Official Strongman Games had an exciting announcement for fans anticipating the return of the sport.
Last year, as with bodybuilding, most Strongmen events were done remotely, with fans watching over livestream as individual competitors worked out of their respective gyms with a small support team. It looks like those days are finally coming to an end – since the Official Strongman Games (OSG) just revealed an entirely new showcase slated for 2021, mysteriously referred to only as “The Event.” The Event will be held in-person at the Ocean Center Arena in Daytona, Florida, on the weekend of November 12th; weigh-ins will be done on the 11th. Organizers are also arranging a “Meet and Greet” for fans to socialize with their favorite athletes after almost a year of no in-person shows or contact.
Probably the greatest point of interest for fans is that this is an elite event with a high level of competition involved. You can watch the video announcement in full above. Basically, this is anyone’s best path to World’s Strongest Man. Shahlei also shared with fans that the top three finishers at The Event will be invited to a Giants Live event, which directly funnels winners into the World’s Strongest Man competition.
The OSG website also states that The Event will feature 11 divisions, including an unusual Men’s 50+ title (although those competing won’t be eligible to win a world title.) The decision was made to gauge interest in a 50+ circuit of the sport and to see if other shows would include the division down the road. The 11 divisions are:
Men’s Divisions
- Open
- Masters Men 40+
- Masters Men 50+
- Under 80 kilograms (176 pounds)
- Under 90 kilograms (198 pounds)
- Under 105 kilograms (231 pounds)
Women’s Divisions
- Open
- Masters Women 40+
- Under 64 kilograms (141 pounds)
- Under 73 kilograms (161 pounds)
- Under 82 kilograms (180 pounds)
Breakdown of events at “The Event”
The Event is comprised of a total of six competitions, two per day spread out over November 12th, 13th, and 14th. Here is a complete breakdown of the days by challenge:
Friday, November 12th
Friday, November 12th will have the Log Press starting at 1 PM and the Car Walk starting at 4 PM. Competitors will be given a minute to clean and press as many logs as possible in the first challenge. In the second, they will carry the frame of a car over a 50-foot distance as fast as they can.
Saturday, November 13th (Semi-Finals)
Saturday, November 13th will feature the Deadlift Ladder starting at 10 AM and the Carry-and-Drag starting at 1 PM. In the first challenge, competitors will be asked to complete four deadlifts of increasing weight, as ruled by a judge. In the Carry-and-Drag, they must carry a sandbag and a Husafell stone, as well as drag a sled pull, across the finish line as fast as they can in any time under 90 seconds.
Sunday, November 14th (Finals)
In the final sequence of The Event, competitors will do the Sandbag Toss at 11 AM and the Atlas Stones as the final challenge. Athletes will be asked to throw six sandbags of increasing weight over a high bar, as ruled by a judge. In the classic final act of the show, they will take on the Atlas stones – each athlete will have 75 seconds to lift six Atlas stones in increasing weight onto their corresponding platform to win.
This is sure to be an incredible competition, and with a shot at World’s Strongest Man on the line, it’s safe to say some of the best of the sport will be interested. Stay tuned as more develops on this intriguing new show!
*All images and media courtesy of YouTube.
