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  • 25 June, 2018
  • 3 mins

Strongman Records Smashed at Europe’s Strongest Man 2018

Europe’s Strongest Man 2018 took place at First Direct Arena in Leeds on 7 April 2018 along with the World Log Lift Challenge.

World’s Strongest Man, Eddie Hall, secured a new British Record with a 213kg Log Lift, but failed his 230kg attempt to secure a new World Record!

Europe’s Strongest Man has long been the most hotly anticipated competition on the UK strongman calendar. But this year, with an athlete line-up to rival a World’s Strongest Man finale and the strongest pressers from around the world gathered to join in Event 1 (the World Log Lift Challenge), expectations and tensions were running higher than ever before.

With bitter rivalry, hard-fought ambition and world record hopes… the event certainly did not disappoint!

World’s Strongest Man, Eddie Hall, despite suffering with a broken ankle, had promised fans a World Record 230 kilo log lift and for the first time in his strongman career, he was unable to fulfil that promise, vowing to return for the title:

“It is a massive disappointment for me. I’ve let myself down and my fans down and I’m sorry. I’ll be back and that record will be mine, I promise you that.”

But the Beast did walk away with a new British Record in the Log Press – no mean feat at a whopping 213kg!

Big Z, 4x World’s Strongest man (considered by many to be the Strongest Man that has ever lived), has held tightly to his Log Lift record since 2005 and had no intentions of letting it go. Unfortunately, after a recent illness and still fighting old injuries, Big Z failed to make the 213 kilo lift.

The Beast wasn’t the only one publicly coveting Big Z’s long-held 228kg Log Press World Record. Strongman sensation, Iron Biby from Burkino Faso, also attempted the 230 kilo lift with hopes of making the magic press.

Despite not making the lift, Biby put in a valiant effort to roaring support from the 10,000+ strongman fans in the Arena. We’re sure there is much more to come from this incredibly talented and charismatic 25 year old.

“I will go away, I will work hard and I will come back for that record.”

Big Z’s log record remains intact (for now, at least).

…and that was just event 1!

The Europe’s Strongest Man competition also included a 360KG Giant Axle deadlift “for reps”, a 320KG Farmer’s Walk, a 450KG Car Walk and the Atlas Stones.

Big Z ended the show in fourth place, with Poland’s Strongest Man, Mateusz Kieliszkowski, in third place; the Georgian Bull, Konstantine Janashia, in second place; and Iceland’s Hafþór Júlíus “Thor” Björnsson claiming his fourth Europe’s Strongest Man title. All men securing their places at the 2019 World’s Strongest Man final.

Thor – otherwise known as “The Mountain” from Game of Thrones – announced to the audience that he is hell bent on winning World’s Strongest Man.

“I want to prove to my fans that I am the strongest man in the world!”

Winning Europe’s Strongest Man was his first stepping stone to that title and Thor is certainly the man to watch this year.

Full results:

# Athlete Points
1 HAFPOR BJORNSSON 44
2 KONSTANTINE JANASHIA 36
3 MATEUS KIELISZKOWSKI 35
4 ZYDRUNAS SAVICKAS 33
5 GRAHAM HICKS 27.5
6 TERRY HOLLANDS 23.5
7 MATJAZ BELSAK 20.5
8 MARK FELIX 17.5
9 KRZYSZTOF RADZIKOWSKI (retired, event 4) 16
10 VYTAUTAS LALAS (retired, event 4) 13

Event pyrotechnics supplied by Dynamic Fireworks.