- Strength athletics in the United Kingdom and Ireland
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Strength athletics in the United Kingdom and Ireland, has a long history going back many centuries before the televisation of strongman competitions in the 1970s. The ancient heritage of the sport in the United Kingdom and Ireland lies in a number of traditional events, the most famous of which is arguably the traditional Highland Games, which itself is a source of many events now practiced in modern strongman competitions, such as World's Strongest Man and IFSA sponsored events. However, the traditional events still are popularly contested events today. In the more modern phenomena that is the World's Strongest Man and its associated competitions, the United Kingdom and Ireland remain well represented, with regular appearances at world finals, and three men having won the coveted title of World's Strongest Man.
Contents
History
See also Highland games and Britain's Strongest Man for more details
The origin of strength athletics in the UK and Ireland lies in the realms of pre-history, but the within the British Isles records many centuries old record more formally the existence of organised events. Formalisation and annual Highland gatherings began around 1820 when Sir Walter Scott encouraged the revival of Highland Culture. By 1848, such was the status of such games that Queen Victoria attended the Braemar Highland Games.[1]
The strongmen of the world of weightlifting and circus acts were also active in the UK and Ireland in the Victorian age. A number of famous names emerged at the turn of the nineteenth century. Thomas Inch, Britain's Strongest Youth at 16, and the first official Britain's Strongest Man was active at this time and is still remembered today for his Grip Strength. and his Challenge Dumbbell, known as the Inch Dumbbell, that "has defied thousands of strong men over the last hundred years...Many a strength athlete tried but failed to break it off the ground.".[2] Other notable names in this genre were Bert Assirati, Launceston Elliot, Edward Aston, and W.A. Pullum. Others emerged in the twentieth century as well. Notably, David Prowse was initially famous in 1964 for his lifting the famed 785 pound Dinnie Stones, the first man to do so since Donald Dinnie himself a century earlier.[3] Prowse later became more famous still for playing Darth Vader in Star Wars.
In the late 1970s, televised strongman competitions began with Britain's Strongest Man (BSM) first being shown in 1979 by the BBC. A new generation emerged, with the events attracting individuals from many disciplines such as field athletics, weightlifting and powerlifting. These competitions fed other international competitions such as Europe's Strongest Man and World's Strongest Man. Household names, such as Geoff Capes, Jamie Reeves and Gary Taylor dominated, with these three in particular going on to win World's Strongest Man titles. The modern era has seen this trend continue with Terry Hollands, Mark Felix and Jimmy Marku being regular faces at World's Strongest Man and its associated Super Series. Featured events in these contests have been tailored to emphasize a more well-rounded athlete, to reflect that viewpoint on strongman as a whole, and in the interests of increased popularity and marketability among the masses. Almost inevitably, more than one interested party has seen the benefits of strength competitions. Alternative organizations have formed in recent years, comprising a new wave of influence in the field, with the United Kingdom Strength Council (UKSC) founded by Britain's Strongest Man multi-year champion Glenn Ross setting up events separate from BSM, as has the IFSA. Ross and his UK Strongest Man competitions hold a philosophical difference in approach with the World's Strongest Man related venues, including more brute strength events similar to traditional strongman and powerlifting, with less emphasis on field athleticism and endurance.
Alongside these current interpretations still exists the traditional, such as the Highland Games. Although exported around the world they remain inextricably linked with the heritage of both Scotland and the British Isles as a whole.
Competitions
Across the UK and Ireland there are and have been many competitions testing individuals strength, ranging from local to regional to national to pan-British Isles.
List of Champions
Year Britain's Strongest Man British Muscle Power Championship UK Strongest Man Britain's Most Powerful Man UK Championship (IFSA) British Championships (IFSA) UK Strongman Docklands Challenge WSM invitees 2010 Not held Not held Glenn Ross Not held Not held Not held Not held Laurence Shahlaei
Terry Hollands
Mark Felix
Mark Westaby
Darren Sadler
Reserve: Rob Frampton2009 Not held Not held Jimmy Marku Paul Carter Not held Not held Not held Laurence Shahlaei
Terry Hollands
Mark Felix
Jimmy Marku
Darren Sadler2008 Jimmy Marku Not held Glenn Ross Not held Not held Not held Not held Laurence Shahlaei
Terry Hollands
Mark Felix
Jimmy Marku
Oli Thompson2007 Terry Hollands Not held Glenn Ross Jay Hughes Not held Not held Not held Darren Sadler
Terry Hollands
Mark Felix
Jimmy Marku
Mark Westaby2006 Oli Thompson Not held Glenn Ross Not held Not held Not held Not held Darren Sadler
Terry Hollands
Mark Felix2005 Mick Gosling Not held Terry Hollands Not held Not held Mark Felix Not held Brian Irwin
Terry Hollands
Mick Gosling
Carl Waitoa (rep. NZL)2004 Rich Gosling Not held Glenn Ross Not held Not held Not held Not held Adrian Rollinson 2003 Rich Gosling Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Adrian Rollinson
Eddy Ellwood
Carl Broomfield
Glenn Ross
Richard Gosling2002 Marc Iliffe Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Stuart Murray
Gregor Edmunds
Marc Illiffe
David Warner
Mick Gosling2001 Glenn Ross Not held Steve Brooks Not held Not held Not held Not held Glenn Ross
Rob Dixon
Marc Illiffe
Adrian Rollinson
Andrew Raynes2000 Glenn Ross Not held Richard Gosling Not held Not held Not held Not held Glenn Ross
Rob Dixon
Brian Bell
Adrian Rollinson1999 Glenn Ross Not held Richard Gosling Not held Not held Not held Bill Pittuck Glenn Ross
Bill Pittuck
Steve Brooks
Lee Bowers
Jamie Barr1998 Jamie Reeves Russ Bradley Adrian Smith Not held Not held Not held Russ Bradley Glenn Ross
Russ Bradley
Frazer Tranter
Lee Bowers
Jamie Barr1997 Rob Dixon Russ Bradley Adrian Smith Not held Stuart Murray Not held Adam Waldron Robert Weir
Russ Bradley
Brian Bell1996 Russ Bradley Jamie Reeves Graham Mullins Not held Not held Not held Not held Brian Bell
Bill Pittuck
Forbes Cowan1995 Bill Pittuck/ Forbes Cowan Gary Taylor Dave Miles Not held Not held Not held Not held Gary Taylor
Bill Pittuck
Forbes Cowan1994 Bill Pittuck Jamie Reeves Tommy Smith Not held Not held Not held Not held Forbes Cowan
Gary Taylor1993 Forbes Cowan Forbes Cowan Bill Pittuck Not held Not held Not held Not held Gary Taylor 1992 Jamie Reeves Mark Higgins Adrian Smith Not held Not held Not held Not held Gary Taylor
Jamie Reeves1991 Gary Taylor Mark Higgins Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Gary Taylor 1990 Adrian Smith Mark Higgins Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Adrian Smith 1989 Jamie Reeves Tom Hawk Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Jamie Reeves 1988 Jamie Reeves
John Smith's Trial of StrengthMark Higgins Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Jamie Reeves 1987 Not held Geoff Capes Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held No WSM –
Geoff Capes in Pure Strength1986 Not held Geoff Capes Not held Peter Tancred Not held Not held Not held Geoff Capes 1985 Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Geoff Capes 1984 Alan Crossley Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Geoff Capes 1983 Geoff Capes Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Geoff Capes 1982 Richard Slaney Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Geoff Capes 1981 Geoff Capes Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Geoff Capes 1980 Richard Slaney Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Geoff Capes 1979 Geoff Capes Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Not held Geoff Capes Pan-British Isles
- Britain's Strongest Man
- British Championships (IFSA)
- UK Strongest Man
Britain's Strongest Man
Main article: Britain's Strongest ManBritish Championships (IFSA)
Main article: British Championships (IFSA)Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location 2005 
Mark Felix Oli Thompson Andrew 'Stumpy' Raynes
TBCUK Strongest Man
Main article: UK Strongest ManOthers
UK Championship (IFSA)
Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location 1997 
Stuart Murray Steve Brooks Russ Bradley TBCBritain's Most Powerful Man
Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location 2009 Paul Carter Chris Gearing Paul Wood TBC2007 Jay Hughes Adam Townsend Paul Wood TBC1986 
Peter Tancred Peter Davis Joe Walker TBCUK Strongman Docklands Challenge
Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location 1999 Bill Pittuck Andy Bolton
Glenn Ross Peacock Gym, Canning Town, London1998 Russ Bradley Frazer Tranter TBC Peacock Gym, Canning Town, London1997 Adam Waldron Steve Winter Frazer Tranter Peacock Gym, Canning Town, LondonBritish Muscle Power Championship
Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location 1998 Russ Bradley Lee Bowers
Regin Vagadal TBC1997 Russ Bradley TBC TBC TBC1996 Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBC1995 
Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBC1994 Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBC1993 Forbes Cowan TBC TBC TBC1992 Mark Higgins TBC TBC TBC1991 Mark Higgins TBC TBC TBC1990 Mark Higgins TBC TBC TBC1989 Tom Hawk Adrian Smith Ian Murray TBC1988 Mark Higgins TBC TBC TBC1987 Geoff Capes TBC TBC TBC1986 Geoff Capes TBC TBC TBCTeam Competitions
- UK Team Champs
Truck Pulling
- UK Truck Pulling Championships – (Mercedes Benz)
- National Truck Pulling Championships – (ASA/Bristol Street Motors)
- British Truck Pulling Championships – (Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC)
National and Regional
England's Strongest Man
There have been a number of competitions laying claim to be able to confer this title. The UKSC version, which acts as a qualifier for the UK Strongest Man competition, is generally regarded as the official version.[4] For this reason, the UKSC results since they took over the running of the competition are presented below simply as a continuation of the former year's official event. In 2005, the IFSA introduced their own version of the championships which only lasted for one year. In 2009, with the apparent demise of Britain's Strongest Man, a traditional qualifier for World's Strongest Man, Colin Bryce promoted a competition held at the Doncaster Dome that also acted as a WSM qualifier. The latter saw Terry Hollands, Darren Sadler and Mark Felix compete thus reinforcing its credentials. The UKSC did have every other recognised athlete including BSM 2008 champion Jimmy Marku. There were athletes that competed in both, such as Mark Westaby. Until 2010, Bob Daglish's Elite strongman promotions was inextricably associated with the UKSC and the UKSC version of England's Strongest Man was also the Elite Strongman Promotions event. However, it was announced in March 2010 that "In view of recent events and also some personal differences, Elite Strongman Promotions are hereby separating all affiliations with Big G promotions, the UK Strength Council and the UK strongest man competition." Elite Strongman promotions continued to run a version of the England’s strongest man final, whilst a separate competition run by UKSC was also run in 2010.[5][6]
Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location Promoter 2010 Eddy HallJay HughesPaul Amor Billingham, Teeside[7]Elite 2010 Dean SlaterGary GardenerRob FramptonUKSC 2009 Laurence Shahlaei Mark Westaby Alex Culletto Lichfield[7]Elite/UKSC 2009[8] Terry Hollands Mark Felix Darren Sadler Doncaster DomeColin Bryce/WSM qualifier 2008 Jimmy Marku Dave McAneney Spencer Hyland Lichfield[7]Elite/UKSC 2007 Jimmy Marku Jay Hughes Rob Frampton Lichfield[7]Elite/UKSC 2006 Jimmy Marku Dave Meer Simon R Flint Stoke-on-Trent[7]Elite/UKSC 2005 Adam Townsend Terry Hollands Simon Morton Stoke-on-Trent[7]Elite/UKSC 2005 Eddy Ellwood Mark Felix Oli Thompson Sheffield StadiumIFSA 2004 Eddy Ellwood Andrew 'Stumpy' Raynes Mark Felix TBCTBC 2003 Eddy Ellwood Bill Pittuck Richard Gosling TBCTBC 2002 Bill Pittuck Mick Gosling Ade Rollinson TBCTBC 2001 Bill Pittuck Steve Brooks Andrew 'Stumpy' Raynes TBCTBC 2000 TBC TBC TBC TBCTBC 1999 TBC TBC TBC TBCTBC 1998 TBC TBC TBC TBCTBC 1997 Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBCTBC 1996 Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBCTBC 1995 Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBCTBC 1994 Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBCTBC 1993 Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBCTBC 1992 Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBCTBC 1991 Bill Pittuck TBC TBC TBCTBC 1990 Adrian Smith TBC TBC TBCTBC 1989 Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBCTBC 1988 Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBCTBC 1987 Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBCTBC Scotland's Strongest Man
Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location 2007 Chris Innes Andy Cairney Louis McLean TBC2006 Jamie Barr Andy Cairney Raymond Christie TBC2005 Brian Turner Jamie Barr Stuart Murray TBC2004 Paul Porteous Brian Turner Stuart Murray TBC2003 Forbes Cowan Paul Porteous Gregor Edmunds TBC2002 Gregor Edmunds Forbes Cowan Brian Bell TBC2001 Jamie Barr TBC TBC TBC2000 Jamie Barr TBC TBC TBC1999 Jamie Barr TBC TBC TBC1998 Brian Bell TBC TBC TBC1997 TBC TBC TBC TBC1996 Forbes Cowan TBC TBC TBC1995 Forbes Cowan TBC TBC TBC1994 Jamie Barr TBC TBC TBC1993 Forbes Cowan TBC TBC TBC1992 Forbes Cowan TBC TBC TBC1991 Brian Bell/ Stuart Murray TBC TBC TBC1990 Forbes Cowan TBC TBC TBC1989 Brian Bell TBC TBC TBC1988 Stuart Murray TBC TBC TBC1987 Ian Murray TBC TBC TBCWales' Strongest Man
Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location 2007 Jamie Redwood Mike Williams Ross Stone TBC2006 Dale Norris Ross Stone Mike Williams TBC2005 Dale Norris Michael Williams Walid El Hind TBC2004 Dean Bolt TBC TBC TBC2003 Christian Clay TBC Dean Bolt TBC2002 Christian Clay Dean Bolt TBC TBC2001 Christian Clay TBC TBC TBC2000 Christian Clay TBC TBC TBC1999 Christian Clay TBC TBC TBC1998 TBC TBC TBC TBC1997 Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBC1996 Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBC1995 Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBC1994 Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBC1993 Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBC1992 Robin McBryde[9] TBC TBC TBC1991 Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBC1990 Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBC1989 Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBCIreland's Strongest Man
Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location 2009 Dave Warner
James Fennelly Eoin Shanahan Lisburn, Northern Ireland2008 Dave Warner Gary Mckelvey James Fennelly Drogheda, Ireland2007 Dave Warner Gary Mckelvey Brian McMullan Armagh, Northern Ireland2006 Dave Warner Gary Mckelvey Nigel Troy Letterkenny, Ireland2005 Brian Irwin Paul Roberts Pat McNamara Belfast, Northern Ireland2004 Brian Irwin Martin Campbell Stephen Gracey Bangor, Northern Ireland2003 Martin Campbell Rodney Fullerton Stephen Gracey County Wicklow, Ireland2002 Phil Porter Martin Campbell Francis Kirby Ballymoney, Northern Ireland2001 Andrew Sheehan Tom Mullholland Martin Campbell County Wicklow, Ireland2000 Martin Campbell Mark Yates Frances Kirby Glenarm, Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland (Ulster) Strongest Man/Ulster's Strongest Man
Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location 2009 Dave Warner Bertie Clark Jonathan Kelly Castlederg2008 Francis Kirby Gary Mckelvey Brian McMullan Holywood2007 Dave Warner Gary Mckelvey TBC Holywood2006 Francis Kirby Dave Warner Gary McKelvey Craigavon2005 Brian Irwin Francis Kirby Gary McKelvey Carrickfergus2004 Brian Irwin Stephen Gracey Martin Tweedle Carrickfergus2003 Francis Kirby Rodney Fulerton Martin Campbell Carrickfergus2002 Francis Kirby Phil Porter Martin Campbell Portrush2001 Pat Dreary Sean Keeley Francis Kirby Bangor2000 Glenn Ross TBC TBC TBC1999 Glenn Ross TBC TBC TBC1998 Glenn Ross TBC TBC TBC1997 Glenn Ross TBC TBC TBC1996 Glenn Ross TBC TBC TBC1995 Glenn Ross TBC TBC TBCRepublic of Ireland's Strongest Man
Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location 2007 Jason Reilly TBC TBC TBC2006 Jason Reilly Pat McNamara Daniel Troy TBC2005 Carl Waitoa Paul Roberts Christopher Bowe TBC2004 Paul Roberts Carl Waitoa Jason Reilly TBC2003 Ray O'Dwyer Kevin Murray Pat McNamara TBC2002 Kevin Murray Paul Roberts Pat McNamara TBC2001 Andrew Sheehan Ray O'Dwyer Martin Keogh TBCOrkney/Shetland's Strongest Man
Other Regional
- CNP Professional Strongman Premier League
- Midland's Strongest Man
- Mighty Midlander
- Mighty Midlander
- Corby Great Strength Eccleston
- East Britain Strongest Man
- North of England Strongest Man
- Yorkshire’s Strongest Man
See also
References
- ^ Crieff Highland Gathering
- ^ www.oldtimestrongman.com
- ^ British Strongmen
- ^ Shahlaei is England's strongest
- ^ Elite strongman promotions statement released on ukstrongman.proboards.com
- ^ Elite strongman promotions statement released on muscletalk.co.uk
- ^ a b c d e f BBC News Eddy Hall wins England's Strongest Man 2010 contest
- ^ Strongman Results from David Horne's world of grip
- ^ http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/in_depth/2001/six_nations/wales/1216351.stm
Categories:- Strongmen competitions
- Strength athletics
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