2023 World’s Strongest Viking Results — Johan Espenkrona Conquers

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The day was Feb. 24, 2023, when 14 strongmen stepped onto the competitive battleground that was Vinstra, Norway, for the 2023 World’s Strongest Viking contest. The contest tested these goliaths across a range of six grueling events: the Viking Press, Boat Pull, Power Stairs, Wheel of Pain, Hercules Hold, and the Atlas Stones.
In a war against eventual runner-up Eric Dawson of the USA, Johan Espenkrona of Sweden emerged triumphant among his peers scoring 71 of a possible 84 points. Check out the full results below, followed by the results of each of the six individual events that comprised Espenkrona’s victory:
2023 World’s Strongest Viking Results

Johan Espenkrona (Sweden) — 71 points
Eric Dawson (USA) — 67 points
Øyvind Gustavsen (Norway) — 60 points
Veli-Pekka Kauhanen (Finland) — 59 points
Fredrik Svensson (Sweden) — 57 points
Romek Velt (Estonia) — 55 points
Peter Rundberg (Sweden) — 54 points
Mark Felix (UK) — 52.5 points
Ole Martin Hansen (Norway) — 50 points
Michael Bishop (UK) — 23 points
Ken McClelland (USA) — 22 points
Vaughn Sikorski (USA) — (21 points)
Ryan Myler (UK) — 17 points
Lars Besand (Denmark) — 15.5 points

Seven different countries were represented in Norway. Sweden, USA, and the UK tied for the most representation with three competitors each. Finland and Norway were each represented by two strongmen.

[Related: Maxime Boudreault Withdraws From the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic, 2023 World’s Strongest Man Due to Injury]
Viking Press
The Viking Press event challenged each strongman to lockout as many reps as possible of 140 kilograms (308.7 pounds) in 60 seconds.

Eric Dawson — 14 reps
Johan Espenkrona — 12 reps
Romek Velt — 10 reps
Fredrik Svensson — Nine reps
Veli-Pekka Kauhanen — Eight reps
Øyvind Gustavsen — Six reps (T-sixth)
Ole Martin Hansen — Six reps (T-sixth)
Ken McClelland — Six reps (T-sixth)
Peter Rundberg — Five reps
Mark Felix — Three reps (T-10th)
Lars Besand — Three reps (T-10th)
Vaughn Sikorski — One rep
Michael Bishop — no reps
Ryan Myler — no reps

Boat Pull
With a 60-second time limit, each strongman attempted to pull a 3,500-kilogram (7,716.2-pound) boat across a 30-meter course. The faster the time, the higher an athlete’s rank.

Johan Espenkrona — 17.09 seconds
Veli-Pekka Kauhanen — 18.10 seconds
Eric Dawson — 18.31 seconds
Øyvind Gustavsen — 18.32 seconds
Romek Velt — 18.54 seconds
Fredrik Svensson — 18.69 seconds
Peter Rundberg — 19.40 seconds
Ole Martin Hansen — 20.49 seconds
Ken McClelland — 20.74 seconds
Mark Felix — 24.29 seconds
Vaughn Sikorski — 26.21 seconcds
Lars Besand — 26.80 seconds
Michael Bishop — 26.86 seconds
Ryan Myler — 21.4 meters

Power Stairs
The Power Stairs comprised three implements weighing 180, 1990, and 200 kilograms (396.8, 418.9, 440.9 pounds). The strongmen had to ascend each up four steps.

Øyvind Gustavsen — 24.81 seconds
Johan Espenkrona — 25.84 seconds
Mark Felix — 27.96 seconds
Ole Martin Hansen — 28.35 seconds
Veli-Pekka Kauhanen — 28.82 seconds
Fredrik Svensson — 29.32 seconds
Ken McClelland — 32.34 seconds
Peter Rundberg — 33.06 seconds
Romek Velt — 33.81 seconds
Eric Dawson — 35.22 seconds
Vaughn Sikorski — 50.50 seconds
Michael Bishop — 11 steps
Ryan Myler — Nine steps
Lars Besand — Five steps

Wheel of Pain
Each strongman attempted to move the Wheel of Pain as many meters as possible in 60 seconds. Before this event McClelland withdrew from the competition.

Øyvind Gustavsen — 78.82 meters
Veli-Pekka Kauhanen — 76.51 meters
Fredrik Svensson — 74.28 meters
Eric Dawson — 73.5 meters
Peter Rundberg — 72.2 meters
Johan Espenkrona — 72 meters
Ole Martin Hansen — 70.24 meters
Romek Velt — 65.4 meters
Mark Felix — 57.4 meters
Michael Bishop — 54.2 meters
Ryan Myler — 52.27 meters
Vaughn Sikorski — 51.32 meters
Lars Besand — 27.27 meters
Ken McClelland — withdrew

Hercules Hold
Challenged the maintain the 150-kilogram pillars in the Hercules Hold, the unrivaled Mark Felix and his unparalleled grip emerged victorious by more than 20 seconds over the next closest competitior.

Mark Felix — 76.54 seconds
Peter Rundberg — 54.75 seconds
Eric Dawson — 54.35 seconds
Romek Velt — 49.70 seconds
Johan Espenkrona — 46.18 seconds
Øyvind Gustavsen — 43.02 seconds
Ole Martin Hansen — 41.40 seconds
Veli-Pekka Kauhanen — 36.71 seconds
Michael Bishop — 36.65 seconds
Ryan Myler — 31.11 seconds
Vaughn Sikorski — 30.90 seconds
Lars Besand — 27.87 seconds
Fredrik Svensson — 22.87 seconds
Ken McClelland — withdrew

Atlas Stones
There were 60 seconds on the clock for each strongman to load five stones weighing 100 to 180 kilograms (220.5 to 396.8 pounds).


Fredrik Svensson — Five in 22.51 seconds
Eric Dawson — Five in 26.18 seconds
Johan Espenkrona — Five in 30.69 seconds
Mark Felix — Five in 35.59 seconds
Peter Rundberg — Five in 36.02 seconds
Romek Velt — Four in 17.53 seconds
Ole Martin Hansen — Four in 34.06 seconds
Michael Bishop — Four in 40.91 seconds
Veli-Pekka Kauhanen — Four in 43.80 seconds
Ryan Myler — Four in 48.77 seconds
Øyvind Gustavsen — Three in 13.05 seconds
Vaughn Sikorski — Three in 15.96 seconds
Lars Besand — Three in 31.15 seconds
Ken McClelland — withdrew

More Strongman Content







Featured image: @kronamannen on Instagram

The day was Feb. 24, 2023, when 14 strongmen stepped onto the competitive battleground that was Vinstra, Norway, for the 2023 World’s Strongest Viking contest. The contest tested these goliaths across a range of six grueling events: the Viking Press, Boat Pull, Power Stairs, Wheel of Pain, Hercules Hold, and the Atlas Stones.


In a war against eventual runner-up Eric Dawson of the USA, Johan Espenkrona of Sweden emerged triumphant among his peers scoring 71 of a possible 84 points. Check out the full results below, followed by the results of each of the six individual events that comprised Espenkrona’s victory:


2023 World’s Strongest Viking Results

[*]Johan Espenkrona (Sweden) — 71 points
[*]Eric Dawson (USA) — 67 points
[*]Øyvind Gustavsen (Norway) — 60 points
[*]Veli-Pekka Kauhanen (Finland) — 59 points
[*]Fredrik Svensson (Sweden) — 57 points
[*]Romek Velt (Estonia) — 55 points
[*]Peter Rundberg (Sweden) — 54 points
[*]Mark Felix (UK) — 52.5 points
[*]Ole Martin Hansen (Norway) — 50 points
[*]Michael Bishop (UK) — 23 points
[*]Ken McClelland (USA) — 22 points
[*]Vaughn Sikorski (USA) — (21 points)
[*]Ryan Myler (UK) — 17 points
[*]Lars Besand (Denmark) — 15.5 points

Seven different countries were represented in Norway. Sweden, USA, and the UK tied for the most representation with three competitors each. Finland and Norway were each represented by two strongmen.



[Related: Maxime Boudreault Withdraws From the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic, 2023 World’s Strongest Man Due to Injury]


Viking Press
The Viking Press event challenged each strongman to lockout as many reps as possible of 140 kilograms (308.7 pounds) in 60 seconds.



[*]Eric Dawson — 14 reps
[*]Johan Espenkrona — 12 reps
[*]Romek Velt — 10 reps
[*]Fredrik Svensson — Nine reps
[*]Veli-Pekka Kauhanen — Eight reps
[*]Øyvind Gustavsen — Six reps (T-sixth)
[*]Ole Martin Hansen — Six reps (T-sixth)
[*]Ken McClelland — Six reps (T-sixth)
[*]Peter Rundberg — Five reps
[*]Mark Felix — Three reps (T-10th)
[*]Lars Besand — Three reps (T-10th)
[*]Vaughn Sikorski — One rep
[*]Michael Bishopno reps
[*]Ryan Mylerno reps

Boat Pull
With a 60-second time limit, each strongman attempted to pull a 3,500-kilogram (7,716.2-pound) boat across a 30-meter course. The faster the time, the higher an athlete’s rank.



[*]Johan Espenkrona — 17.09 seconds
[*]Veli-Pekka Kauhanen — 18.10 seconds
[*]Eric Dawson — 18.31 seconds
[*]Øyvind Gustavsen — 18.32 seconds
[*]Romek Velt — 18.54 seconds
[*]Fredrik Svensson — 18.69 seconds
[*]Peter Rundberg — 19.40 seconds
[*]Ole Martin Hansen — 20.49 seconds
[*]Ken McClelland — 20.74 seconds
[*]Mark Felix — 24.29 seconds
[*]Vaughn Sikorski — 26.21 seconcds
[*]Lars Besand — 26.80 seconds
[*]Michael Bishop — 26.86 seconds
[*]Ryan Myler — 21.4 meters

Power Stairs
The Power Stairs comprised three implements weighing 180, 1990, and 200 kilograms (396.8, 418.9, 440.9 pounds). The strongmen had to ascend each up four steps.



[*]Øyvind Gustavsen — 24.81 seconds
[*]Johan Espenkrona — 25.84 seconds
[*]Mark Felix — 27.96 seconds
[*]Ole Martin Hansen — 28.35 seconds
[*]Veli-Pekka Kauhanen — 28.82 seconds
[*]Fredrik Svensson — 29.32 seconds
[*]Ken McClelland — 32.34 seconds
[*]Peter Rundberg — 33.06 seconds
[*]Romek Velt — 33.81 seconds
[*]Eric Dawson — 35.22 seconds
[*]Vaughn Sikorski — 50.50 seconds
[*]Michael Bishop — 11 steps
[*]Ryan Myler — Nine steps
[*]Lars Besand — Five steps

Wheel of Pain
Each strongman attempted to move the Wheel of Pain as many meters as possible in 60 seconds. Before this event McClelland withdrew from the competition.



[*]Øyvind Gustavsen — 78.82 meters
[*]Veli-Pekka Kauhanen — 76.51 meters
[*]Fredrik Svensson — 74.28 meters
[*]Eric Dawson — 73.5 meters
[*]Peter Rundberg — 72.2 meters
[*]Johan Espenkrona — 72 meters
[*]Ole Martin Hansen — 70.24 meters
[*]Romek Velt — 65.4 meters
[*]Mark Felix — 57.4 meters
[*]Michael Bishop — 54.2 meters
[*]Ryan Myler — 52.27 meters
[*]Vaughn Sikorski — 51.32 meters
[*]Lars Besand — 27.27 meters
[*]Ken McClelland — withdrew

Hercules Hold
Challenged the maintain the 150-kilogram pillars in the Hercules Hold, the unrivaled Mark Felix and his unparalleled grip emerged victorious by more than 20 seconds over the next closest competitior.



[*]Mark Felix — 76.54 seconds
[*]Peter Rundberg — 54.75 seconds
[*]Eric Dawson — 54.35 seconds
[*]Romek Velt — 49.70 seconds
[*]Johan Espenkrona — 46.18 seconds
[*]Øyvind Gustavsen — 43.02 seconds
[*]Ole Martin Hansen — 41.40 seconds
[*]Veli-Pekka Kauhanen — 36.71 seconds
[*]Michael Bishop — 36.65 seconds
[*]Ryan Myler — 31.11 seconds
[*]Vaughn Sikorski — 30.90 seconds
[*]Lars Besand — 27.87 seconds
[*]Fredrik Svensson — 22.87 seconds
[*]Ken McClelland — withdrew

Atlas Stones
There were 60 seconds on the clock for each strongman to load five stones weighing 100 to 180 kilograms (220.5 to 396.8 pounds).




[*]Fredrik Svensson — Five in 22.51 seconds
[*]Eric Dawson — Five in 26.18 seconds
[*]Johan Espenkrona — Five in 30.69 seconds
[*]Mark Felix — Five in 35.59 seconds
[*]Peter Rundberg — Five in 36.02 seconds
[*]Romek Velt — Four in 17.53 seconds
[*]Ole Martin Hansen — Four in 34.06 seconds
[*]Michael Bishop — Four in 40.91 seconds
[*]Veli-Pekka Kauhanen — Four in 43.80 seconds
[*]Ryan Myler — Four in 48.77 seconds
[*]Øyvind Gustavsen — Three in 13.05 seconds
[*]Vaughn Sikorski — Three in 15.96 seconds
[*]Lars Besand — Three in 31.15 seconds
[*]Ken McClelland — withdrew

More Strongman Content







Featured image: @kronamannen on Instagram




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