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

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

For full details, including the TV broadcast schedule on Five, please check the official World's Strongest Man website.

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

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

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

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