As with the previous two Giants Live shows this summer, the top three podium finishers from this competition will each earn a spot in the lineup of the 2022 WSM contest. In years past, WSM champions such as Hafthor Bjo?rnsson and Marius Pudzianowski have had dominant runs at Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM). Bjo?rnsson won five and Pudzianowski won six ESM titles. The 2020 ESM champion, Luke Richardson, is sidelined due to a biceps injury suffered at the 2021 WSM contest.
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Similar to how Giants Live structured the 2021 World Open and World Deadlift Championships (WDC) on August 14, 2021, the ESM will include the World Log Lift Championships (WLLC). All athletes will attempt to put up their max log press during the first event. For this event only, they extended an invite to Axle Press world record holder and bronze medalist from July’s Strongman Classic, Cheick “Iron Biby ” Sanou. The current log lift world record is 228 kilograms (503 pounds) held by four-time World’s Strongest Man, Žydr?nas Savickas.
How to Watch 2021 Europe’s Strongest Man
The ESW Facebook Livestream will air on Sept. 4, 2021, at 5 p.m. BST (12 p.m. EST) and on the Official Strongman website. It is available for $4.99. Tickets to view the event live at First Direct Arena are currently available for purchase via Ticketmaster.
2021 Europe’s Strongest Man Events
There are five events scheduled for the 2021 ESM contest. They are:
- Max Log Lift
- Shield Carry — 200 kilograms (440.9 pounds)
- Axle Deadlift for reps — 360 kilograms (793.7 pounds)
- Car Walk — 450 kilograms (992.1 pounds)
- Atlas Stones
The 2021 ESM contest will feature 10 athletes, including the 2021 WSM champion Tom Stoltman.
- Adam Bishop, England
- Ervin Toots, Estonia
- Gavin Bilton, Wales
- Graham Hicks, England
- Luke Stoltman, Scotland
- Mikhail Shivlyakov, Russia
- Oleksii Novikov, Ukraine
- Pa O’Dwyer, Ireland
- Rauno Heinla, Estonia
- Tom Stoltman, Scotland
- Cheick “Iron Biby” Sanou, Burkina Faso*
Athletes to Watch
The 2021 ESM features an ultra-competitive lineup. Here are three athletes to keep your eyes on.
Tom Stoltman
The reigning WSM, Scotland’s Tom Stoltman, has become an incredibly well-rounded strongman, improving upon most of his former weaknesses in the last few years. Said weaknesses, namely the Hercules Hold and the farmer’s walk (read: grip events), are noticeably absent from this show.
His stones and shield carry are both world-class — he is the current Atlas Stone world record holder. His log and deadlift are on par with the best in the world. He is nursing a slight hamstring injury, and it is unclear how that might affect his overall performance.
Oleksii Novikov
The 2020 WSM champion and winner of the 2021 Strongman Classic, the Ukrainian is one of the more consistent performers on the strongman circuit this year. He is known primarily for his dynamic abilities, but his 1,000-pound deadlift in Manchester and 190-kilogram (418.9-pound) axle press at the Royal Albert Hall this summer proved he is as strong as he is fast. He is currently recovering from a concussion in Manchester and had to withdraw from the 2021 Shaw Classic. It is unclear if that will still affect him at the ESM.
Cheick “Iron Biby” Sanou
Iron Biby is widely regarded as having the strongest shoulders in the world. He is a serious threat to Savickas’s current world record. As with the WDC, all athletes competing in the full ESM show will compete in the WLLC as the first event.
Competitors like Scotland’s Luke Stoltman and England’s Graham Hicks are also notoriously strong pressers and serious threats to the world record. Their battle for the British log lift record left Luke Stoltman as the current record holder with 221 kilograms (487.2 pounds). Hicks is right behind him at 220 kilograms (485 pounds). However, Biby’s training numbers — for example his 260-kilogram (573.2-pound) push press in June 2020, — far exceed his fellow competitors. He stands the best chance of hitting and possibly exceeding a 230-kilogram (507.1-pound) log if he is healthy.
On to the Show
Europe’s Strongest Man is usually one of the more exciting Giants Live shows. It holds the promise of a real and tangible title beyond just the trophies awarded. To be crowned a continental champion is a feat that few achieve. Those who do wear it proudly for the rest of their lives, no matter how many other accolades they might accumulate.
With the prospect of a new European champion on the horizon, this event will certainly be one to watch out for. It will be live-streamed from the Giants Live Facebook page and the Official Strongman website at 5 p.m BST (12 p.m. EST).
Featured image: @giantslivewsm on Instagram
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