IFSA founder Douglas Edmunds, Ph.D. explained today that, "It's IFSA policy to have a national championships for selection for 'World's Strongest Man.'" Edmunds has asked Jim Davis to make his July contest in St. Louis the official American championships, which would then serve as the basis for selecting the American competitors for the 2000 "World's Strongest Man" contest. Timing, Edmunds explained, was an important factor in the decision, since Davis's contest is scheduled for July and the WSM TV show is scheduled to be shot in Sun City, South Africa the following month. Present plans call for five Americans to go to this year's WSM show.