World's Strongest Viking was an annual international Strongman competition organized by Strongman Champions League and held for eight consecutive years from 2014 to 2021 with participation of top strongman athletes in the world.[1] It was held under perilous weather conditions in winter, testing the athletes to their limits.[2]
The roots of the competition goes back to the Nordic Strongman Championships which was continued until 2013 with participation of athletes from Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark. In 2014, Giants Live upscaled it to global level, renaming the competition to 'World's Strongest Viking'.[1] In 2015, Strongman Champions League took over.[3] The competition was held every January in Vinstra, Norway under freezing weather conditions[2] and with vintage Viking events.
Among the most iconic events were Viking deadlift,[4] Viking boat pull,[5] Viking press, Viking ship mast super yoke,[6] Hercules hold, power stairs and Atlas stones. The competitions were noted for their heavily wood crafted implements and replicating historical feats of strength. One of the most legendary moments of the competitions came in 2015 when Iceland's Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson surpassed the historical 1,000 years old Viking ship mast (Ormrinn langi) feat of strength by carrying a 650 kg (1,433 lb), 10 metres (33 ft) long, 1.41 metres (4 ft 8 in) circumference Viking ship mast on his back for 5 steps in −20 °C weather.[7][8]
