, Brano Golier, Stoyan Todorchev, and Zdravko Zanev.

Events are: truck pull (harness and rope), log lift (maximum), yoke race, farmer's walk, Atlas stones and a medley.

This contest is set for June 21, in Sofia, Bulgaria. Stay tuned for more details.

Continuing his tradition of bringing top Highland Games coverage to the IronMind® news column as well as to MILO®, Francis Brebner filed this report on the Texas Highland Games, which includes the eagerly awaited outcome of defending Highland Games World Champion Gregor Edmunds's bid to find a bride to bring back to Scotland.


Sean Betz (left) accepts his championship trophy from David Webster, OBE. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Francis Brebner.
 

Texas World Highland Games and "Who Will Date Gregor" by Francis Brebner

Records tumbled at the Texas World Highland Games, and no wonder with such an awesome line-up of athletes, including: Gregor Edmunds (Scotland), 2007 Highland Games world champion; Sean Betz (USA), 2008 Highland Games world champion; Larry Brock (USA), current World Scottish Hammer Throwing champion; Greg Hadley (Canada), current Canadian Highland Games champion; Harrison Bailey (USA), 2006 U.S. champion; Andrew Hobson (USA), former world amateur Scottish hammer record holder; and Mike Zolkowitz (USA ),who placed fifth in this year's World Highland Games Championships.

With a line-up like this, it was destiny that records would fall, and fall they did. In the first event of this two-day competition, the 22-lb. Braemar standing putt, the ground record had been set by Texan James Parman, with a distance of 43' 2", back in 2001. Edmunds came within one inch of breaking the ground record and was leading the group until Sean Betz landed a blitzing throw of 43' 8", establishing a new ground record and taking the first place spot from Edmunds. Mike Zolkowitz followed closely behind in third place, with 41' 1".

In the 28-lb. weight for distance, the ground record had been set at 85' 8" by Big Dave Brown in 2006, and this record was also ravaged as Betz tore it apart with a throw of 90' even. Larry Brock was in second place with 85' 3", and Edmunds was in third place, with 81' 11", which left the big Scotsman a little disgruntled as he knew he could have thrown a lot farther.

But in the 22-lb. hammer, it was Larry Brock who claimed his first win of the competition, with a throw of 113' 7", putting a squeeze on Betz's winning streak. Betz had to settle for second place, with 110' 1", and Bailey finished third, with 105' 7".

The caber was an open and shut case from the start: Edmunds, the current World Caber Tossing champion, showed great technique and timing and slammed home three perfect 12 o'clock tosses, sending out a message of "don't mess with the (caber-ya-ken) champion," a phase that Edmunds often uses. In second was Brock, with one 12 o'clock toss; and in third was Bailey, with an 11:30 toss.

Going into the weight over the bar, I knew that this was going to be a clash as there were so many great weight throwers, but I was surprised to see Bailey go out at the starting height of only 14'; and with the bar now at 15', it was Edmunds and Zolkowitz who shockingly also made a early exit from the competition.

With the bar now at 16', Hobson, Brock, and Betz all narrowly cleared the bar, and with the new height of 16' 6", only Betz made it, claiming yet another first place. Brock was in second place on count back over Hobson.

Going into the second day's competition, putting the 16-lb. shot, it was Betz showing no mercy and claiming another win with a distance of 53' 7", setting a new ground record. In second spot was Zolkowitz with 50' 4", and in third place was Bailey with 48' 8".

In the 56-lb. weight for distance, the record in this event was set in 2003 by Big Dave Brown, with a distance of 43' 8", and this was marginally broken by Brock, with a throw of 43' 11". This was closely followed by Bailey, in second place, with a notable throw of 42' 3". Betz was in third, with 40' 11".

The next record on the chopping block was the 16-lb. hammer, which was set by Canadian Harry MacDonald back in 1998, with a distance of 136' even. This record was chopped and then diced by both Brock and Betz, with Brock taking the first place win over Betz with 146' 7", and Betz coming in second place with 141' 10". Edmunds was third, with 134' 3", still making Brock the number one man to beat in the hammer.


Larry Brock: "The number one man to beat in the hammer." IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Francis Brebner.

The challenge caber was by far one of the heaviest cabers ever to be attempted. Again it was Edmunds, with excellent timing and Herculean power, who tossed this mighty 17-ft. long and 180-lb. caber, which delighted the many thousands of spectators (and the Edmunds' groupies), with three 12 o'clock tosses, but what would you expect from a son of the twice World Caber champion Dougie Edmunds. In second place was Brock, showing real grit and determination and just narrowly tossing this daunting caber with one 12 o'clock toss, joining Edmunds in the monster caber tossing club.

Overall points places and points:

1. Sean Betz 15 points
2. Larry Brock 20
3. Gregor Edmunds 29
3. Harrison Bailey 30
4. Mike Zolkowitz 35
5. Andrew Hobson 38
6. Greg Hadley 58

As for Gregor Edmunds and his blind date in his quest to find true love, he had more than enough entries to have kept the big Scotsman in Texas a month longer or more.

I asked Gregor how he enjoyed the whole experience and if there was any chance of a possible romance with any of his Texas beauties. Edmunds replied, "I have had a great time and yes, there could be a possible chance of romance on the horizon, but I am not sure of which one as my Blackberry can't hold any more numbers at the moment."


The lovely Amanda Perry and the irresistible Gregor Edmunds, who came to Texas in search of not just another Highland Games title, but also a bride. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Francis Brebner.

Seven-time World's Strongest Man competitor Mark Philippi is on the card at Madison Square Garden, when the Super Series brings strongman to the Big Apple on June 21.


Mark Philippi pulls another big one at the Arnold - the name Mark Philippi is synonymous with big strongman deadlifts. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.
 

Besides being known for having one of the deadliest deadlifts in strongman, Mark Philippi's approach is to say what he thinks and not waste any words along the way. So, when Mark Philippi told IronMind®, "There are no slouches there," that spoke volumes about the field of competitors assembled for what might well be the biggest one-day strongman event in history.

And talking big strongman deadlifts, the Super Series contest at Madison Square Garden will feature not just Mark Philippi, but also Mark Felix, who can always be counted on for a big pull, and Oli Thompson, who deadlifted 400 kg in a recent workout, IronMind® was told.

Busy with his athletic training facility, The Philippi Sports Institute, Mark Philippi said that other than a sore hip, he's doing fine and looking forward to a big performance at Madison Square Garden's WaMu Theater, even though he's the first to point out that with the line-up of competitors, the standards are going to be very high there. If you want to see this contest in person, please check here for tickets.

The action over at Britain's Strongest Man has been been top-drawer, IronMind® was told, and with the qualifying round completed, here's who made it into the finals.

Finalists for the 2008 Britain's Strongest Man contest:

1. Terry Hollands
2. Oli Thompson
3. Mark Felix
4. Mark Westaby
5. Jimmy Marku
6. Darren Sadler
7. Lawrence Shahlaei
8. Eddie Elwood

The final events are: car flip, log press (reps), train pull, wrestling, Atlas stones.

From what IronMind® hears, competition in the qualifying round was hot and heavy, and the favorites for the podium are Terry Hollands, Oli Thompson, and Mark Felix. Besides producing top performances in the qualifiers, all three of these strongmen have the credentials that set them apart: Oli Thompson is the 2006 Britain's Strongest Man winner, Terry Hollands is the 2007 winner, and Mark Felix is the runner-up both years; and the big three have given no sign of relinquishing their elite status.

Stay tuned as the action resumes tomorrow.

If you have been following IronMind's coverage of the Strongman Champions League, you know that three contest have already been held this year and the fourth is coming up soon, so how about the rankings so far?


Looking for the Zydrunas Savickas Secret Calf Exercise? IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Marcel Mostert.

Here is a summary of the results so far, with the top six finishers from each of the first three contests, as well as the cumulative points so far this year for the top ten strongmen competing in this series.

I. Latvia: Top Six Finishers

1. Zydrunas Savickas (Lithuania)
2. Travis Ortmayer (USA)
3. Agris Kazelniks (Latvia)
4. Mikhail Koklyaev (Russia)
5. Andrus Murumets (Estonia)
6. Anders Johansson (Sweden)

II. Serbia: Top Six Finishers

1. Zydrunas Savickas (Lithuania)
2. Ervin Katona (Serbia)
3. Andrus Murumets (Estonia)
4. Agris Kazelniks (Latvia)
5. Stefan Petursson (Iceland)
6. Zdenek Sedmik (Czech)

III. Holland: Top Six Finishers

1. Zydrunas Savickas (Lithuania)
2. Andrus Murumets (Estonia)
3. Travis Ortmayer (United States)
4. Ervin Katona (Serbia)
5. Jarno Hams (Holland)
6. Jani Illikainen (Finland)

Overall: Top Ten as of June 9

1. Zydrunas Savickas 60 points
2. Andrus Murumets 35
3. Agris Kazelniks 28
4. Travis Ortmayer 27
5. Ervin Katona 25
6. Jarno Hams 11
7. Mikhail Koklyaev 10
8. Stefan Solvi Petursson
9. Jani Illikainen 7
10. Anders Johanson 7

On June 21, the Strongman Champions League will stop in Sofia, Bulgaria, for its fourth contest of the 2008 season.

Telling IronMind® that he is "in a process of reflection," top Canadian strongman Hugo Girard has officially pulled out of the Super Series Madison Square Garden Grand Prix.


Canadian strongman star Hugo Girard confirmed that he has withdrawn from the Super Series Madison Square Garden Grand Prix, citing personal reasons. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


Hugo Girard is coming off back-to-back injuries, but physically, he told IronMind®, he is doing fine. "My legs are fully recovered," but it's the mental side of things that are creating the difficulties. "I am dealing with some personal problems," Girard said.

"It's been very frustrating for me as I have been on the fence the last few weeks, and even though I am fine physically, I am just not committed 100% to competing. Competing under these conditions, I would not be doing anyone any good," said Girard, pointing out that this would be disadvantageous not only to himself, but also to the organizers and to the fans. "I would just be filling up a place that someone else could be taking," Girard said.

Meanwhile, Hugo Girard said that he is continuing to work on his Quebec Cup strongman series, as well as continuing to assess whether or not he will compete in this year's Canada's Strongest Man contest, saying that if he competes there, his goal would be to win, with the idea that the next step after that would be to compete in the World's Strongest Man contest.

If you wanted to see the greatest collection of iron game stars likely to be found in one place in the world, you had to be at the 25th Reunion of the Association of Oldetime Barbell & Strongmen (AOBS) in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday, June 7.


Three huge names from the U.S. weightlifting world in the 1970s - Bruce Wilhelm (left), Jim Schmitz (center), and Ken Patera (right) - were among the notables attending Saturday's AOBS dinner. Jim Schmitz coached both of these top supers and when asked for his favorite Ken Patera story, this is what Jim told IronMind®: "One day at the Sports Palace, a guy was squatting and he was up to 405, and Ken asked if he could work in. The guy said, 'Sure,' and Ken walked over and pressed the bar for five reps." IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.


"Everyone here used to read Strength & Health," Jim Schmitz told IronMind®'s Randall Strossen - in a typical quick-hitting Jim Schmitz one-liner that was much more true than not. Not just the readers, though, these were the headliners - the top names from the bodybuilding and the lifting world - and as they have been doing for a quarter of century, once again, everyone was gathered for the camaraderie that defines this annual event.

Surrounding the actual dinner were seminars featuring such speakers as Tommy Kono, Clyde Emerich, Mighty Joe Rollino, and Tom Lincir and, of course, the signature after-dinner entertainment by the likes of Slim "The Hammerman" Farman. And speaking of Slim, one of his top understudies, Pat Povilaitis, was also on the main card, doing a number of things that fully merited the warning, Don't try this at home, kids!

Hats off to Artie Drechsler for putting on a tremendous event and a fitting salute to AOBS founder Vic Boff. For more information on the AOBS, please check the AOBS official website.

Vlad Redkin's World Strongman Federation is presenting the third stage of its 2008 World Cup tour in Minsk, Belarus, on July 4, and this competition will use a team format.


Vlad Redkin's World Strongman Federation is presenting a team competition in Minsk, Belarus, on July 4. IronMind® | Artwork courtesy of Vlad Redkin.


Using two teams - one comprising strongmen from the United States and the other made up of strongmen from Russia and Belarus - Vlad Redkin is using a different formula to bring something exciting to strongman fans. Here are the competitors and the events.

USA team: Brian Shaw, Jason Bergman, Matt Wanat, Brad Dunn, Jim Glassman

Union (Russia + Belarus) team: Elbrus Nigmatullin, Dmitry Kononec, Sergey Rjumin, Pavel Soroka, Alex Lapirev

Events: Atlas Stones (5 stones, 120 - 180 kg), Conan's Wheel (350 kg), Farmer's Walk (2 x 140 kg), Truck Pull, Car Deadlift (for reps), Medley: Duck Walk (200 kg) + Tire Flips (380-kg tire)

Scheduled for June 14 -15, the Moscow Grand Prix, called "The Globe's Strongest Man," has drawn some big name strongman competitors from around the world, and Karl Gillingham called this contest, "a huge deal," citing the competitors, prize money and events - the total package put together by contest organizer Sergey Chuburkov.


The Moscow Grand Prix: "The Globe's Strongest Man" is set for June 14 - 15. IronMind® | Poster courtesy of Sergey Chuburkov.

With an endorsement like that, let's take a look at the official start list:

1. Boris Haraldsson (Iceland)
2. Dominic Filiou (Canada)
3. Sebastian Wenta (Poland)
4. Karl Gillingham (United States)
5. Kevin Nee (United States)
6. Elbrus Nigmatullin (Russia)
7. Mikhail Sidorychev (Russia)
8. Igor Pedan (Russia)
9. Tarmo Mitt (Estonia)
10. Stoyan Todorchev (Bulgaria)
11. Pavel Soroka (Belarus)
12. Rolands Gulbis (Latvia)
13. Janne Virtanen (Finland)
14. Mark Felix (Great Britain)

IronMind® was told that the prize money starts at US$9,000 for first place and drops down to US$300 for last place.

As far the events go, contest organizer Sergey Chuburkov has presented a list of the possibilities to the competitors, with an interesting description of not just the potential events, but also of his philosophy behind what is included:

"Here is the info on the disciplines and weights you should work with at the Moscow GP. Mind that the order of the exercises and their distribution between the days will be concluded upon everybody's arrival. Besides the referee's decision, we also need the opinion of the contestants. The total number of disciplines will not exceed eight. Herewith I will introduce to you all possible exercises, which will be later reduced to no more than eight."

"Our aim is to choose the most vivid and spectacular ones. The disciplines chosen should demonstrate the overall power and endurance, accompanied with emotions, of both the athletes and spectators."

1. Truck Pull: 10-12 tons, 20-25 m distance
2. Farmer's Walk: 2 athletes, 150 kg
3. Kettlebell: 80 kg, pressing or jerking for reps
4. Tire Flip: 2 athletes, 350-400 kg tires
5. Atlas Stones: 100 kg, 120 kg, 140 kg, 160 kg, 180 kg
6. Power Stairs: 220 kg, 240 kg, 260 kg
7. Conan's Wheel: 350-400 kg
8. Barrel Loading: three 100-kg barrels
9. Platform of V. Dikoul: "This exercise has been specially designed and approved by Mr. V. Dikoul for our grand prix and has no analogues anywhere. The platform with a car (supposedly VW-Passat) rests on the shoulders of an athlete. The winner is defined by the maximum time. The approximate total weight of the construction is 2300 kg."
10. Hercules Hold: with cars
11. Car Deadlift: for reps

"I can guarantee a new winner this year," Svend Karlsen told IronMind®, adding, "Mariusz won't be here this year."


The Viking Power Challenge - the top four qualify for the 2008 World's Strongest Man contest. IronMind® | Poster courtesy of Viking Power Productions.
 

Who will be there is pretty staggering, and the top four are guaranteed invitations to this year's World's Strongest Man contest: Arild Haugen, Richard Skog, Odd Haugen, Janne Virtanen, Magnus Samuelsson, Jarek Dymek, Sebastian Wenta, Mark Felix, Kevin Nee, Rene Minkwitz, Benedikt Magnusson, and Terry Hollands.

"This is the battle of the summer," Svend Karlsen told IronMind®.

Here are the events:
Yoke Race: 410 kg
Deadlift: regular Eleiko bar and for maximum weight
Tire Flip: 600 kg
Apollon's Axle: maximum weight
Viking Press: for reps
Stones: 120 -180 kg

"Arild Haugen challenges the whole field to lift all the stones," said Lene Alexandra Karlsen. "He is the only person to lift all five in this stone set. Last year they all tried: Mariusz, Magnus, Terry . . . you name it. They all failed. Arild did all five very easily in Norway's Strongest Man (NSM). He's in really good shape now - and by winning NSM, he got a spot in World's Strongest Man later this year."

"We also look very much forward to seeing some of the best deadlifters in the world in the regular deadlift as the second event. And with Mariusz and Hugo out, Kevin Nee and Mark Felix are in now."

The Super Series Viking Power Challenge will take place at Storefjell Resort Hotel, "up in the mountains of Norway, on July 5," Svend said. The contest starts at 2:00 p.m (14:00), and for tickets, please call: +47 320 78500.

Talking events, Svend told IronMind®, "We're doing some things a little differently this year. The Axle will be for maximum weight - last man standing - and it should come down to Arild Haugen and Sebastian Wenta, I guess, and I am looking for a new world record. I am also looking for huge numbers in the deadlift.

Asked why he is running the deadlift with a regular bar and standard plates, Svend said, "Because I have a personal interest in seeing what Benedikt Magnusson and Mark Felix can do when they really push themselves. Everybody talks about doing 400-kg deadlifts . . . now we will see. It's easy for me to be brave now," Svend said. "The Viking is hiding behind a microphone!"

"The Super Series organization is happy to come back to lovely Norway and the Viking Power Challenge, where yet another great line-up of athletes will compete for the Grand Prix victory," said Super Series Managing Director Jesper Albansson. Make plans to be there if you can.

American Strongman Corporation (ASC) president Dione Wessels told IronMind® that she has free tickets to the ASC Nationals, June 21 - 22 in San Diego, at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

"Come see Van Hatfield, Tom McClure, Jason Kristal, Marshall White, Jason Bergman, Gerard Benderoth, Nick Best, Nick Brugal, Brad Dunn, Chad Coy, Dan Ford, Brian Turner and others," said Wessels. Also on hand will be Kristin Rhodes, runner-up in the 2008 World's Strongest Woman contest, and the MC is none other than three-time World's Strongest Man winner Bill Kazmaier.

Wessels said that she only has a limited supply of free tickets, so act now by contacting Dione directly: dione@americanstrongman.com.

"FORTISSIMUS 2008 announces that it has just closed its list of participants and that 14 world-class strength athletes from 12 countries will engage in battle as only one will become Louis Cyr's modern successor and winner of the Mightiest Man on the Planet's title," Paul Ohl told IronMind® as the date draws nearer for the strongman contest that has generated so much discussion from the moment it was initially announced.

It's official, Ervin Katona, Stefan Solvi Petursson and Arild Haugen have been added to the field of top international strongman competitors:


"Ervin Katona, the 155-kg colossus from Serbia, runner-up to Zydrunas Savickas at the 2008 Strongman Champions League Serbia Grand Prix." IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Marcel Mostert.


"Stefan Solvi Petursson, from Iceland, recent winner of Iceland's Strongest Man and training supervised by four-time World's Strongest Man winner Magnus Ver Magnusson." IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Stefan Solvi Petursson.


"Arild Haugen, recent winner of Norway's Strongest Man, considered by many as the next Svend Karlsen on the international strongman circuit." IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Joachim Pedersen/Arild Haugen.

"We need to give youth all possible opportunities to showcase its huge talent and capabilities," read the official statement given to IronMind®. "At FORTISSIMUS, eight competitors are under age 30, and three of them are under 23. We will be looking at a new generation of strongmen and at a once again united sport."

World's Strongest Man winner Phil Pfister, along with U.S. champion Steve MacDonald, are headlining the MHP Liberty Strongman Classic, Al Thompson told IronMind today.


Pedal to the metal: Phil Pfister comes down the homestretch, closing in on the checkered flag, at the 2006 World's Strongest Man contest. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.
 

This "fifth annual pro strongman showcase kicks off Philadelphia's Welcome America! festivities," said Thompson, and along with the title sponsor, MHP, the presenting sponsors include Mustang Expediting, ABF Trucking, and Southwest Airlines.

Besides Phil Pfister and Steve MacDonald, watch for "World Strongest Man and Arnold Classic competitor Glenn Ross, the popular strongman from Ireland, and New York 9-11 hero Gerard Benderoff," Thompson said. "Two-time U.S. strongman champion Steve Kirit of Pittsburgh plus longtime pro strongman and Philadelphia-area native Walt Gogola will serve as officials."

The contest is set for June 28 - 29, at the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, made even more famous by the movie Rocky. The action runs from 2 - 6 p.m. both days.

For more details, please contact Al Thompson at 267-254-4614 or al.thompson@footballstories.com.

Once again, the rumor mill was working overtime, but now it's official that some positive results emerged from the doping controls at three recent weightlifting contests - each of which was an Olympic-qualifier: the European Championships, the Asian Championships, and the Pan American Championships.


Halil Mutlu (Turkey) didn't have the easiest time making this 149-kg jerk at the 2008 European Weightlifting Championships, where he placed second to Igor Bour (Moldavia), but Bour was just disqualified and now Mutlu - a three-time Olympic gold medalist who will be looking for his fourth gold medal in Beijing - is the 2008 European Weightlifting champion in the 56-kg category. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen photo.
 

At the Europeans, Olivera Juric (Bosnia and Herzegovina) was disqualified from the women's 75-kg class; for the men, it was Igor Bour (Moldavia), 56 kg; Vladimir Popov (Moldavia), 62 kg; and Artak Mkrtchyan (Armenia), +105 kg. At the Asian Championships, the following men were disqualified: Sarmad Idrees (Iraq), 77 kg; Ahmad Joughili (Syria), 94 kg; Mohammed Alaifuri (Iraq), 105 kg; and Ammar Rubaiaawi (Iraq), +105 kg. The following women were disqualified from the Pan American Championships: Yesenia Baldera (Dominican Republic), 48 kg; Leuzkis Farias (Venezuela), 69 kg; Vanessa Nunez (Venezuela), 69 kg; Claret Bellorin (Venezuela), 75 kg; and Andreia Silva (Brazil), 75 kg. For the men, it was Efrain De La Rosa (Dominican Republic), 56 kg; Victor Osorio (Chile), 105 kg; Yoel Sotolongo (Cuba), 105 kg; and Joel Makencie (Cuba), +105 kg.

The possibility of more disqualifications is assumed, but for these lifters, it's official, per IWF results.

The impact of these and pending tests is that the International Weightlifting Federation has issued a statement announcing that qualification for the upcoming Olympics is not yet finalized:

"Although the Qualification Events to the 2008 Beijing Games have already finished, there are still several anti-doping test results missing, because the laboratories are overloaded. Before all control analysis results and procedures are complete, the Olympic Qualification cannot be complete and final."

"Therefore, the IWF is now informing its members that the communication to the NOCs and National Federations of the quota obtained, as well as the individual qualification, will follow only after the conclusion of the anti-doping issues and subject to co-ordination with the International Olympic Committee."

Putting these positives in perspective, USAW Acting Executive Director Dennis Snethen told IronMind, "Weightlifting has a problem and it's being corrected. These results prove that our drug-testing program is working - we are making our sport fair for all the competitors, and that is what the Olympics is about. If it takes hard times to make things right, that's what it takes."

And when you talk positive drug results in international weightlifting competition, you won't find a single athlete from the USA this quadrennium, an enviable accomplishment that few countries can claim. "Why is this?" IronMind asked Snethen.

"We are fortunate to have USADA," Snethen said, referring the US Anti-Doping Agency. "When we travel internationally, we've already done our policing."

"Zydrunas Savickas shows again his brute power," Marcel Mostert reported to IronMind®, "by winning also the third Strongman Champions League competition in Holland."


Zydrunas Savickas puts away a 207.5-kg world record, using an IFSA log. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Marcel Mostert.
 

Marcel Mostert is well-established at IronMind® for his predictions, and once again he was spot on, as Zydrunas Savickas produced the world record that Mostert had said would happen: "On the official IFSA log, 207.5 kg by Zydrunas went straight up and rock solid to the sky!" said Mostert. "It could have even been more, but Big Z wanted to break it again somewhere this year."

"It was a very sunny day in Holland, 27 degrees [81 degrees Fahrenheit], with a nice crowd of 4,000 people, and we witnessed brute power, heavy weights, and also a killing medley that took two minutes for an athlete to finish . . . if they could finish. The athletes said even it was their heaviest medley ever."

"With four athletes not finishing the medley, I think that's the way it should be in the Strongman Champions League," Mostert said, underlining his earlier comments that he sees the Strongman Champions League as the home of the strongest and the best of the strongmen.

Besides his world record in the log, "Zydrunas also had a personal record in the weight for height with 25 kg, one arm - he succeeded the winning height of 5.20 meters (17 feet). Andrus Murumets got a good second place overall, with for him also a personal record in the log lift with 185 kg."

"Travis Ortmayer came with a little pec injury to Holland, where we told him not to moan, but just to be tough as it is the Strongman Champions League here. He listened very well to that and eventually came to a third place overall. And seeing his injury, I only can say to that: Respect!

"The Dutch hope, Jarno Hams, was even leading after two events - the Giant Medley and Log Lift - but in this strong field, he had to get captured by the end and he got a respectable fifth place. He has still muscle pain everywhere as I spoke him today, and that's what we want.

"So, the Strongman Champions League train has departed again, up to Bulgaria on 21 June . . . with lots of smoke left behind it. We are looking forward who can break a new record or breaks himself with this heavy train in Bulgaria on 21 June."

Here are the final results:

1) Zydrunas Savickas 73 points
2) Andrus Murumets 63.5
3) Travis Ortmayer 61.5
4) Ervin Katona 58.5
5) Jarno Hams 55
6) Jani Illikainen 47
7) Agris Kazelniks 39
8) Evert Kreuze 36
9) Levi Veoga 33,5
10) Tom Jansen 28
11) Jimmy Laureys 23
12) Boris Milosevic 14
13) Jeremy Hogg 14
14) Etienne Smit (out)




Standing in front of the gracious Villa Ruimizicht, the Strongman Champions League organizers and competitors show off the official clothing line. Not just about tough competition, the Strongman Champions League is making its mark in other ways as well: IronMind® has heard that the after party was of such proportions that even the veteran clubber Marcel Mostert was left speechless the next day. And besides the excellent hotel, IronMind® was told that the dining experience was just as exceptional, including a visit to a special steakhouse that served one-kilo steaks. "Not all athletes could finish this," Marcel Mostert told IronMind®, "but surprisingly, Mr. Ilkka Kinnunen did . . . with three liters of cola light to flush it away." IronMind® | Courtesy of Marcel Mostert

Two-time winner of the Canada's Strongest Man contest and four-time World's Strongest Man competitor Jessen Paulin is retiring from international strongman competition, and this means that he is withdrawing from FORTISSIMUS, IronMind® was told today.


Jessen Paulin, shown loading a 420-pound wheel, is retiring from major international strongman competition. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Jessen Paulin and FORTISSIMUS.
 

In an official statement, IronMind® was told, "Jessen Paulin has informed FORTISSIMUS officials of a decision that he said 'breaks his heart,' as he would have loved to sign off his international career as one of Canada's flag bearers.  'Out of respect for the name of Louis Cyr, the fans and the organizers, I have to step down. FORTISSIMUS is too much of a challenge at this stage of my career and I want to be remembered for what I have accomplished over the past ten years and not for what I cannot handle any more. As far as I am concerned, FORTISSIMUS is absolutely out of my capabilities today. From this moment, I retire from major international competition. For the year 2008, I will resume my competing with the Quebec Strongman Cup and at the Canada's Strongest Man contest in August. I am not looking any further for now.'"

"The decision had shaped up after the Super Series Mohegan Sun Grand Prix," described by Jessen Paulin as his 'worst-ever strongman competition.'"

Fortissimus organizer Paul Ohl said, "It comes as sad news for Canada's strongman sport. Jessen Paulin always was and still is one of Canada's most respected strongmen. His decision sends the clear signal of a definite changing of the guard in Canada. The stage is set for a new leader to rise and walk in Jessen's footsteps."

From IronMind®'s perspective, we have nothing but great memories of Jessen Paulin's career as a top international strongman competitor, and while we are saddened by this announcement, we also salute Jessen's wisdom and bravery for knowing when to say when. Merci pour les souvenirs, Jessen, et la bonne chance, notre ami!

"The big weekend is here," Grant Higa told IronMind®.


North American Strongman's "Strongest Apple in Washington" is scheduled for this Saturday. IronMind® | Artwork courtesy of Grant Higa.

"Next Saturday, June 7, will be the Washington's Strongest Apple. I have over 40 competitors and they are vying for one of three qualifying spots for North American Strongman (NAS) Nationals in Utah."

And if that's not enough reason to show up, Grant also said that Kristyn Vytlacil and Lacy Okey - straight from the World's Strongest Woman contest - will be there, as well strongman pros Marshall White and Matt Parkes, plus Callie Marunde will be the MC.

The contest starts at 10 o'clock at the City of Des Moines Marina (Des Moines, Washington). Please check the official announcement on the NAS site for for full contest details: Washington's Strongest Apple.

World Strongman Federation founder Vlad Redkin told IronMind® that the Baltic Cup competition "was a great tournament with a lot of spectators on a sunny 26-degree [79 degrees Fahrenheit] day" in Jelgava, Lativa yesterday.


Rolands Gulbis won the World Strongman Federation Baltic Cup competition yesterday. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Vlad Redkin.

"Our new World Strongman Federation Baltic champion is Rolands Gulbis. Rolands is 33 years old; he is 188 cm [6 feet 2 inches] tall and he weighs 130 kg [287 pounds]," Redkin reported. "He won five of the six events!"

Here are the final places and points:

1. Rolands Gulbis (Latvia) - 29 points
2. Antanas Abrutis (Lithuania) - 22 points
3. Tarmo Mitt (Estonia) - 21 points
4. Vidas Laurinskis (Lithuania) - 9 points
5. Argo Aunurm (Estonia) - 9 points