2020 World's Strongest Man

2020 World's Strongest Man
Competition information
Dates12–15 November 2020
VenuePremier Sports Campus – Lakewood Ranch
LocationBradenton, Florida
Country United States
Athletes participating25
Nations participating10
Champion(s)
Ukraine Oleksii Novikov

The 2020 World's Strongest Man was the 43rd edition of the World's Strongest Man competition. It took place in Bradenton, Florida between November 11 and 15. Oleksii Novikov of Ukraine won the competition for the first time in his career,[1] with Tom Stoltman of Great Britain taking second and Jean-François Caron of Canada taking third. At 24 years old, Novikov is the youngest man to win the event since Jón Páll Sigmarsson in 1984.[1][2]

Scheduling and participants

The event was originally scheduled to take place May 20 to 24 in Bradenton, Florida, but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] The actual event itself also experienced scheduling issues because of Hurricane Eta.[4]

Defending champion Martins Licis and two-time runner up Mateusz Kieliszkowski did not take part this year due to injury.[5][6] 2018 champion Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson also did not take part after announcing his retirement earlier in the year.[7]

Participants

Heat Results

Format

There are five competitors per group. After four events, the competitor with the highest score qualifies for the final. The competitors in second and third place take part in the Stone Off, a run of loading 8 Atlas Stones, with the winner progressing.[8][9]

Heat 1

  • Events: Farmer's Walk, Deadlift for repetitions, Loading Race, Log Lift for repetitions.
# Name Nationality Pts
1 Jerry Pritchett  United States 17
2 Luke Richardson  United Kingdom 15
3 Robert Oberst  United States 11
4 Pa O'Dwyer  Ireland 9
5 Gabriel Peña  Mexico 6

Stone Off

Name Nationality Time
Luke Richardson  United Kingdom 5 in 0m 47.56
Robert Oberst  United States 4 in 1m 03.70

Heat 2

  • Events: Farmer's Walk, Deadlift for repetitions, Loading Race, Dumbbell Press Medley.
# Name Nationality Pts
1 Kevin Faires  United States 14
2 Mikhail Shivlyakov  Russia 13
3 Evan Singleton [a]  United States 13
4 Adam Bishop  United Kingdom 11
5 Mark Felix  United Kingdom 9
  1. ^ Evan Singleton withdrew due to a biceps tear, Adam Bishop replaced him in the Stone Off.[9]

Stone Off

Name Nationality Time
Adam Bishop  United Kingdom 6 in 0m 53.04
Mikhail Shivlyakov  Russia 5 in 0m 34.19

Heat 3

  • Events: Farmer's Walk, Squat Lift for repetitions, Loading Race, Dumbbell Press Medley.
# Name Nationality Pts
1 Oleksii Novikov  Ukraine 17
2 Tom Stoltman  United Kingdom 15
3 Maxime Boudreault  Canada 13
4 Trey Mitchell  United States 10
5 Gavin Bilton  United Kingdom 4

Stone Off

Name Nationality Time
Tom Stoltman  United Kingdom 8 in 0m 39.00
Maxime Boudreault  Canada 7 in 0m 38.30

Heat 4

  • Events: Farmer's Walk, Squat Lift for repetitions, Loading Race, Log Lift for repetitions.
# Name Nationality Pts
1 Jean-François Caron  Canada 16.5
2 Bobby Thompson  United States 14.5
3 Graham Hicks  United Kingdom 12
4 Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð  Iceland 11
5 Ervin Toots  Estonia 3

Stone Off

Name Nationality Time
Graham Hicks  United Kingdom 6 in 0m 50.34
Bobby Thompson  United States 5 in 1m 15.09

Heat 5

  • Events: Farmer's Walk, Deadlift for repetitions, Loading Race, Dumbbell Press Medley.
# Name Nationality Pts
1 Brian Shaw  United States 15.5
2 Terry Hollands  United Kingdom 14.5
3 Aivars Šmaukstelis  Latvia 13.5
4 Luke Stoltman  United Kingdom 11.5
5 Nick Best  United States 4

Stone Off

Name Nationality Time
Aivars Šmaukstelis  Latvia 7 in 0m 39.57
Terry Hollands  United Kingdom 6 in 0m 33.43

Finals Events Results

Event 1: Giant's Medley

  • Weight: 125 kilograms (276 lb) anvil, 454 kilograms (1,001 lb) yoke
  • Course Length: 10 metres (33 ft) anvil, 15 metres (49 ft) yoke
  • Time Limit: 75 seconds
# Name Nationality Time Event Pts Overall Pts
1 Adam Bishop  United Kingdom 0m 22.55 10 10
2 Oleksii Novikov  Ukraine 0m 23.79 9 9
3 Jerry Pritchett  United States 0m 24.71 8 8
4 Kevin Faires  United States 0m 26.22 7 7
5 Tom Stoltman  United Kingdom 0m 26.61 6 6
6 Jean-François Caron  Canada 0m 26.92 5 5
7 Brian Shaw  United States 0m 27.03 4 4
8 Aivars Šmaukstelis  Latvia 0m 34.97 3 3
9 Luke Richardson  United Kingdom 0m 36.70 2 2
10 Graham Hicks[a]  United Kingdom DNF 16.19 metres (53.1 ft) 1 1
  1. ^ Graham Hicks withdrew following this event due to a biceps tear.[10]

Event 2: Max Deadlift

  • 18-Inch Deadlift For Max Weight
  • Opening Weight: 400 kilograms (880 lb)
# Name Nationality Weight Event Pts Overall Pts
1 Oleksii Novikov[a]  Ukraine 537.5 kilograms (1,185 lb) 10 19
2 Adam Bishop  United Kingdom 509 kilograms (1,122 lb) 8 18
2 Jerry Pritchett  United States 509 kilograms (1,122 lb) 8 16
2 Jean-François Caron  Canada 509 kilograms (1,122 lb) 8 13
5 Tom Stoltman  United Kingdom 478 kilograms (1,054 lb) 5.5 11.5
5 Brian Shaw  United States 478 kilograms (1,054 lb) 5.5 9.5
7 Kevin Faires  United States 440 kilograms (970 lb) 4 11
8 Aivars Šmaukstelis  Latvia 400 kilograms (880 lb) 2.5 5.5
8 Luke Richardson  United Kingdom 400 kilograms (880 lb) 2.5 4.5
  1. ^ Oleksii Novikov's 537.5 kg (1,185 lb) lift broke a WSM record for this event that had stood since Tom Magee lifted 535 kg (1,179 lb) in the 1983 contest.[2]

Event 3: Keg Toss

  • Weight: 8 kegs ranging from 18–25 kilograms (40–55 lb)
  • Height: 4.5 metres (15 ft)
  • Time Limit: 60 seconds
# Name Nationality Time Event Pts Overall Pts
1 Tom Stoltman  United Kingdom 8 in 0m 20.05 10 21.5
2 Jean-François Caron  Canada 8 in 0m 20.37 9 22
3 Brian Shaw  United States 8 in 0m 21.75 8 17.5
4 Aivars Šmaukstelis  Latvia 8 in 0m 24.88 7 12.5
5 Oleksii Novikov  Ukraine 8 in 0m 26.96 6 25
6 Luke Richardson  United Kingdom 8 in 0m 27.82 5 9.5
7 Adam Bishop  United Kingdom 8 in 0m 39.90 4 22
8 Jerry Pritchett  United States 7 in 0m 39.94 3 19
9 Kevin Faires  United States 6 in 0m 19.04 2 13

Event 4: Hercules Hold

  • Weight: 160 kilograms (350 lb) on each hand for as long as possible
# Name Nationality Time Event Pts Overall Pts
1 Jean-François Caron  Canada 0m 52.67 10 32
2 Kevin Faires  United States 0m 49.22 9 22
3 Jerry Pritchett  United States 0m 42.99 8 27
4 Oleksii Novikov  Ukraine 0m 41.63 7 32
5 Luke Richardson  United Kingdom 0m 35.12 6 15.5
6 Brian Shaw  United States 0m 34.79 5 22.5
7 Adam Bishop  United Kingdom 0m 28.40 4 26
8 Aivars Šmaukstelis  Latvia 0m 28.17 3 15.5
9 Tom Stoltman  United Kingdom 0m 21.23 2 23.5

Event 5: Log Ladder

  • Weight: 5 logs ranging from 131–182.5 kilograms (289–402 lb)
  • Time Limit: 75 seconds
# Name Nationality Time Event Pts Overall Pts
1 Tom Stoltman  United Kingdom 5 in 0m 49.45 10 33.5
2 Jerry Pritchett  United States 5 in 0m 51.18 9 36
3 Oleksii Novikov  Ukraine 4 in 0m 32.68 8 40
4 Aivars Šmaukstelis  Latvia 4 in 0m 41.24 7 22.5
5 Kevin Faires  United States 4 in 0m 46.67 6 28
6 Luke Richardson  United Kingdom 4 in 1m 02.12 5 20.5
7 Brian Shaw  United States 3 in 0m 27.91 4 26.5
8 Adam Bishop  United Kingdom 3 in 0m 37.02 3 29
9 Jean-François Caron  Canada 3 in 0m 47.05 2 34

Event 6: Atlas Stones

  • Weight: 5 stones ranging from 150–210 kilograms (330–460 lb)
  • Time Limit: 60 seconds
  • Total Weight: 900 kilograms (2,000 lb)
# Name Nationality Time Event Pts Overall Pts
1 Tom Stoltman  United Kingdom 5 in 0m 19.89 10 43.5
2 Brian Shaw  United States 5 in 0m 28.55 9 35.5
3 Jean-François Caron  Canada 5 in 0m 34.03 8 42
4 Oleksii Novikov  Ukraine 4 in 0m 19.47 7 47
5 Aivars Šmaukstelis  Latvia 4 in 0m 20.63 6 28.5
6 Adam Bishop  United Kingdom 4 in 0m 24.30 5 34
7 Jerry Pritchett  United States 4 in 0m 24.53 4 40
8 Kevin Faires  United States 4 in 0m 24.73 3 31
9 Luke Richardson  United Kingdom 3 in 0m 18.02 2 22.5

Records

As part of the deadlift event, Novikov successfully performed a 537.5 kilograms (1,185 lb) 18-inch deadlift, "which bested the previous world record at a sanctioned event in 1983, according to a news release."[1][2]

Mark Felix, by invitation,[2] attempted to set a World's Strongest Man record in the Hercules Hold, but did not succeed.[10]

Brian Shaw qualified for a record equalling 12th WSM final, tying the record of Zydrunas Savickas. With all of these finals being consecutive, he also broke his own record for consecutive finals. This was also Shaw's 11th top 5 finish, another record.

Mark Felix appeared in his 15th WSM contest, breaking the record of 14 held by himself and Savickas. Terry Hollands also appeared in his 14th contest.

Final standings

# Name Nationality Pts
1 Oleksii Novikov Ukraine Ukraine 47
2 Tom Stoltman United Kingdom United Kingdom 43.5
3 Jean-François Caron[a] Canada Canada 42
4 Jerry Pritchett United States United States 40
5 Brian Shaw United States United States 35.5
6 Adam Bishop United Kingdom United Kingdom 34
7 Kevin Faires United States United States 31
8 Aivars Šmaukstelis Latvia Latvia 28.5
9 Luke Richardson United Kingdom United Kingdom 22.5
10 Graham Hicks[b] United Kingdom United Kingdom 1 (injured)
  1. ^ Though he had placed in the top-ten in previous years, the third-place finish for Caron was his first time on the WSM podium.[2]
  2. ^ Graham Hicks withdrew due to a biceps tear.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c Schad, Tom. "Ukraine's Oleksii Novikov wins 2020 World's Strongest Man after 1,185-pound partial deadlift". USA Today. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d e Blechman, Phil (November 17, 2020). "The 6 Biggest Moments From The 2020 World's Strongest Man". BarBend. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  3. ^ Freedman, Adrianna (April 7, 2020). "The 2020 World's Strongest Man Competition Is Postponed Due to the Coronavirus Pandemic". Men's Health. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  4. ^ Jones Jr., James A. (November 11, 2020). "World's Strongest Man competition postponed. Hurricane Eta is stronger". Bradenton Herald. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  5. ^ Lockridge, Roger (September 4, 2020). "Martins Licis Confirms He Is Out Of 2020 World's Strongest Man". Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  6. ^ Lockridge, Roger (November 1, 2020). "Mateusz Kieliszkowski Withdraws From 2020 World's Strongest Man Due To Injury". Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  7. ^ McCarriston, Shanna (August 12, 2020). "'The Mountain' from 'Game of Thrones' retires after winning 10th straight Iceland's Strongest Man title". CBS Sports. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  8. ^ Blechman, Phil (November 13, 2020). "Novikov, Caron, Hollands Carry Day One Of 2020 World's Strongest Man". BarBend. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Blechman, Phil (November 14, 2020). "2020 World's Strongest Man Finalists Revealed". BarBend. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
  10. ^ a b c Gutman, Andrew (November 15, 2020). "Novikov Secures 2020 World's Strongest Man Victory (Updated)". BarBend. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
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