"After five rain-soaked events on Saturday, Harrison [Bailey] was sitting in a solid first place," Steve Pulcinella reported to IronMind®, and as it turned out, the rain clouds were only warming up on the first day of competition in the 2008 USA Highland Games National Championships held at the Celtic Classic in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.


Left to right: Ryan Vierra, Larry Brock, Harrison Bailey, Sean Betz. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Steve Pulcinella.

"Only four events on Sunday separated Harrison Bailey from his second Celtic victory," Puclinella said. "After two events were finished on Sunday, Harrison Bailey had gotten even further out in front and it looked like no one could catch him.  As a result of four inches of rain falling Saturday night and throughout the morning on Sunday, the field conditions had gotten so bad the organizers had to call the event at that point. The 22-lb. hammer and 28-lb. weight-for-distance were not contested."

"Sean Betz was second; and Ryan Vierra and Larry Brock tied for third."

As part of the Mountain State Forest Festival, Paul Mouser organized the Second Annual "Strongest Man in the Forest Contest" this past weekend.

Jim Compton won the heavyweight classs and Steve Martin ("no, not that Steve Martin") won the lightweight class, Mouser reported to IronMind®. The contest also included exhibitions by professional strongman Matt Metheney and Special Olympics bench-presser James Gregory.

Sakari Selkinaho and Kimmo Kokko have been working hard to develop grip contests in Finland, and yesterday they hosted the 2008 Finnish Grip Contest.


Left to right: Kimmo Kokko, Matti Heiskanen, Juha Harju, Niko Eerola, and Sakari Selkäinaho. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Juha Harju and Yvonne Häkkinen.


The format of this contest caught IronMind®'s attention because the competition combined solid standardized events with some very nice eye-catching additions that helped to create a well-rounded test of one's grip strength. The events were Rolling Thunder®, Wrist Roller (time), Two-Hands Pinch Grip (time), and Captains of Crush® Grippers.

Juha Harju won the Rolling Thunder® with a new Finnish record of 92.5 kg. Niko Eerola won the Wrist Roller event. Juha Harju won the grippers, closing a No. 3 Captains of Crush® Gripper (credit card set), and Matti Heiskanen got second place by clicking three reps on a No. 2.5 Captains of Crush® Gripper (credit card set), just edging Niko Eerola who got two reps with the No. 2.5 Captains of Crush®. Juha Harju hung on for the win on the Two-Hands Pinch Grip (IronMind® Pinch Grip Block).

Overall, Juha Harju won the men's competition, Matti Heiskanen was second, and Niko Eerola was third.

On the women's side, Jaana Tanner won the Rolling Thunder®, Wrist Roller and Grippers; Yvonne Häkkinen won the Pinch Grip Block. Overall, Jaana Tanner was first, Yvonne Häkkinen was second, and Leena Nurminen was third.

Video clips of the contest are up on YouTube, for your viewing pleasure:

Rolling Thunder®

Wrist Roller and IronMind® Pinch Grip Block

Captains of Crush® Grippers With Credit Card Set



Left to right: Yvonne Häkkinen, Jaana Tanner, and Leena Nurminen. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Juha Harju and Yvonne Häkkinen. Juha Harju told IronMind®, "Jaana Tanner is real stuff! Very strong woman . . . Leena is her sister . . .Yvonne is my girlfriend." How strong are these women? Jaana Tanner banged out 15 reps on a Trainer Captains of Crush® Gripper, just beating Yvonne Häkkinen by one rep!

Top performances in the grip-strength world keep edging upward and as part of this trend, George Meere has just been certified for closing the No. 3 Captains of Crush® Gripper under official conditions.

"I always thought I had some pretty strong hands," George Meere told IronMind®, and we would say that he just proved this was true: In a world of shifting values and sometimes hollow performances, getting certified on the No. 3 Captains of Crush® Gripper is vivid proof of having world-class grip strength, and what less would you expect from a man who said, "I could close the [Captains of Crush®] #2 the first time I touched the grippers."

With goals well beyond even this benchmark achievement in the grip strength world, this might be only the beginning for George Meere.

Congratulations, George, you have just been certified on the Captains of Crush® No. 3 Gripper. Way to go!

Continuing their tradition of showcasing some of the world's best weightlifters at the Arnold Sports Festival, Jim Lorimer and Randall Strossen are pleased to announce that 2008 Olympic gold medalist Matthias Steiner (Germany) will be lifting on the main Expo stage as the headliner in the Arnold Invitational Weightlifting Exhibition organized and presented by IronMind®.


Matthias Steiner (Germany) gave everyone a reason to believe in miracles as he pulled off a victory at the Beijing Olympics that few would have believed was possible. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. photo.
 

Weightlifter Matthias Steiner didn't just pull off a stunning victory in the super heavyweight class at the 2008 Olympics, his win was considered one of the most dramatic of the entire Olympics - a made-for-Hollywood story about snatching, literally, victory from the jaws of defeat.

 

If you will be at the Olympia this weekend and are ready to go for your certification on the No. 3, No. 3.5 or No. 4 Captains of Crush® Gripper, please contact IronMind® because Wade Gillingham, who will be running the GNC Grip Gauntlet, will be available as an official referee.


Have you earned your stripes yet in the grip-strength world? If you're ready to strut your stuff, Wade Gillingham can help you get full credit for your world-class grip. IronMind® | Image courtesy of IronMind® Enterprises, Inc.
 

It's confirmed: the GNC Grip Gauntlet, the world's premier test of overall grip strength, is set for the Olympia this weekend, so if you think you've got world-class grip strength, want to find out how strong your grip really is, or just want an excuse to meet Karl, Brad, and Wade Gillingham, be sure to stop by the GNC Pro Performance booth.


Wade Gillingham (above), along with his brothers, Karl and Brad, will be featured at the GNC booth at the Olympia this weekend, so stop by, say hello, and give the GNC Grip Gauntlet a try. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. photo.

"The GNC Grip Gauntlet, the world's most recognized test of true grip strength, will make its final stop for 2008 at the Olympia Fitness Expo this weekend," Wade Gillingham told IronMind®. "The simple format and open invitation has seen thousands of strong men try, but to even complete a single leg of the three-event challenge has proven to be a notable accomplishment."

Wade Gillingham, noted grip guy and Blob master extraordinaire, will be flanked by his brothers, Karl, a top professional strongman, and Brad, an IPF world champion.

Over the years, the GNC Grip Gauntlet has appeared in light, medium and heavy formats, although the top end is always available for anyone who thinks he's up to the challenge. This weekend "the GNC Grip Gauntlet will be on the 'medium' format, which uses a No. 2.5 Captains of Crush® Gripper, 197 pounds on a Rolling Thunder®, and a 50-pound Blob," Gillingham explained.

All contestants will get a free GNC Pro Performance shirt for competing and winners will get a gift certificate for GNC products.

For full details on the Olympia, please visit their "The Biggest Grip Contest in the World".

All are welcome at the GNC Grip Gauntlet, so stop by the GNC booth at the Olympia, meet the Gillingham brothers, and give the world's leading grip contest a try.

America's Strongest Man is a big title in its own right and with the added promise of an invitation to the World's Strongest Man contest, what Phil Pfister is talking about is guaranteed to gain attention in the strongman community.


2006 World's Strongest Man winner Phil Pfister was key to bringing WSM 2008 to Charleston, West Virginia, and he is involved in talks that could bring IMG's America's Strongest Man contest to West Virginia for the next three years. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. photo.

Phil Pfister, the 2006 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man (WSM) winner, was instrumental in bringing the 2008 WSM contest to his hometown of Charleston, West Virginia, which won rave reviews for its support of this television show that enjoys an enormous worldwide following and that spawned a sport - strongman - in its wake.

"Following up on the success of hosting WSM 2008 in West Virginia, organizers are meeting to consider a three-year commitment to host IMG's America's Strongest Man contest," Pfister told IronMind®. "The top three athletes will go to the World's Strongest Man contest, and the US$50,000 purse will be split among the ten top finalists. Additionally, the show will air on ESPN2."

Earlier this year, Pfister had sparked tremendous interest by announcing a contest along these lines, but then the contest - America's Strongest Man - was postponed when Charleston seized the opportunity to hold the just-completed 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest instead.

In a hands-across-the-water gesture, Pfister told IronMind® that he is offering, "an open invitation to ASC" to participate in this contest, referring to the American Strongman Corporation, which is the professional strongman group run by Dione Wessels, who is also the vice president of NAS, an organization for amateur strongman competitors.

"I have repeatedly made the offer for ASC to be involved with America's Strongest Man," Phil Pfister told IronMind® today, "and I am renewing this invitation."

"It is hoped that given the greater lead time, ASC will see this as the great opportunity that it truly is for the sport and its athletes," Pfister concluded.

"The door is open!"

Brian Shaw continues to reinforce the fact that if you want to find the guys at the top of the grip-strength charts, all you have to do is look among the leading strongman competitors.


Brian Shaw comes up for air after doing the test pull with the C-130 Hercules transport plane at the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man finals last weekend. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. photo.
 

Brian Shaw is coming off his first World's Strongest Man competition, where he didn't quite make it to the finals, but his noteworthy performance earned him an invitation to stick around as a tester for the events used in the finals of this year's contest. And when a No. 3 Captains of Crush® Gripper was unveiled at dinner Sunday night, Randall Strossen asked Brian if he could close it. With his typical modesty, Brian said "Yes" and with no hoopla but more than ample handpower, he crushed it.

"Did I get it?," Brian asked, as he casually held the No. 3 CoC shut. "I was going to wait and certify on the 3.5," Brian explained.

Congratulations, Brian - you've just been certified on the Captains of Crush® No. 3 gripper, making it official . . . You're a grip star, as well as a top strongman!

North American Strongman (NAS) vice president Dione Wessels told IronMind® that even though, "We had our North American Strongman Amateur Nationals over the weekend," the strongman organization still has "15 or 20 more contests this year," for a total of about 120 competitions in 2008.


David Hansen earned his pro card at the NAS Amateur National Championships last weekend. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Ray Novak.


Dione Wessels, along with her husband, Willie, have been running NAS for about eight years, and in that time, the membership has grown from about 240 to about 4,000, Wessels said, with about 14 contests being held in the year that she and her husband took the helm.

Speaking of the NAS Amateur Nationals, Wessels said, "We tried a different format this year. Instead of a one-day contest, and with hopes of preparing the athletes for more than a one-day show, we did eight events over the course of two days. Five events were held at the Timpanogos Harley Davidson's in Linden, Utah on Saturday, and the remaining three were held at the Utah State Fair in Salt Lake City, Utah. The hosts this year were Van and Jenie Hatfield. The contest went great, and the new pro athletes are David Hansen of North Carolina and John Schuna (105-kg winner) of Wisconsin."

Asked about the role of a pro card in strongman, Wessels told IronMind® that it helps ensure that the athletes "are truly ready to compete at higher level and are less susceptible to get injured or just slow down the contest," and she sees its value increasing as the number of strongman competitors increases. And growth is what Wessels sees for strongman, as she said she would like to "greater unification in the sport. Splintering like powerlifting would be the death of the sport."

"The New Hampshire Highland Games will be this weekend, September 19-21," Dr. Bill Crawford told IronMind®, and if that doesn't raise your pulse, keep reading.


Alistair Gunn - at a little over one hundred kilos bodyweight - is hardly the biggest guy on the field, but watching him succeed, we are reminded of the line, "It's not the size of the dog in the fight - it's the size of the fight in the dog." IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. photo.

"This will be the third year of The Highlander competition, a mix of pro-strongmen and pro-Highland Games athletes, who will compete in a medley of caber tossing, throwing, and stonelifting on Saturday and Sunday.  Sam McMahon will be back to try to break his record with the famous Loon Stone Carry, after breaking a 9-year-old record last year with a carry of 101 feet. Other featured athletes in the competition will be Dave Barron, Mike Zolkiewicz, Gerard Beneroth, and Stefan Solvi Petursson, to name a few.

"The Games will also have a professional Masters Scottish Heavy Events competition.  Ryan Vierra will compete as a Master for the first time against defending champion Don Stewart, as well as the Icelandic legend Petur Gudmundsson, The Giant Killer Alistair Gunn, Steve Pulcinella, Mike Baab, Myles Wetzel, and Scott Depanfilis. This will likely produce unprecedented results for Masters at a Highland Games."

The New Hampshire Highland Games will be held at the Loon Mountain Ski Resort in Lincoln, New Hampshire; please visit the official New Hampshire Highland Games website for full details.

Stanford University is no stranger to the most powerful people in the world, but when Stanford magazine put the spotlight on Randall Strossen (PhD '79), IronMind®, and Captains of Crush® Grippers, it might sound like a walk on the wild side to many Stanford alumni.


Stanford magazine takes a walk on the wild side. IronMind®

Didn't go to The Farm? Don't worry, because even if you are not a Cal graduate, you can still read the story of how one Stanford alumnus lives in the world of power of a different sort.

Russia's Elbrus Nigmatullin and Dmitry Kononets won the Commonwealth of Independent States and Baltic Countries Strongman Championships this weekend.


Elbrus Nigmatullin (left) and Dmitry Kononets (right) won the CIS-Baltic Strongman Championships this weekend. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of WSF.
 

This competition was organized by Dmitry Kononets and Artem Klimenko of Federation Uralstrong, which is part of WSF. This contest was held in Chelyabinsk, Russia.

Here are the final places and points:

1. Russia 1: Dmitry Kononets and Elbrus Nigmatullin 31 points
2. Russia 2: Alexei Krivosheya and Evgeny Stametov 29
3. Latvia: Rolands Gulbis and Artis Plivda 24
4. Belarus: Sergey Rumin and Pavel Soroka 19
5. Baltic: Markus Mannik and Guntars Kusinsh 17
6. Uzbekistan: Eler Mamadiev and Mirgafur Haidarov 6

"The competition was great," WSF founder Vlad Redkin told IronMind®. "We plan four contests, two of them international, in Chelyabinsk next year. We plan stage of WSF World Cup in Tashkent, Uzbekistan also."


The awards at this contest included the massive medals made especially for this competition. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of WSF.

Charleston, West Virginia - Mariusz Pudzianowski won on the last stone, in the rain, for a most dramatic finish to the 2008 MET-Rx WSM contest.


Mariusz Pudzianowski (left) is closing in on the final stone at the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest. Derek Poundstone (right) was on his way up with his stone a tick or two ahead of Mariusz, but he didn't quite get the stone placed and it came crashing back down. This should make for terrific television - watch for the 2008 WSM broadcast schedule. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. photo.

Derek Poundstone was second, Dave Ostlund was third, Phil Pfister was fourth, and Travis Ortmayer was fifth.

Charleston, West Virginia - Mariusz Wins WSM.

Charleston, West Virginia - Four-time MET-Rx World's Strongest Man winner Mariusz Pudzianowski came into the Plane Pull in second place and he needed a top performance to keep his chances of gaining an unprecedented fifth WSM title alive.


Mariusz Pudzianowski was just plain faster than the rest of the field when it came to pulling this C-130 Hercules. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. photo.

Pudzianowski delivered the goods by winning the event, with Phil Pfister second, Derek Poundstone third and Terry Hollands fourth.

This set up a battle between Derek Poundstone and Mariusz Pudzianowski for this year's title and it will be decided on the next event, the Atlas Stones.

Also riding on the outcome of the stones is who gets third place, as Phil Pfister and Dave Ostlund battle for the remaining place on the podium. And if that's not enough, Travis Ortmayer and Sebastian Wenta will be dueling it out in the stones to determine who gets fifth place and who gets sixth place.

Charleston, West Virginia - Phil Pfister made modern strongman history by winning the 2006 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest, and this year he rang the bell again - as he was honored on a limited edition commemorative envelope issued by the United States Postal Service.


Kim Whittington holds up the result of his inspiration: A USPS Retail Specialist, Mr. Whittington came up with the idea of developing this commemorative envelope to honor Phil Pfister. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. photo.


This special envelope is available at "several Appalachian District Post offices while supplies last. Envelopes will also be sold as souvenirs during the World's Strongest Man competition at Chesapeake Energy tents set up around the city." IronMind® was told that "Phil Pfister has promised to autograph one envelope for anyone who purchases five or more," so here's your chance to get a unique piece of strongman memorabilia.

Charleston, West Virginia - With top performances on both events today, Derek Poundstone has moved into the lead the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest.


Derek Poundstone, who was paired with Mariusz Pudizianowski on the Log Lift, gets this winning eleventh rep at the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest today. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. photo.
 

Derek Poundstone tied with Mariusz Pudzianowski for first place in the Car Deadlift this morning and this afternoon he edged Pudzianowski by one rep on the Log Lift, to move into first place overall. Mariusz Pudzianowski is in second place, Dave Ostlund is in third place and Phil Pfister is in fourth place, with one day remaining in the competition.

Charleston, West Virginia - Mariusz Pudzianowski and Derek Poundstone tied in the deadlift, three reps ahead of Dave Ostlund and Travis Ortmayer, who tied for third.

Overall, Ostlund leads by one point over Poundstone, who is two points ahead of Pudzianowski.

Federation Uralstrong and World Strongman Federation are presenting the Commonwealth of Independent States and Baltic Countries Strongman Championships.


The CIS and Baltic Strongman Championships are set for Chelyabinsk, Russia. IronMind® | Art courtesy of Vlad Redkin.


This competition will feature two-man teams:

1. Uzbekistan: Eler Mamadiev and Mirgafur Haidarov
2. Latvia: Rolands Gulbis and Artis Plivda
3. Baltic: Markus Mannik and Guntars Kusins
4. Belarus: Sergey Rumin and Pavel Soroka
5. Russia: Dmitry Kononets and Evgenij Stametov
6. Russia : Alexei Krivosheya and Alexei Zolotukhin

Events:

1. Farmer's walk: 120 kg for distance
2. Deadlift: 270 kg for reps
3. Conan's circle
4. Car pull
5. Tire flips: 350 kg, 8 flips
6. Power stairs: 205, 250, 250 and 290 kg

The prize list includes US$15,000 and cast medals made especially for this contest. Dmitry Kononets and Artem Klimenko are organizing this contest and Vlad Redkin is the head referee.

Charleston, West Virginia - Building on his strong performances earlier today, Dave Ostlund capped off the first day of the finals at the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest by winning the Fingal Fingers, putting himself in the lead when the action resumes tomorrow.


Dave Ostlund heads for home after flattening the final Fingal Finger. Ostlund won the event and finished in the lead overall after the first day of the finals at the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. photo.
 

Phil Pfister was second in the Fingal Fingers, Sebastian Wenta was third and Derek Poundstone was fourth.

Overall, after the first day, here are the top four:

1. Dave Ostlund 27 points
2. Phil Pfister 25-1/2 points
3. Derek Poundstone 24 points
4. Mariusz Pudzianowski 22 points

Charleston, West Virginia - Local guy Phil Pfister passed the rest of the field in the Car Walk at the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest, moving into second place overall after two events.

Dave Ostlund was second in the Car Walk and Derek Poundstone was third.

Ostlund and Poundstone are tied for first place overall, after two events, with Phil Pfister trailing by one-half point, and Mariusz Pudzianowski is one-half point behind Pfister.

Charleston, West Virginia - Showing that there is good reason to believe in Mariusz Pudzianowski's ability to win his fifth World's Strongest Man title, the Polish strongman star dominated the field in the first event of this year's MET-Rx WSM final.

Pudzianowski easily won his heat and was first place overall, about twelve seconds ahead of Derek Poundstone, who won his heat and finished second overall. Dave Ostlund was third, and Tarmo Mitt and Phil Pfister tied for fourth place, completing 14 steps within the time limit.

The bug has bitten and whether or not you sleep with your favorite Captains of Crush® Gripper under you pillow, you are obsessed with excelling on it.


Captains of Crush® Grippers are an icon in the strength world and IronMind® has just launched a website dedicated to them. IronMind® | Artwork courtesy of IronMind® Enterprises, Inc.


Maybe you are just starting off, or perhaps you are knocking on the door getting certified on the No. 3, No. 3.5, or No. 4 Captains of Crush® Gripper - no matter where you are, you are quite serious about your success and what better way to get prepared than to learn a little more about the object of your passion.

IronMind® has just launched a website dedicated to its Captains of Crush® Grippers, so stop by when you have a chance.
 

IronMind® plans to add information to this website, so we invite your comments and questions: sales@ironmind.com.

Continuing to expand strongman across Europe, the Strongman Champions League has just announced the details for its 2008 Log Lift World Championships, to be broadcast live on Eurosport and throughout Lithuania.


Jason Kristal, shown at the 2008 FitExpo, is capable of producing a top log lift, which would give the newly-turned-professional strongman a lot of added visibility. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. photo.
 

Featuring US$30,000 in prize money, this contest will set the stage for a major assault on Zydrunas Savickas's world record in this event, which stands at 210 kg. The starting weight will be 175 kg, and this is the list of competitors "confirmed so far," according to the contest officials.

1. Zydrunas Savickas (Lithuania)
2. Vidas Blekaitis (Lithuania)
3. Oleksandr Pekanov (Ukraine)
4. Mikhail Koklyaev (Russia)
5. Sebastian Wenta (Poland)
6. Jarno Hams (Holland)
7. Tobias Ide (Germany)
8. Igor Pedan (Russia)
9. Ervin Katona (Serbia)
10. Agris Kazelniks or Raivis Vidzis (Latvia)*
11. Jason Kristal (USA)
12. Oleksandr Lashyn (Ukraine)

*A qualifier will be held in Latvia to choose between these two competitors.

IronMind® was told that the broadcast schedule calls for coverage in 52 countries throughout Europe and Asia. Also, originally scheduled for October 18, the contest has been rescheduled for November 16.

A 31-cm diameter log will be used (the old IFSA log), and here are the basic rules:

1. A round system will be used.
2. There will be three attempts per competitor.
3. Arms must be straight, locked out, and the weight held overhead for one second.
4. Feet must be in a line at the completion of the lift.
5. The log may not be returned (dropped) behind the lifter.
6. "Not allowed to use the head for lifting."
7. The competitor must stay on the marked platform.
8. There will be a 60-second time limit per attempt.

Referees: Ilkka Kinnunen, Marcel Mostert, and Raimunds Bergmanis

Supporting this Strongman Champions League contest, a special website will be launched on October 15, "with history about log lifting, techniques, records, measurements, athlete information, photos, etc."

With the qualifying round of the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest completed, five Americans have made it through to the finals.

Setting the stage for the upcoming battle, head referee Colin Bryce, who has been directly involved with the World's Strongest Man contest since 1996, said, "It's the best field ever. We have seven events coming up that should split the field. We have good tests of all types of strength."

Mariusz Pudzianowski led the field on the Axle Press this morning, winning "easily," further reinforcing feelings that he will be a major force to be reckoned with in the WSM finals. 2006 WSM winner Phil Pfister is also getting nods as the favorite to win, in part because of his impressive performance throughout the qualifiers and in part because the events in the finals are well-suited to the hometown hero. Derek Poundstone and Travis Ortmayer continued to be mentioned as podium favorites, and just to keep Mariusz from being the only one sporting a damaged limb, Derek Poundstone reportedly tweaked his foot/ankle today. Taking a bigger hit today, Mark Felix tore a biceps on the stones, although he continued and finished the event.

Finally, what better way to end the qualifiers than with the stones, and to add an accent mark, to have a stellar performance on them.

Arild Haugen did the honors, with a performance that was in another league - blowing through the series several seconds faster that the second-fastest finisher. As one wag put it, "Someone else might be King of the Stones, but this makes Arild Haugen the Emperor."

Here are the finalists for what promises to be the best World's Strongest Man contest ever: Derek Poundstone, Jason Bergmann, Phil Pfister, Sebastian Wenta, Tarmo Mitt, Terry Hollands, Mariusz Pudzianowski, Arild Haugen, Travis Ortmayer, and Dave Ostlund.

Saying it would be bad sportsmanship to sit out the Atlas Stones this afternoon, Travis Ortmayer is getting ready for yet another battle with Dave Ostlund, pitting two of the most capable stone lifters on the planet against each other in the final event in the qualifying round of the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest.

Ortmayer has already qualified for the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man finals, so he could sit out the Atlas Stones, but rather than taking this cautious route, Ortmayer's thoughts are on Dave Ostlund, with whom he's been battling for top honors on the stones for five years, saying: "There's no way I'm going to let him beat me."

Dave Ostlund will be looking for a top performance himself because it appears that either he or Jimmy Marku will be advancing to the WSM finals based on how the Atlas Stones go in their group today.

And for Ortmayer to do anything less than give this event his best effort is unthinkable, telling IronMind® that the only way to approach the stones is to attack them at full speed, and that besides being a competition, "World's Strongest Man is about camaraderie, so it wouldn't be fair to make some guy go out there and compete by himself."

Travis Ortmayer told IronMind® there's a lot of talk about how this is the best field ever at World's Strongest Man, a common theme emerging from this year's contest, and he's not one to fumble around when talking about who's doing what.

To Ortmayer, it's obvious that "Mariusz is the man to beat," no matter what the talk of his injury, and Ortmayer's game plan is to give Mariusz the full respect that a four-time World's Strongest Man winner has earned.

"It would be a mistake to assume that Mariusz will be anything less than 100%," in the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest finals, Ortmayer said, adding that he's expecting to see, "The Mariusz of old . . . the myth . . . the legend."

Although unofficial, it is our understanding that Travis Ortmayer is guaranteed to advance to the finals of the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest after tying with Jimmy Marku in the Viking Press this afternoon. Group one also did the Viking Press, with Derek Poundstone and Jason Bergmann tying for the top position.

With three events left, the American contingent at the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest is doing so well that at this moment, it looks as if five or six could end up going through to the finals.


Laid back and armed with the confidence of one who's already won the World's Strongest Man contest, 2006 WSM winner and local hero Phil Pfister relaxes on the set at the MET-Rx World's Strongest Man qualifiers a couple of days ago. IronMind® | Submitted photo.

 

This morning all the groups either squatted or deadlifted.

In group one, Mark Felix won the deadlift, edging Derek Poundstone on time. Group two squatted, and Oli Thompson took top honors. Kevin Nee won the deadlift in group three, putting himself back in the hunt for a position in the finals. Group four squatted, with Lawrence Shahlaei winning and Arild Haugen finishing second. Group five saw both Jimmy Marku and Travis Ortmayer making the sixth barrel in the deadlift.

Mariusz Pudzianowski was described as "subdued" today, "with none of the rage," but one interpretation of this is that the four-time World's Strongest Man winner is now in a position where he can husband his resources, trying to take things as easily as possible on his way, hopefully, to the finals.

Francis Brebner has just filed this report on the Royal Braemar Gathering for IronMind®.


Here's the group shot of the athletes who competed at this weekend's Royal Braemar Gathering (Braemar, Scotland). IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Francis Brebner.


Royal Braemar Gathering by Francis Brebner

The Grampian Games Association is made up of 12 Highland Games throughout the Grampian Highlands, with the first Games of the series in Oldmeldrum in June and coming to a climax with the final championships in September at the Royal Braemar Gathering, which is attended by Her Majesty the Queen.

More than 20,000 spectators pack the small town of Braemar of roughly 500 inhabitants. It is quite an honor to compete in such a sporting event but even more to win and be presented by Her Majesty the Queen. For myself, I can say it was one the highlights of my sporting career in the Highland Games. Glenffidich has been the sole sponsor of the championships for over 25 years, with many great Scottish throwers coming through the junior ranks, such as Stephen King, Gordon Martin, Alistair Gunn, Bruce Aitken, Francis Brebner, and Craig Anderson.

Not only has such sponsorship helped bring on the younger generation of heavies nowadays, it has also helped the profile of the Games involved with the Glenffidich Championships League, which promotes the Games far and wide.

A star-studded cast of athletes competed on what Ryan Vierra called a "bitterly cold day," but that was not dampened as "the atmosphere of the Games felt like electricity."

In the opening event of the Royal Braemar Games, the 16-lb. stone, Australia's Aaron Neighbour claimed the first win of the competition with a putt of 52' 1", with big Bruce Robb in second, Bruce Aitken third, and David Dowson sneaking into fourth.

The next event was the 28-lb. weight for distance, in which Bruce Robb had set a ground record at Braemar last year with a throw of 87', and he was a favorite to win again this year - which he did, with a distance of 79' 3". Second was Neighbour, third Vierra, and fourth, Bruce Aitken. Again in the 56-lb. weight over the bar, Robb took another win but had to share with Australia's Neighbour at a height of 15' 6"; third equal were Vierra, Bruce Aitken and Stephen Aitken.

At this point in the championships, the Queen and the Duke and their royal party arrived and were seated in the royal box, where they could oversee all the Games events that were participating.

The heavy hammer was won by Bruce Aitken, with a throw of a 112' 10" that reigned supreme. In second was brother Stephen Aitken; third, Stephen King; and fourth, Ryan Vierra.

The open stone was an exciting event, with Robb taking top honors; second equal were King, Vierra, and Neighbour.

However in the Norman Murray Caber Challenge, Ryan Vierra, with expert skill and timing, nailed the winning toss and has now been added to a list of only a dozen or so athletes who have done this over the many years at Braemar.

After the presentations were made by Her Majesty the Queen, the royal party left the Games to a standing ovation from the many thousands of loyal, ardent fans and spectators that have traveled far and wide see a glimpse of the Queen and to experience this ancient sport first hand.

The Games carried on with the 16-lb. hammer, which was won again by Bruce Aitken at a winning distance of 132' 6". Second was young Craig Sinclair, who is fast making his presence felt in the open athletics after making his way up through the qualifying junior ranks; third was Stephen Aitken and fourth, Stephen King.

In the final event of the championships, the 28-lb. Braemar standing stone putt, Robb won with a respectable putt of 35' 10"; in second was Neighbour, third was Bruce Aitken, and fourth was Vierra.

Bruce Robb was the overall winner of the Royal Braemar Games on the day, with Bruce Aitkin in second, and Ryan Vierra in third.

Vierra expressed that Braemar was a tremendous experience that left him feeling all the more motivated for next year's season and the World Championships, which are to be held in Edinburgh, Scotland: "I am so happy to have finally competed at the famous Royal Braemar Gathering and to have won the Royal Braemar Challenge Caber. Both Braemar and Pleasanton [organized by the Caledonian Club of San Francisco] have clashed with the same dates over the years until this year, which allowed me to enjoy competing in both Games back to back. I would say it is something that every Highland Games athlete should experience at least once in his athletic career.

"This has left me somewhat yearning for more, and I would like to return to compete in the near future, if all goes well."

Grampion Games Association League 2008: Final Result after Braemar Royal Gathering

The overall winner of the Glenffidich Championships series was Bruce Aitkin for his record-breaking tenth time in a row:

1. Bruce Aitken 332.33 points
2. Bruce Robb 280
3. Steven Aitken 160
4. David Dowson 111
5. Murray Gunn 87.375
6. Alastair Gunn 62.5


Glenffidich Qualifying Events Championship

1. Craig Sinclair 321.5 points
2. John MacLeod 291
3. Grant Sinclair 169.125
4. Ranald Fraser 134.5
5. Sinclair Patience 115
6. Steven England 58.125

Earlier today, Mariusz Pudzianowski took a nine count, but showing the grit he's famous for, he not only came back and entered the Truck Pull this afternoon, but he won his group (four).

Talking about how Mariusz Pudzianowski had bounced back from his near-KO'd experience this morning, an insider told IronMind® that the four-time WSM winner "is looking good again," although all eyes will be on the superstar strongman when he hits the starting line tomorrow.

Mark Felix won the Truck Pull in group one; Phil Pfister won in group two; Terry Hollands won in group three; and Travis Ortmayer won in group five.

He's limping badly, with a black and blue calf, but Mariusz Pudzianowski has not pulled out of the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest, although he might be skipping this afternoon's Truck Pull.

Reportedly torn at a recent exhibition, Mariusz Pudzianowski's calf is causing the four-time World's Strongest Man winner some grief in this year's contest, although he has been doing his best to soldier on. One possibility is that Mariusz Pudzianowski will sit out this afternoon's Truck Pull, with the hope that even with a null score in that event, he can make it to the finals, and that by forgoing this event, it will spare his injured calf additional damage.

Mariusz Pudzianowski is known for being a fierce competitor and as someone close to the core of strongman told IronMind®, "Regardless of what he does or doesn't do this afternoon, I can't imagine Mariusz Pudzianowski not showing up tomorrow morning. He's in phenomenal shape." An indefatigable performer, Mariusz Pudzianowski's exhibition schedule would do in any six lesser strongmen, but the question now is, was this pace too much even for Poland's iron man, and will this injury stall his bid for an unprecedented fifth World's Strongest Man title?

This morning, two groups did the Fingal Fingers: Derek Poundstone won in group one, and Brian Shaw won in group four, posting the fastest time of the day. All groups will be doing the Truck Pull this afternoon, as the qualifying rounds continue at the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest.

In front of Her Majesty the Queen and a crowd of 20,000 spectators, Bruce Aitken won the Royal Braemar Gathering today, "claiming yet another Glenfiddich Championship League win," reported Francis Brebner.


Ready to celebrate and with a great reason to do so: Bruce Aitken won at Braemar today. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Francis Brebner.

"Ryan Vierra won the Norman Murry Caber Challenge and the 56-lb. weight for distance," Brebner added.

Full report to follow.

Some people are already calling it the most competitive World's Strongest Man contest ever - brimming with talent from across the strongman world.


Arild Haugen put Mariusz Pudzianowski in his rearview mirror during this morning's loading race at the 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest. IronMind®


Today, after much speculation about who would do what, the rubber hit the road as the five qualifying groups tested mettle of the 30 competitors vying for the biggest title in professional strongman. All five groups had a loading race this morning and three of the groups also had the keg toss this afternoon.

In group one, Mark Felix won the loading race, followed by Derek Poundstone. Phil Pfister won the loading race in group two, with Richard Skog coming in second. Group three was won by Janne Virtanen and Tarmo Mitt was second. Arild Haugen beat Mariusz Pudzianowski for the top position in group four. Dave Ostlund won group five and posted the fastest time of the day in the loading race, with Magnus Samuelsson taking second in this group.

Three groups did the keg toss as well today.

Johannes Arsjo won in group two, followed by Phil Pfister. In group three, Tarmo Mitt was first, with Kevin Nee second. Travis Ortmayer was the victor in group four, with Jimmy Marku second. Ortmayer was not content to merely win, as he turned in what one insider said might be the performance of the 2008 World's Strongest Man contest, boosting his stock in the early rounds of picking favorites for this year's title.

Mariusz Pudzianowski, going for his fifth World's Strongest Man title, was limping today, not a good sign for the man who has been putting off knee surgery in an effort to be at his best for this year's WSM competition.

Ryan Vierra, the five-time World Highland Games champion, arrived in Aberdeen, Scotland yesterday in preparation for the Royal Braemar Highland Games this weekend, which�will be attended by Her Majesty the Queen, Francis Brebner told IronMind®, as he filed the following report.


Ryan Vierra spoke to the press this morning outside the Northern Hotel in Aberdeen, Scotland. Vierra will be throwing at the Braemar Highland Games this weekend, with Her Majesty the Queen in attendance. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Francis Brebner.


Ryan, whose trip is sponsored by the Aberdeen Northern Hotel, said he was very grateful once again for such sponsorship by Gary Cox and to be back in Scotland.

Ryan attended a press call this morning at the Northern Hotel where he was interviewed by the Aberdeen newspaper The Press and Journal as a buildup for the Games.  Asking him how he was feeling, Ryan said this will be a first for him, competing at famous Royal Braemar Gathering: "I am really fired up for the whole event and this is probably the first time I have been since the World Championships, which was held earlier in the year.

"Competing this past weekend at the Pleasanton Highland Games was a very moving experience for me and is something I will always remember, being presented with the Chief's Trophy, which was kept a well-hidden secret until the final closing ceremony in front of a crowd of 30,000 spectators.  I was very moved, indeed.  I believe it was the first time in 143 years that such a presentation has been made to a heavy events athlete.  The Pleasanton Games for me is probably one of the best Games I have competed in, very well run by international judge Steve Conway, and it always has a lineup of top world-class athletes competing, which makes the Games that much more special."




Ryan Vierra was honored at the Pleasanton Highland Games last weekend with the Chief's Trophy - if Ryan were not as strong as he is, he'd never be able to make this massive trophy look so light. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Francis Brebner.

All but one of this year's MET-Rx World's Strongest Man competitors have arrived in Charleston, and things are off to a tremendous start as the welcoming ceremony yesterday featured West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin, 2006 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man winner Phil Pfister, and 2008 MET-Rx World's Strongest Man head referee Colin Bryce - and the ceremonial unveiling of the Phil Pfister U.S. Postal Service commemorative envelope is less than one-half hour away.


Local guy Brian Siders has more than proven himself in powerlifting and while he's a certain to be a force in the more static strongman events, it might be a mistake to underestimate him on the events that require greater mobility or explosiveness. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. photo.


Familiarization with the events and apparatus begins tomorrow, giving the competitors an opportunity to test things firsthand. All the competitors are said to look very strong and fit, with the exception of Mariusz Pudzianowski - who is said to be off the charts.

Consistently, Mariusz Pudzianowski, Derek Poundstone, Travis Ortmayer, and Phil Pfister are the names mentioned as most likely to be on the podium for the 2008 Met-Rx World's Strongest Man contest, but while Derek Poundstone had been the early favorite, the tide has changed and now Mariusz Pudzianowski is back in his familiar role of being the man to beat.

Still, American strongman fans - and the American competitors themselves - are brimming with confidence that they can bring the title back to the USA, and a particular hurdle Mariusz Pudzianowski faces is having a tough group, along with the squat, in his qualifying heats.

Arild Haugen, who was tremendous in the Super Series Viking Power Challenge, and Fortissimus standout Louis-Philippe Jean are in Mariusz Pudzianowski's qualifying group, and there's also a man named Brian Siders.

Brian Siders is best known for his outstanding performances in powerlifting, but he has also proven his mettle in the heavy, statically-oriented Arnold strongman contest. In terms of squatting, Siders is a powerhouse, having done 437.5 kg at the 2004 IPF World Championships, for example. This is not an idle comparison because even though the MET-Rx World's Strongest Man squat is done with a barrel-loaded apparatus, the goal is to replicate the depth of an IPF squat. And this year, for the first time, when the seventh and final barrel is loaded, the WSM competitors will be squatting with 800 pounds, a very significant squat and a lift that most would say will challenge Mariusz Pudzianowski.

Chad Woodall won the Diesel Crew's 2006 Global Grip Challenge, repeated in 2007, and did the same thing again last weekend.

If you'd like to know the secret of Chad Woodall's three-peat, it's simple: "I have been lucky enough through HARD WORK to win the USA Grip Championship (aka Global Grip Challenge) for the last three years ('06, '07, '08)," Woodall told IronMind®. Besides having outstanding grip strength, Woodall is also known at IronMind® for being quick to jump on board when Phil Pfister announced his plans for a major drug-tested strongman contest.

The Diesel Crew's Jedd Johnson was second in the grip contest contest, and Andrew Durniat was third. Other top performances included Brendan Dwyer closing a No. 3 Captains of Crush® Gripper using a credit card set and Andrew Durniat doing a double overhand deadlift of 455.81 pounds on an Apollon's Axle.

It's never been done, but then there's never been a strongman like Mariusz Pudzianowski before, so why shouldn't he set his sights on winning the MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest for a fifth time?


"He's a warrior," says Mariusz Pudzianowski's co-manager Wojtek Witkowski, and if his will has its way, Mariusz will be winning his fifth MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest this year. IronMind® | Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. photo.
 

Addressing the on-again, off-again rumors about Mariusz Pudzianowski's knee surgery, his co-manager Wojtek Witkowski told IronMind® that Mariusz has not had the surgery and that Mariusz decided against it because he was concerned about the possibility of a negative outcome that could keep him from competing in this year's World's Strongest Man contest.

"Mariusz is a warrior," said Wojtek, so just because Mariusz says that his knee feels okay, for example, things might not be quite that simple. "If it is hurting, he might not tell the truth . . . He is a fighter . . . Only he knows."

Still, Wojtek did say that the current plan is for Mariusz to undergo surgery on his knee after this year's World's Strongest Man contest.

Confirming that Mariusz is weighing about 150 kg, Wojtek said that the four-time MET-Rx World's Strongest Man winner is fit and fast, as well as strong, so if you add that to his redline drive, the idea of a WSM quintuple seems perfectly well within Mariusz Pudzianowski's reach.

For full details on this year's MET-Rx World's Strongest Man contest, please visit the World's Strongest Man official website.

Going into the final day, "only two events remained in the contest: the car deadlift hold and the medley," reported Dr. Sam Dube, and what was one the line was the title of North America's Strongest Man.


Jessen Paulin hangs on in the car deadlift, on his way to winning the 2008 North American Strongest Man contest. IronMind® | Sam Dube photo.


North America's Strongest Man 2008: Day 3 and Final Results by Sam Dube

Only two events remained in the contest: the car deadlift hold and the medley. Measuring 720 pounds at the handles and with wrist wraps allowed, Eastern Canada's Strongest Man Grant Connors set the standard in the former with a grueling 1-minute 21.04-second performance, which was not eclipsed until Grant Higa's superhuman 1:26.45 effort.  Christian Savoie, hanging on for dear life, impressed with a time of 1:10.54, but current contest leader and defending champion Jessen Paulin succeeded in his strategy to keep The Butcher at bay by besting this by 5 seconds, earning him third in the event next to the Higa Monster and Connors.

With respect to strongman contests, I'd like to say that "the show ain't over until the chain hits the ground."  In this case, it was the 600-pound marine chain that ended the three-part medley event, the first two parts being a 950-pound tire requiring one push and three flips, and a 750-pound car engine yoke carried for 50'.  The chain, by the way, needed to be dragged 100' and the whole event completed in 75 seconds or less.  With the loss yesterday of the injured Jose Plante, the odd number of athletes required Higa to go it alone while the remaining pairings made for some interesting match-ups.  Canadian Maritimers Dany Frame and Connors went head-to-head, with the former Toronto Argonaut Frame edging out the latter and setting the distance to beat, as no one could complete the chain drag and thus the course.  With only half a point separating Western Canada's Strongest Man Matty Parkes and Texan Josh "The Natural" Thigpen, their placings would be a direct reflection of the result of this pairing.

Unfortunately for The Natural, and sadly, reminiscent of his bad fortune in the log lift, his yoke toppled over when put down, and he lost valuable time to Matty by having to upright it.  Tied at 51.5 points apiece, Ryan "The Trooper" Bekke of Arizona and "Handsome Pete" Konradt of Wisconsin took off like bats out of hell, with Konradt eventually pulling ahead and ultimately becoming the man to beat in the process.  The two relative newcomers demonstrated superior strength athleticism throughout the weekend, and I'm certain we will see much more of them in the future!

With a 5-point deficit in the overall standings, the pressure was on Savoie to blast through the medley and beat Paulin by as wide a margin as possible.  That, and pray that Paulin make some dreadful error.

But it was not to be.

Despite tearing through the tire and the yoke and dragging the chain the farthest of all, Savoie was unable to close the gap. Paulin, with a powerful and methodical performance so characteristic of his strongman career, paced Savoie and placed second in the event, thus securing the overall victory and becoming a two-time North America's Strongest Man.

At the end of Day 3, the final points and standings are as follows:

1. Jessen Paulin 83.5 points
2. Christian Savoie 79.5
3. Pete Konradt 61.5
4. Ryan Bekke 57.5
5. Matty Parkes 56
6. Corey St-Clair 54
7. Josh Thigpen 53.5
8. Dany Frame 42.5
9. Jonathon Conner 41.5
10. Grant Connors 37.5
11. Grant Higa 36
12. Jose Plante 17*
(* = injured and withdrew after 5th event)


Editor's note: In the Clark Kent-side of his life, Dr. Sam Dube is a math professor who recently started medical school, looking to add the letters M.D. to the Ph.D. that already distinguishes his name, so why wouldn't you expect him, in his Superman role, to announce a strongman contest, report on it for IronMind® and also manage to snap a couple of pictures? Un homme de beaucoup de talents, merci beaucoup, Dr. Dube!

It might be the signature blend of a Finnish strongman contest, and the Strongman Champions League competition in Kokkola over the weekend showed once again that being hard and heavy can still mean fun when it comes to strongman.


Loading 100-kg boxes is just another day in the office for top strongmen such as Pekka Halonen (left) and and Ervin Katona (right), who went through the paces in Kokkola, Finland this past weekend. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Ilkka Kinnunen.


"Marcel [Mostert], Timo [Kangasluoma] and I want to thank all the athletes for the great performances that they made during the two days. We saw again some excellent results and battles. It was very tough two days with very heavy events . . . Ervin Katona called the ship pull my hardest pull ever,'" contest organizer Ilkka Kinnunen told IronMind®. "But even though the events were heavy and took a lot out of the athletes, they kept having fun with the audience and in front of the cameras, which shows that they really enjoyed their stay."

"Also, without all the support from sponsors, these events cannot happen, so I want to thank all the sponsors and TV for making this happen, and next year we will be back with even more action," said Kinnunen.


With two days of rugged competition behind them, Mikhail Koklyaev (left),winner of the Strongman Champions League contest in Kokkola, and Strongman Champions League organizer Ilkka Kinnunen (right) can relax. IronMind® | Photo courtesy of Ilkka Kinnunen.