Top 105-kg strongman competitor and the most famous Finnish driver in IronMind circles, Jyrki Rantanen said that he plans to compete next year, as does fellow Finn and 2000 World's Strongest Man winner Janne Virtanen.

Jyrki said, "I'm fine...working a lot with our business projects. I have been training only once a week in the gym and two times week in a kickboxing gym to work out flexibility and cardio. Also, my asthma problems are gone thanks to a new doctor and medicines. I have dropped my weight from 115 kg to 109 and plan to [hit a] 'normal weight' around 104 - 105 kg and then next year (maybe!) I do one try in the lightweight class."

Janne is also doing well, Jyrki said. "His leg is healing and because of the good performance in the WSM qualification he will compete one more year." Jyrki said that Janne's plan is for "not many comps, only aiming for the WSM, and in Finland he probably won't compete at all. His plan was to retire after 2006 (and the way I see it he was planning to to retire as a champ), but the calf was thinking differently.

"The leg is quite ok now and he's soon able to start training with that calf, too. There was no surgery, but six weeks total rest (in scanning they saw, that there was a big tear, but still chance for full recovery without surgery). Of course, in the meanwhile Janne have been working his upper body like a maniac... ."