The 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) contest kicked off with a bang on Apr. 19, 2023, in sunny Myrtle Seaside, SC. The taking part athletes had been lucky to work via the primary Qualifying Spherical occasions on a day that by no means veered far previous the excessive 70s in temperature.
The primary leg of the competitors noticed the rivals work via the early-morning Loading Race, the early-afternoon Deadlift Machine, and closed with the near-evening Log Ladder. Right here’s the place the leaderboard stands after Day 1, together with a brief recap of how every athlete fared within the competitors’s kickoff occasions.
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Listed below are the outcomes from every Qualifying Spherical Group, together with every athlete’s particular person finishes, corresponding time, and putting inside the Loading Race, Deadlift Machine, and Log Ladder occasions.
The competition’s first occasion examined the rivals’ power and athleticism. Shortly earlier than the Loading Race started, Cheick “Iron Biby” Sanou withdrew from the competitors.
They’d an goal of working via a four-to-six-meter (13-to-19.6-foot) area of sand as quick as they may whereas loading regularly heavier implements onto an elevated platform. The time restrict for the Loading Race’s completion was 90 seconds. The implements featured two stacks of bundled logs (106 kilograms/234 kilos and 114.7 kilogram/253 kilos), a 124.7-kilogram (275-pound) anvil, a 120.2-kilogram (265-pound) sandbag, and a 120.2-kilogram (265-pound) “Husafell” sandbag.
Reigning Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM) champion and Group 1 competitor, Pavlo Kordiyaka, had the most effective time (41.38 seconds) whereas efficiently loading all 5 implements. In the meantime, presumed high WSM contenders Oleksii Novikov (51.14 seconds) and Mitchell Hooper (42.05 seconds) each breezed via the race to steer Group 2 and Group 3, respectively.
- Oleksii Novikov — 5 implements, 52.14 seconds
- Kristjan Jon Haraldsson — 5 implements, 54.58 seconds
- Thomas Evans — 5 implements, 57.4 seconds
- Luke Stoltman — 5 implements, 62.78 seconds
- Gavin Bilton — 5 implements, 63.01 seconds
- Fadi El Masri — 4 implements, 49.57 seconds
- Mitchell Hooper — 5 implements, 42.05 seconds
- Aivars Šmaukstelis — 5 implements, 52.71 seconds
- Mathew Ragg — 5 implements — 58.72 seconds
- Spenser Remick — 5 implements, 67.15 seconds
- Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 5 implements, 67.53 seconds
- Graham Hicks — 4 implements, 53.4 seconds
- Jaco Schoonwinkel — 5 implements, 47.1 seconds
- Rauno Heinla — 5 implements, 51.41 seconds
- Brian Shaw — 5 implements, 53.7 seconds
- Adam Bishop — 4 implements, 43.12 seconds
- Gabriel Rhéaume — 4 implements, 51.03 seconds
- Kevin Faires — Three implements, 65.3 seconds
The second occasion of the 2023 WSM, the Deadlift Machine, was a requisite showcase of energy and endurance. The athletes had a 75-second time restrict to carry out as many repetitions as doable on a specifically designed deadlift machine.
The burden for the Deadlift Machine was elevated after every rep, within the following order: 281 kilograms (619.5 kilos), 298 kilograms (657 kilos), 312 kilograms (687 kilos), 329 kilograms (725 kilos), 345 kilograms (760 kilos), 362 kilograms (798 kilos), and 379 kilograms (835.5 kilos). Any athletes who had the capability to carry out the seventh and last weight may accomplish that as many as they happy inside the allotted time-frame.
Hooper (Group 3), Brian Shaw (Group 4), and Trey Mitchell (Group 5) all tied for probably the most variety of repetitions carried out with eight. Hooper and Novikov (six reps in Group 2) had been the one athletes to attain a second consecutive occasion victory for his or her Qualifying Spherical Group.
- Bobby Thompson — Seven reps
- Tom Stoltman — Six reps
- Konstantine Janashia — Six reps
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — 5 reps
- Pa O’Dwyer — 5 reps
- Eddie Williams — 5 reps
- Oleksii Novikov — Six reps
- Thomas Evans — 5 reps
- Luke Stoltman — 5 reps
- Gavin Bilton — 5 reps
- Kristjan Jon Haraldsson — 4 reps
- Fadi El Masri — 4 reps
- Mitchell Hooper — Eight reps
- Mathew Ragg — Seven reps
- Graham Hicks — Seven reps
- Aivars Šmaukstelis — 5 reps
- Spenser Remick — 5 reps
- Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 4 reps
- Brian Shaw — Eight reps
- Rauno Heinla — Eight reps
- Adam Bishop — Seven reps
- Jaco Schoonwinkel — Six reps
- Kevin Faires — 5 reps
- Gabriel Rhéaume — 5 reps
- Trey Mitchell — Eight reps
- Mark Felix — Six reps
- Evan Singleton — Six reps
- Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — Six reps
- Jean-Stephen Corabeouf — 5 reps
- Paul Smith — 4 reps
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As has been the previous precedent for WSM contests, the primary day of the 2023 WSM concluded with the Log Ladder. The rivals needed to energy via a difficult ladder of logs, which regularly elevated in weight. As soon as once more, that they had a 75-second time restrict.
Rivals had been offered with a collection of 5 fixed-weight logs. They had been allowed as many makes an attempt as wanted to efficiently put the log overhead. After one full repetition, they progressed to the following weight: 124 kilograms (275 kilos), 140 kilograms (310 kilos), 158 kilograms (350 kilos), 170 kilograms (375 kilos), and 181 kilograms (400 kilos).
Seven of the 30 rivals had been capable of full your complete collection of 5 lifts, together with reigning WSM champion Tom Stoltman (Group 1), two-time Shaw Basic winner Trey Mitchell (Group 5), and WSM debut athletes Thomas Evans and Mathew Ragg (Group 2 and Group 3, respectively), with Evans finishing the lifts within the quickest time of your complete area.
- Tom Stoltman — 5 reps, 42.5 seconds
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — 5 reps, 46 seconds
- Bobby Thompson — 4 reps, 25.83 seconds
- Konstantine Janashia — 4 reps, 68.35 seconds
- Eddie Williams — 4 reps, 55.89 seconds
- Pa O’Dwyer — Three reps, 25.8 seconds
- Thomas Evans — 5 reps, 38.96 seconds
- Luke Stoltman — 5 reps, 52.76 seconds
- Oleksii Novikov — 4 reps, 32.5 seconds
- Gavin Bilton — 4 reps, 56.84 seconds
- Fadi El Masri — Two reps, 17.43 seconds
- Kristjan Jon Haraldsson — Two reps, 16.28 seconds
- Mitchell Hooper — 5 reps, 39.51 seconds
- Mathew Ragg — 5 reps, 56.84 seconds
- Graham Hicks — 4 reps, 28.31 seconds
- Aivars Šmaukstelis — 4 reps, 30.44 seconds
- Mateusz Kieliszkowski — 4 reps, 33.24 seconds
- Spenser Remick — 4 reps, 38.79 seconds
- Brian Shaw — 4 reps, 33.99 seconds
- Jaco Schoonwinkel — 4 reps, 34.77 seconds
- Rauno Heinla — Three reps, 21.6 seconds
- Kevin Faires — Three reps, 28.93 seconds
- Gabriel Rhéaume — Three reps, 32.96 seconds
- Adam Bishop — Three reps, 33.25 seconds
- Trey Mitchell — 5 reps, 39.44 seconds
- Evan Singleton — 4 reps, 35.48 seconds
- Eythor Ingolfsson Melsted — 4 reps, 39.93 seconds
- Paul Smith — 4 reps, 45.84 seconds
- Jean-Stephen Corabeouf — Three reps, 22.34 seconds
- Mark Felix — One rep, 7.58 seconds
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Whereas Hooper and Novikov could have separated themselves from the pack, a number of 2023 WSM rivals nonetheless must make their mark on the contest. Not everybody can dominate within the early goings and earn themselves loads of respiratory room within the course of. Thursday’s Qualifying Spherical occasions, which function the Conan’s Wheel, Kettlebell Toss, and customary Stone Off to resolve 5 of the ten berths within the Remaining, ought to current a tense present for the athletes and spectators available.
With the following legendary WSM Remaining on the horizon, Thursday will probably go down as a seminal second within the forty sixth version of strongman’s definitive competitors.
Featured picture: Todd Burandt / Courtesy of World’s Strongest Man