World’s Strongest Man 2023 tour – The Heats review!
Hooper and Kordiyaka Dominate as Kieliszkowski and Thompson are Eliminated!
After two epic days of competition in South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach, thirty of the planet’s strongest men have been whittled down to ten, as the 2023 World’s Strongest Man heats reached their nail-biting climax. Having Slugged it out over six gruelling events the ten finalists will now enjoy a brief and well-earned rest before the grand final begins on 22nd April.
Mitchell Hooper may be many people’s favourite for the title after a superb showing in Group 3 in which he won 4 of the five events. Europe’s Strongest Man, Pavlo Kordiyaka, was able to replicate his brilliant performance in Leeds earlier this month and became the first man into the finals, along with his compatriot, Oleksii Novikov, the 2000 winner. Novikov looked calm and assured, doing just enough to qualify, conserving his energy for the final.
Defending two-time Champion Tom Stoltman moved safely into the final despite needing to come through a Stone-off, as did his older brother Luke who qualified at the expense of Britain’s Gavin Bilton who produced by far his best performance at World’s.
Trey Mitchell emerged unscathed from Group 5 after a controlled and highly impressive showing. Joining him in the final, from the same heat, will be Evan Singleton who was finally able to put together the kind of performance his fans have been waiting to see at World’s Strongest Man.
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There were shocks and upsets a-plenty with the American Nightmare, Bobby Thompson and the twice runner-up Mateusz Kieliszkowski both bowing out. The Pole was particularly disappointing after his second-place finish at the recent Arnold Classic, but his day one performance left him no chance of recovery.
Producing the most surprising results of the heats were Jaco Schoonwinkel, who won Group 4, and Matt Ragg who became the first New Zealander to qualify for the final after finishing runner-up in group 3. Unlike Schoonwinkle who claimed first place by just half a point from Brian Shaw, Ragg was forced to contest the Stone-off and his 8 reps could not be bettered by third placed Aivars Šmaukstelis.
Brian Shaw’s Strive for Five remains a reality after he was forced to complete 11-reps in the Stone Off against Rauno Heinla. Shaw has many good events in the final and showed that he is in excellent condition and definitely means business!
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Event 1: Loading Race
Loading five implements on sand, this was a testing start for the thirty men assembled on the Sand Stage at Myrtle Beach. It kicked off with two log piles weighing 106kg (234lb) and 115kg (253lb), each containing 3 logs, making it a unique implement that none of the athletes would have previously experienced. Following that, a 125kg (275lb) anvil, a 120kg (264lb) sandbag, and finally a 120kg (264lb) Húsafell sandbag. The athletes were given a 75-second time limit.
Event 2: Deadlift Machine
Resurrecting the old deadlift machine from World Strongest Man contests of yesteryear, the athletes were faced with progressively heavier lifts as barrels are dropped into the apparatus after each successive rep. The competitors then had the option to complete as many repetitions at the top weight as possible.
The poundage for each rep were as follows: Rep 1: 281kg (619lb), Rep 2: 298kg (657lb), Rep 3: 312kg (688lb), Rep 4: 329kg (725lb), Rep 5: 345kg (761lb), Rep 6: 362kg (798lb), Rep 7: 379kg (836lb).
Event 3: Log Ladder
Bringing day one to a close with another ascending weight event, though this time testing their shoulder power, the strongmen tackled the five-implement Log Ladder. With 75-seconds on the clock the progressively heavier wooden logs, weighed in at: 125kg (275lb), 141kg (310lb), 159kg (350lb), 170kg (375lb) and 181kg (400lb).
Event 4: Conan’s Wheel
The opening event of day 2 provided no respite for the tired and beaten bodies that had endured the opening day’s disciplines. The bolder-loaded container provided a 200kg (441lb) weight in the athletes’ arms, and each competitor had to complete as many revolutions of the wheel as possible before exhaustion forced them to stop. The results were given in degrees.
Event 5: Kettlebell Toss
Returning to the Sand Stage in what was the last event of the heats for four of the six athletes in each group, the strongmen’s explosiveness was examined as they were required to throw seven kettlebells over the 15-foot (4.80m) bar. 60-seconds was the time limit for each of the progressively heavier bells to clear the bar. The weights of each implement were: 1. 20kg (45lb), 2. 22kg (48lb), 3. 23kg (50lb), 4. 23kg (50lb), 5. 24kg (53lb), 6. 26kg (58lb), 7. 31kg (68lb).
Event 6: Stone Off
So often the cause of much upset at World’s, the final event of the heats saw the athletes placed 2nd and 3rd go head-to-head, whilst the 1st placed athlete was free to relax, safe in the knowledge they had qualified. This year there were 6 stones of ascending weight, with the final orb weighing 200kg (441lb). The 3rd placed athlete lifted first, then the 2nd placed. If all 6 were successfully lifted, then the competitors had to lift until failure on the 200kg stone.
Group 1
| Total
Pts |
Loading Race | Pts | Deadlift
Machine |
Pts | Log
Ladder |
Pts | Conan’s
Wheel |
Pts | Kettlebell
Toss |
Pts | Stone
Off |
|
| Pavlo
Kordiyaka (UKR) |
25 | 5 in 41.38 s | 6 | 5 reps | 2 | 5 in
46.00 s |
5 | 749° | 6 | 6 in
18.09 s |
6 | – |
| Tom
Stoltman (GBR) |
20.5 | 5 in 43.84 | 5 | 6 reps | 4.5 | 5 in
41.56 |
6 | 598° | 1 | 6 in
21.99 |
4 | 3 reps
(winner) |
| Bobby
Thompson (USA) |
20 | 5 in 56.56 | 4 | 7 reps | 6 | 4 in
25.83 |
4 | 649° | 4 | 6 in
35.67 |
2 | 3 reps |
| Konstantine
Janashia (GEO) |
17.5 | 5 in 1:01.1 0 | 3 | 6 reps | 4.5 | 4 in
68.39 |
2 | 633° | 3 | 6 in
19.93 |
5 | – |
| Pa
O’Dwyer (IRE) |
13 | 5 in 1:05.89 | 2 | 5 reps | 2 | 3 in
25.80 |
1 | 722° | 5 | 6 in
31.71 |
3 | – |
| Eddie
Williams (AUS) |
9 | 5 in 1:06.44 | 1 | 5 reps | 2 | 4 in 55.89 | 3 | 614° | 2 | 6 in
36.40 |
1 | – |
Bobby Thompson was eliminated after the hamstring twinge that cost him victory in the Log Ladder in day one came back to haunt him in the Stone Off. It was déjà vu for America’s Strongest Man, who lost out in the Stone Off last year and was once again denied a final place. Facing Tom Stoltman, a man widely considered to be the finest stone lifter in the world, was always going to be a tough ask, and the defending champion was able to qualify safely after watching Kordiyaka dominate his heat, much as he had dominated at Europe’s Strongest Man, earlier this month.
Group 2
| Total
Pts |
Loading Race | Pts | Deadlift
Machine |
Pts | Log
Ladder |
Pts | Conan’s
Wheel |
Pts | Kettlebell
Toss |
Pts | Stone
Off |
|
| Oleksii
Novikov (UKR) |
23 | 5 in
52.15 s |
6 | 6 reps | 6 | 4 in 32.50 s | 4 | 897° | 6 | 1 in
9.56 s |
1 | – |
| Luke
Stoltman (GBR) |
21 | 5 in
1:02.78 |
3 | 5 reps | 4 | 5 in
52.76 |
5 | 545° | 4 | 6 in
49.35 |
5 | 7 reps
(winner) |
| Gavin
Bilton (GBR) |
20 | 5 in
1:03.01 |
2 | 5 reps | 4 | 4 in 56.84 | 3 | 557° | 5 | 6 in
19.90 |
6 | 7 reps |
| Thomas
Evans (USA) |
18 | 5 in
57.40 |
4 | 5 reps | 4 | 5 in
39.51 s |
6 | 69° | 1 | 5 in
28.68 |
3 | – |
| Kristján
Haraldsson (ISL) |
15.5 | 5 in
54.58 |
5 | 4 reps | 1.5 | 2 in 16.28 | 2 | 524° | 3 | 5 in
15.57 |
4 | – |
| Fadi El
Masri (LBN) |
7.5 | 4 in
49.57 |
1 | 4 reps | 1.5 | 2 in
17.43 |
1 | 70° | 2 | 4 in
20.61 |
2 | – |
It was an agonising blow for the Welsh Bull to be denied a qualification place after what was a tremendous performance from the big Welshman. For Luke Stoltman it was pure relief after getting off to a sluggish start in the Loading Race. With the 2020 champion, Oleksii Novikov, dominating proceedings, Tom was able to produce a consistent performance, racking up two 2nd places and two 3rd place finishes to finish second in the group. Bilton’s brave effort to steal the qualification spot ended after he failed to complete his 8th rep.
Group 3
| Total
Pts |
Loading Race | Pts | Deadlift
Machine |
Pts | Log
Ladder |
Pts | Conan’s
Wheel |
Pts | Kettlebell
Toss |
Pts | Stone
Off |
|
| Mitchell
Hooper (CAN) |
29 | 5 in
42.05 s |
6 | 8 reps | 6 | 5 in
39.51 s |
6 | 636° | 6 | 6 in
17.18 |
5 | |
| Mathew
Ragg (NZL) |
22.5 | 5 in
58.72 |
4 | 7 reps | 4.5 | 5 in 55.84 | 5 | 628° | 5 | 6 in
21.96 |
4 | 8 reps
(winner) |
| A. Šmaukstelis (LAT) | 17.5 | 5 in
52.71 |
5 | 5 reps | 2.5 | 4 in 30.44 | 3 | 575° | 4 | 6 in
25.41 |
3 | 8 reps |
| Kieliszkowski
(POL) |
14 | 5 in
1:07.53 |
2 | 4 reps | 1 | 4 in 33.24 | 2 | 538° | 3 | 7 in
32.44 |
6 | |
| Graham
Hicks (GBR) |
11.5 | 4 in 53.40 | 1 | 7 reps | 4.5 | 4 in
28.31 |
4 | 425° | 1 | 4 in
20.51 |
1 | |
| Spenser
Remick (USA) |
10.5 | 5 in
1:07.15 |
3 | 5 reps | 2.5 | 4 in 38.79 | 1 | 470° | 2 | 5 in
24.31 |
2 |
Mitchell Hooper nearly completed a clean sweep of events in group 3, winning the first four disciplines, but falling just short after taking 2nd in the Kettlebell Toss. The Canadian looked to be in imperious form, having won the Arnold Classic earlier this year.
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New Zealand’s Matt Ragg produced one of the biggest shocks of the heats after placing 2nd after the first five events. Facing Aivars Šmaukstelis in the Stone-Off, he was made to work to retain his qualification place after Aivars completed 7 reps. Matching the Latvian, Ragg, who qualified through the 2022 Official Strongman Games, where he finished 3rd, was excused any further exertion after Aivars was forced to stop with what appeared to be a groin strain.
Group 4
| Total
Pts |
Loading Race | Pts | Deadlift
Machine |
Pts | Log
Ladder |
Pts | Conan’s
Wheel |
Pts | Kettlebell
Toss |
Pts | Stone
Off |
|
| J. Schoonwinkel (RSA) | 24 | 5 in
47.05 s |
6 | 6 reps | 3 | 3 in
34.77 s |
5 | 713° | 6 | 6 in
47.32 s |
4 | |
| Brian
Shaw (USA) |
23.5 | 5 in
53.70 |
4 | 8 reps | 5.5 | 4 in 33.99 | 6 | 411° | 2 | 7 in
48.45 |
6 | 11 reps
(winner) |
| Rauno
Heinla (EST) |
20.5 | 5 in
51.41 |
5 | 8 reps | 5.5 | 3 in 21.60 | 4 | 572° | 4 | 5 in
44.51 |
2 | 11 reps |
| Adam
Bishop (GBR) |
14 | 4 in
43.12 |
3 | 7 reps | 4 | 3 in 33.25 | 1 | 292° | 1 | 6 in
32.29 |
5 | |
| Kevin
Faires (USA) |
13.5 | 3 in
1:05.30 |
1 | 5 reps | 1.5 | 3 in 28.93 | 3 | 636° | 5 | 5 in
34.09 |
3 | |
| Gabriel
Rhéaume (CAN) |
9.5 | 4 in
51.03 |
2 | 5 reps | 1.5 | 3 in
32.96 |
2 | 476° | 3 | 3 in
14.00 |
1 |
South Africa’s Jaco Schoonwinkel provided the biggest surprise of the qualification stages after winning Group 4 by just a half point from the 4-time champion, Brian Shaw. Jaco, like Matt Ragg, qualified for the heats by virtue of his podium place at the 2022 Official Strongman Games, where he was runner-up to Spenser Remick. He won both the Loading Race and Conan’s Wheel, whilst his weakest performance came in the Deadlift Machine, although it didn’t allow his 4th place finish to prevent him from booking his place in the grand final.
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Rauno Heinla produced a stunning 11 reps in the Stone Off, more than anyone last year, to push Shaw all the way for the second final qualification place. This was especially impressive considering both men qualify as Masters. Shaw’s hopes of a record-equalling fifth title were kept alive despite being nearly undone by a poor showing in the Conan’s Wheel. Shaw’s performance in the upcoming final will be his 16th consecutive appearance – a record for World’s Strongest Man. He also becomes the oldest man to ever qualify for the final.
Group 5
| Total
Pts |
Loading Race | Pts | Deadlift
Machine |
Pts | Log
Ladder |
Pts | Conan’s
Wheel |
Pts | Kettlebell
Toss |
Pts | Stone
Off |
|
| Trey
Mitchell (USA) |
26 | 5 in
1:06.64 s |
4 | 8 reps | 6 | 5 in
39.44 s |
6 | 523° | 4 | 7 in
34.42 s |
6 | |
| Evan
Singleton (USA) |
24.5 | 5 in
46.90 |
6 | 6 reps | 4.5 | 4 in 35.48 | 5 | 589° | 5 | 6 in
28.81 |
4 | 8 stones
(winner) |
| Eythór
Melsted (ISL) |
22.5 | 5 in
56.14 |
5 | 5 reps | 2.5 | 4 in 39.93 | 4 | 629° | 6 | 6 in
27.66 |
5 | 8 stones |
| Mark
Felix (GBR) |
12.5 | 4 in
54.32 |
2 | 6 reps | 4.5 | 1 in
7.58 |
1 | 470° | 2 | 4 in
42.66 |
3 | |
| Paul
Smith (GBR) |
11 | 4 in
54.32 |
3 | 4 reps | 1 | 4 in 45.84 | 3 | 518° | 3 | 1 in
28.62 |
1 | |
| J. Coraboeuf (FRA) | 8.5 | 3 in
40.63 |
1 | 5 reps | 2.5 | 3 in
22.34 |
2 | 143° | 1 | 2 in
23.63 |
2 |
America’s Trey Mitchell eased his way into his third WSM final, where he will aim to improve on his 4th place from 2021. Winning three of the five events Mitchell was not bettered by any of the 30 competitors in the Deadlift Machine and produced the second-best time of the day in the Kettlebell Toss.
The T-Rex, Evan Singleton was finally able to put his WSM ghosts to rest after he came through the Stone-off against two-time finalist Eythór Melsted. Becoming the third American to qualify for the final, Singleton’s performance showed remarkable consistency in what was a closely fought group.
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Britain’s Mark Felix made an emotional departure from his 20-year WSM career, after setting records for both his 18th appearance and for becoming the oldest man, at 57, to ever compete at World’s Strongest Man.
