As well as the box set of the 1980’s World’s Strongest Man finals, I was fortunate enough to receive the box set of the 1990’s for my birthday in January. I’ve been working my way through them on the odd evening that I get home in time to do more than pay a visit to my garage gym and then hit the sack. So I’ve done a few reviews of the episodes but before I get to them, here are a few pointers and resources…
Strongman resources
I have posted about strongman before and I often have links to useful sites. If you’re interested, check out my top 10 website resources for strongman. I also love watching World’s Strongest Man on television – it’s probably the highlight of my televiewing year – and I enjoy using strongman equipment in my workouts, especially when the weather is nice and I can use the garden. And not only has it been an enjoyable experience for me, training wise, it’s produced some fun blog posts too, including:
- how to make simple farmers’ walk bars;
- how to make (more complicated) farmer’s walk bars;
- how to make a cheap sandbag;
- training with sandbags (lifting and loading);
- how to make a fat bar (for axle deadlifts, cleans and presses).
However, please note that I don’t compete and I don’t profess to any inside knowledge. That aside, I hope you enjoy this article. If you want to buy the DVD, you can find it here
1998 Morocco (Winner: Magnus Samuelsson)
It was only a fleeting visit to the USA in 1997. After that brief interlude, World’s Strongest Man went back to a more international location, in North Africa. However, the USA had good representation this year, with Mark Philippi and Phil Pfister both making the final.
- Farmers’ walk – a farmers’ walk with 120kg (265lbs) in each hand was a very dramatic start to the competition. Joako Ahola set the pace but Magnus Samuelsson and the crowd-pleasing newcomer Wout Zijilstra stayed with him. However, just at the finishing line, both Wout and Magnus dropped their implements and Riku Kiri walked, astonished, into second place.
- Truck pull – this year, the truck pull was made harder still by using three cabs. It was the same set-up in recent years, with a harness and a rope held in the hands. Torfi Olafsson, the heaviest man in the field, went first and set a fantastic time. Magnus Samuelsson got closest to Torfi’s time to come second. Riku Kiri came third. After these two events, Magnus, Riku and Jouko were joint leaders.
- Husafel stone – the Husafel stone doesn’t appear often in World’s Strongest Man but it always seems to be a crucial event when it does. The Americans surprised everyone by holding first and second place right up until Magnus Samuelsson, the winner of the event last year, steamed past the Americans to win again. Jouko Ahola had an epic as he grasped his stone too low and finished very low down in the field. Riku Kiri also had a very bad day and finished just ahead of Jouko. It was very close, though, and Jamie Reeves ran up with his tape measure to judge. Torfi Olafsson had the worst luck of the day, though, as he went last
- Car flip – Torfi had another bad day as he slipped in the sand during his sprint and crawled over the line. Riku Kiri had an injury as the car slipped back on his leg. It seems that every year that this event is scheduled it causes an injury. I’ve mentioned it a number of times how dangerous it is. Both Bill Kazmaier and Jon Pall Sigmarsson were injured in the past. This was, however, the worst ever year, as Mark Philippi was seriously injured as the car rolled back and bent his knee back severely. Magnus Samuelsson, once again, used his height to flip the car faster than anyone else to take the win. This, along with his win in the Husafel stone and his second place in the truck pull, gave him a clear lead at this point.
- Power stairs – after its introduction as the final event in 1996, the organizers introduced the power stairs earlier in the competition. Joako Ahola set a staggering time of under 40s but Magnus Samuelsson was on a roll and came in under 38s. This extended his lead to eight points.
- Log lift – overhead lifting is one of Magnus Samuelsson’s worst events. Having long arms makes it a longer range of motion to achieve. Phil Pfister was eliminated at 140kg (310lbs). Magnus Samuelsson was eliminated at 145kg (320lbs). Jouko Ahola did consistently well through the competition, but complained just as consistently to Jamie Reeves throughout, possibly about the sun overhead. He finished in first place.
- Car circle – this event is the same as the cask circle in 1996, a Zercher carry about a central pole, and for which progress is measured in degrees. Magnus Samuelsson faced another stiff challenge as he had to lift the weight very high on account of his height. In contrast, Jouko barely had to move it at all. Jouko won but Magnus came second, which defended his position so strongly that nothing short of utter disaster could spoil his chances.
- Medley – the medley this year was a duck walk followed by a 300kg (660lbs) tire flip (which Magnus Samuelsson dominated), and finally three 75kg (165lbs) barrels onto a platform. Magnus Samuelsson, riding high on his wave of success, won the event and won overall.
A fun final, which was dominated throughout by Magnus Samuelsson, partly as a result of his own ability and partly because the focus on power and speed events suited him. But it was also noteworthy that the huge drop-out rate due to injury after the first few events made it was possible to get 6 points just by starting an event. This made it very easy for someone who had built up a lead at the beginning to hold that lead later on.
1999 Malta (Winner: Jouko Ahola)
A very different line-up this year, with very little overlap between 1998 and 1999 competitors. It was strange to Laszlo Fekete back, and looking very much older and bigger, for the first time since 1990.
- Yoke walk – it must have cost quite a lot to get hold of five 800lbs yokes for the two heats. Jouko Ahola set a blistering time in the first heat but Svend Karlsen, in the second heat and back after a year away, chased it down and beat it.
- Deadlift – most of the field got stuck at 320kg (705lbs). Magnus Samuelsson lifted 340kg (750lbs) but the referee had forgotten his spectacles again this year and disallowed it. Berend Venenberg surprised everyone to lift 370kg (815lbs). Svend Karlsen muscled up 375kg (825 lbs) and Jouko Ahola won with 380kg (835lbs). Placing first and second in the first two events put Jouko and Svend into equal first place overall at this point in the competition.
- Boat pull – Janne Virtanen put his long arms to good use in this event to set a fast time, which was immediately broken by the big Canadian Hugo Girard, who had been practicing the event. The ever-present Jamie Reeves, sweating in his Stetson and sandals, was on hand to watch the progress. Magnus Samuelsson, also possessing long arms, took his first blood of the competition but Svend Karlsen’s defeat of Jouko Ahola gave him the overall lead.
- Atlas stones – Laszlo Fekete had a slow start here as the first stone wouldn’t settle onto the platform. However, his considerable experience came to bear and he proceeded steadily through to the final stone in a fast time overall. Jouko Ahola was disappointed to come second to Laszlo, as Jamie Reeves showed him his time. Svend Karlsen was even more disappointed to fail at the fifth stone, which meant that his lead was short-lived and Jouko Ahola took the lead back again.
- Plane pull – the famous truck pull was replaced by a plane pull this year. Jamie Reeves was there with his Stetson and sandals to officiate. As in recent years, the pull was made with both a rope in the hands and a harness. Jouko Ahola stormed down the field to beat everyone who had come before him but it was his fellow-countryman, Janne Virtanen, who won.
- Log lift – a slight variation on the log lift this year, with a 120kg (265lbs) pendulum press log lift for reps. Hugo Girard set a new world record and won the event with 17 reps. Magnus Samuelsson surprised everyone by making 15 reps. Jamie Reeves loomed ominously in the background, looking mean and moody.
- Medley – the medley opened with a 120kg (265lbs) farmers’ walk, followed by a 300kg (660lbs) tire flip and finally a chain and anchor drag. Magnus Samuelsson, as always, owned the tire flip but was beaten to the line by both Svend Karlsen and Jouko Ahola. It was enough for Jouko to win overall.
A deserving win for Jouko Ahola and a great competition with some strong candidates, none of who completely dominated the field. An interesting way to end the decade.
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