Strength athletics in Iceland

Strength athletics in Iceland refers to the participation of Icelandic competitors and the holding of Icelandic events in the modern phenomenon of strength athletics inaugurated by the World's Strongest Man. The sport's roots have a long history going back many centuries before the televisation of strongman competitions in the 1970s and Iceland has a role in that more ancient heritage. In terms of modern strength athletics, Iceland has held a preeminent position as a nation due to the enormous success of its competitors on the international stage, who between them have won eight World's Strongest Man titles, and numerous major European and international competitions.

History

The origin of Icelanders testing each other through feats and tests of strength predates the introduction of strength athletics and in terms of strength based sports there had been a number of noted powerlifters and weightlifters during the twentieth century. However, in the era of strongman competition Iceland has a record that belies the size of the nation's population having won 8 WSM titles, second only to the USA who have won 9 titles. Before Iceland had its own national competition, it already had men competing on the international circuit. In 1983, the young powerlifter and bodybuilder, Jón Páll Sigmarsson entered the 1983 World's Strongest Man competition and was only beaten into second place by the experienced Geoff Capes. Sigmarsson went on to win the competition the following year and in total won it four times. Sigmarsson was also a six times World Muscle Power champion and winner of the Pure Strength title. His contemporary, and good friend Hjalti Árnason, was also competing at this time and as well as podium finishes in World Muscle Power and World Strongman Challenge, he won the highly regarded Le Defi Mark Ten International competition. Magnús Ver Magnússon followed in their footsteps and emulated Sigmarsson's four WSM titles. There have also been a number of other highly respected Icelandic competitors in the top international events and in 2010 Stefán Sölvi Pétursson achieved a fourth place finish in the 2010 World's Strongest Man.

National competitions

Since 1985, Iceland has had its own national competition, Iceland's Strongest Man. There have also been three other major titles contested in Iceland, including Strongest Man in Iceland, Iceland's Strongest Man (IFSA) and Iceland's Strongest Viking.

Iceland’s Strongest Man

In 1985, the very first Iceland's Strongest Man contest was staged.[1] Hjalti Árnason was second to Jón Páll that year whilst Magnús Ver Magnússon came third. Thus, in the very first contest the podium finishers would between them go on to win the World's Strongest Man eight times, the World Muscle Power Classic seven times, the World Strongman Challenge, Le Defi Mark Ten International and numerous powerlifting titles including the super-heavyweight IPF World Powerlifting Championships. The contest's profile was immediately internationally renowned and it eventually became an open competition, although if a non-Icelander wins, the title of Iceland's Strongest Man defers to the highest place Icelander. This has only happened on 2 occasions when the legendary Bill Kazmaier and Regin Vagadal of the Faroe Islands won. Terry Hollands and Adrian Rollinson of the United Kingdom and Don Pope of the USA have all placed second.

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location
1985 Jón Páll Sigmarsson Hjalti Árnason Magnús Ver Magnússon
1986 Jón Páll Sigmarsson Hjalti Árnason Magnús Ver Magnússon
1987 Jón Páll Sigmarsson Hjalti Árnason Magnús Ver Magnússon
1988 Bill Kazmaier Magnús Ver Magnússon Hjalti Árnason
1989 Magnús Ver Magnússon
1990 Jón Páll Sigmarsson
1991[2][3] Magnús Ver Magnússon Hjalti Árnason Björgvin Filippusson
1992 Jón Páll Sigmarsson
1993 Magnús Ver Magnússon
1994 Magnús Ver Magnússon
1995 Magnús Ver Magnússon Torfi Ólafsson
1996 Magnús Ver Magnússon Hjalti Árnason
1997
1998 Regin Vagadal  Faroe IslandsGunnar Þór Torfi Ólafsson
1999 Torfi Ólafsson
2000[4] Gunnar Þór Torfi Ólafsson Audunn Jónsson
2001 Magnús Ver Magnússon Magnús Magnússon Kristinn Óskar 'Boris' Haraldsson
2002[5] Magnus Magnusson Auðunn Jónsson Grétar Guðmundsson
2003 Benedikt Magnússon Auðunn Jónsson Grétar Guðmundsson
2004 Magnús Ver Magnússon Benedikt MagnússonAuðunn Jónsson
2005[6] Kristinn Oskar 'Boris' HaraldssonAdrian Rollinson  Great Britain Guðjón Gíslason
2006[7] Kristinn Óskar 'Boris' Haraldsson Don Pope  United States Jens Fylkisson
2007[8] Kristinn Óskar 'Boris' Haraldsson Terry Hollands  Great Britain Don Pope  United States
2008 Kristinn Óskar 'Boris' Haraldsson Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Orri Geirsson
2009 Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Kristinn Óskar 'Boris' Haraldsson Páll Logason
2010 Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Benedikt Magnússon Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson
2011[9] Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Ari Gunnarsson Páll Logason
2012 Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Ari Gunnarsson Páll Logason
2013 Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson
2014 Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Páll Logason
2015 Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Ari Gunnarsson Fannar Smári

Strongest Man in Iceland

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place
2010[10] Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Benedikt Magnússon
2011[11] Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Ari Gunnarsson Georg Ögmundsson
2012[12] Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Ari Gunnarsson Páll Logason

Iceland's Strongest Man (IFSA)

The IFSA organised the Iceland's Strongest Man competition for a number of years before 2005. However, when the IFSA disassociated from the World's Strongest Man competition, Iceland's Strongest Man remained the official qualifier with no IFSA involvement. The IFSA did continue to promote their own version until their financial demise at the end of 2008.

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location
2005 Benedikt Magnússon
2006 Benedikt Magnússon Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Georg Ögmundsson
2008 Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Páll Logason Grétar Guðmundsson

Iceland's Strongest Viking

In 2010, this contest was held for the nineteenth time, dating it back to 1992.[13] In some years the results of this contest have been combined with those of Iceland's Strongest Man in order to ascertain who qualifies for the World's Strongest Man.

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location
1998 Regin Vagadal  Faroe IslandsGunnar Þór Guðjónsson Torfi Ólafsson
1999
2000 Magnús Ver Magnússon Auðunn JónssonSvavar Einarsson
2001 Magnús Ver Magnússon Guðmundur Otri Sigurðsson Jón Valgeir Williams
2002 Magnús Ver Magnússon Jón Valgeir WilliamsMagnús Magnússon
2003 Magnús Ver Magnússon Jón Valgeir WilliamsAuðunn Jónsson
2004 Magnús Ver Magnússon Benedikt MagnússonJon Valgeir Williams
2005[14] Magnús Ver Magnússon Magnus MagnussonGeorg Ögmundsson
2006[15] Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Georg ÖgmundssonJón Valgeir Williams
2007 Benedikt Magnússon Petur Bruno and Georg Ögmundsson
2009 Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Páll Logason
2010 Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson[13] Páll Logason Ari Gunnarsson
2011 Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Ari Gunnarsson
2012 Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Georg Ögmundsson

Regional Competitions

Nordic Strongman Championships

The Nordic Strongman Championships consists of athletes from Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark.[16]

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location
2005 Norway Svend Karlsen Sweden Magnus Samuelsson Finland Juha-Matti Räsänen Norway IFSA Nordic Strongman Championships Kristiansand, Norway
2012[16] Sweden Johannes Arsjo Norway Lars Rorbakken Denmark Michael Licht Norway Nordic Strongman Championships Harstad, Norway

See also

References

  1. Wednesday, June 17, 2009, Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Wins Iceland's Strongest Man by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D., IronMind
  2. 2 september 1991, Sterkasti maður íslands 1991: Magnús Ver sigraði
  3. In 1991 Jón Páll Sigmarsson was unable to compete due to injury sustained in Denmark. Andrés Guðmundsson took fourth place
  4. Sunday, June 18, 2000, Gunnar Thor Wins Icelandic Strongest Man... by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. IronMind
  5. Monday, June 17, 2002, Magnus Magnussson Wins Iceland's Strongest Man by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. IronMind
  6. Saturday, June 18, 2005, Boris Wins Iceland's Strongest Man, Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. IronMind
  7. Tuesday, June 20, 2006, Iceland's Strongest Man Contest: Boris Wins, Qualifies for WSMSS, by Randall J. Strossen, IronMind
  8. Boris Repeats as Iceland’s Strongest Man by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D.
  9. http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/Articles/2011/Jun/Hafthor_Julius_Bjornsson_Wins_Icelandxs_Strongest_Man.html
  10. http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/Articles/2010/Jun/Hafthor_Julius_Bjornsson_Wins_2010_Strongest_Man_in_Iceland.html
  11. http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/Articles/2011/Jun/Hafthor_Julius_Bjornsson_Wins_the_Strongest_Man_in_Iceland.html
  12. http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/Articles/2012/Jun/Hafthor_Julius_Bjornsson_Wins_Strongest_Man_in_Iceland.html
  13. 1 2 Monday, July 12, 2010, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Wins Iceland’s Strongest Viking: Magnús Ver Magnússon Praises His Progress by Randall J. Strossen, IronMind
  14. Ironmind report, 2005 Iceland's Strongest Viking
  15. Ironmind report, 2006 Iceland's Strongest Viking
  16. 1 2 http://www.ironmind.com/ironmind/opencms/Articles/2012/Jun/Nordic_Strongman_Championships-Viking_Loses_His_Title.html
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, June 28, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.