Grip strength practitioner, historian and contest organizer David Horne said that this weekend's European Grip Championships will have "a very strong field," including the "the 3rd, 4th and 5th place competitors from the recent Sweden's Strongest Man contest."

Adding further to their status, Horne said, "All competitors have already qualified from their respective national grip championships," so the caliber of competition is expected to be very high.  Competing on five events (grippers, two hands pinch, one-inch diameter vertical bar, one-inch diameter one hand lift, and unbraced bending), Horne said that both hands would be tested to give a total score. The competitors are:

Benny Wennberg (Sweden)
Johan Albrektsson (Sweden)
Hakan Petschler (Sweden)
Dean Bolt (Wales)
Erik Franz(Germany)
Steve Gardener (England)
David Horne (England)
David Hurzeler (Switzerland)
Florian Kellersmann (Germany)
Kalle Lane (Sweden)
Jonas Svaren (Sweden)
Martin Arildsson (Sweden)

Adding to the festivities, Martin Arildsson will try to officially close a No. 3 Captains of Crush® gripper, so that he can get certified on this benchmark feat of grip strength, and having this crowd around him, cheering him on, should give Martin a little extra octane in his fuel tanks.