Jump to content

Strength athletics in the United Kingdom and Ireland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Jymbo04 (talk | contribs) at 00:19, 13 January 2009 (Wales' Strongest Man). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

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.

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 the televisation of strongman competitions began with Britain's Strongest Man first being televised 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 emerged, with these three in particular going on to win the World's Strongest Man title. The modern era sees the tradition continue with Terry Hollands, Mark Felix and Jimmy Marku being regular faces at World's Strongest Man and its associated Super Series. Almost inevitably, more than one interested party has seen the commercial advantages of such competitions and there have been rival competitions over the years since inception, with the IFSA and United Kingdom Strength Council setting up events separate from Britain's Strongest Man.

Alongside the modern interpretation still exists the traditional such as the Highland Games, which although exported around the world 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.

Pan-British Isles

Britain's Strongest Man

British Championships (IFSA)

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location
2005 England Mark Felix England Oli Thompson England Andrew 'Stumpy' Raynes TBC

UK Strongest Man

Others

UK Championship (IFSA)
Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location
1999 Northern Ireland Glenn Ross TBC TBC TBC
1998 TBC TBC TBC TBC
1997 Scotland Stuart Murray England Steve Brooks England Russ Bradley TBC
Britain's Most Powerful Man
Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location
2007 England Jay Hughes England Adam Townsend England Paul Wood TBC
1986 Jersey Peter Tancred England Peter Davis England Joe Walker TBC
British Muscle Power Championship
Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location
1998 England Russ Bradley England Lee Bowers Faroe Islands Regin Vagadal TBC
1997 England Russ Bradley TBC TBC TBC
1996 England Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBC
1995 Wales Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBC
1994 England Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBC
1993 Scotland Forbes Cowan TBC TBC TBC
1992 England Mark Higgins TBC TBC TBC
1991 England Mark Higgins TBC TBC TBC
1990 England Mark Higgins TBC TBC TBC
1989 England Tom Hawk England Adrian Smith Scotland Ian Murray TBC
1988 England Mark Higgins TBC TBC TBC
1987 England Geoff Capes TBC TBC TBC
1986 England Geoff Capes TBC TBC TBC

Team 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

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location
2008 England Jimmy Marku England Dave McAneney England Spencer Hyland TBC
2007 England Jimmy Marku England Jay Hughes England Rob Frampton TBC
2006 England Jimmy Marku England Dave Meer England Simon R Flint TBC
2005 England Adam Townsend England Terry Hollands England Simon Morton TBC
2004 England Eddy Elwood England Andrew 'Stumpy' Raynes England Mark Felix TBC
2003 England Eddy Elwood England Bill Pittuck England Richard Gosling TBC
2002 England Bill Pittuck England Mick Gosling England Ade Rollinson TBC
2001 England Bill Pittuck England Steve Brooks England Andrew 'Stumpy' Raynes TBC
2000 TBC TBC TBC TBC
1999 TBC TBC TBC TBC
1998 TBC TBC TBC TBC
1997 England Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBC
1996 England Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBC
1995 England Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBC
1994 England Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBC
1993 England Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBC
1992 England Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBC
1991 England Bill Pittuck TBC TBC TBC
1990 England Adrian Smith TBC TBC TBC
1989 England Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBC
1988 England Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBC
1987 England Jamie Reeves TBC TBC TBC

IFSA England's Strongest Man

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location
2005 England Eddy Elwood England Mark Felix England Oli Thompson TBC

Scotland's Strongest Man

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location
2007 Scotland Chris Innes Scotland Andy Cairney Scotland Louis McLean TBC
2006 Scotland Jamie Barr Scotland Andy Cairney Scotland Raymond Christie TBC
2005 Scotland Brian Turner Scotland Jamie Barr Scotland Stuart Murray TBC
2004 Scotland Paul Porteous Scotland Brian Turner Scotland Stuart Murray TBC
2003 Scotland Forbes Cowan Scotland Paul Porteous Scotland Gregor Edmunds TBC
2002 Scotland Gregor Edmunds Scotland Forbes Cowan Scotland Brian Bell TBC
2001 Scotland Jamie Barr TBC TBC TBC
2000 Scotland Jamie Barr TBC TBC TBC
1999 Scotland Jamie Barr TBC TBC TBC
1998 Scotland Brian Bell TBC TBC TBC
1997 TBC TBC TBC TBC
1996 Scotland Forbes Cowan TBC TBC TBC
1995 Scotland Forbes Cowan TBC TBC TBC
1994 Scotland Jamie Barr TBC TBC TBC
1993 Scotland Forbes Cowan TBC TBC TBC
1992 Scotland Forbes Cowan TBC TBC TBC
1991 Scotland Brian Bell/Scotland Stuart Murray TBC TBC TBC
1990 Scotland Forbes Cowan TBC TBC TBC
1989 Scotland Brian Bell TBC TBC TBC
1988 Scotland Stuart Murray TBC TBC TBC
1987 Scotland Ian Murray TBC TBC TBC

Wales' Strongest Man

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location
2007 Wales Jamie Redwood Wales Mike Williams Wales Ross Stone TBC
2006 Wales Dale Norris Wales Ross Stone Wales Mike Williams TBC
2005 Wales Dale Norris Wales Michael Williams Wales Walid El Hind TBC
2004 Wales Christian Clay TBC TBC TBC
2003 Wales Christian Clay TBC Wales Dean Bolt TBC
2002 Wales Christian Clay Wales Dean Bolt TBC TBC
2001 Wales Christian Clay TBC TBC TBC
2000 Wales Christian Clay TBC TBC TBC
1999 Wales Christian Clay TBC TBC TBC
1998 TBC TBC TBC TBC
1997 Wales Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBC
1996 Wales Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBC
1995 Wales Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBC
1994 Wales Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBC
1993 Wales Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBC
1992 Wales Robin Mcbryde TBC TBC TBC
1991 Wales Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBC
1990 Wales Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBC
1989 Wales Gary Taylor TBC TBC TBC

All Ireland Strongest Man

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location
2008 Northern Ireland Dave Warner Northern Ireland Gary Mckelvey TBC TBC
2007 Northern Ireland Dave Warner Northern Ireland Gary Mckelvey TBC TBC
2006 Northern Ireland Dave Warner Northern Ireland Gary Mckelvey TBC TBC
2005 Northern Ireland Brian Irwin TBC TBC TBC
2004 Northern Ireland Brian Irwin Republic of Ireland Martin Campbell Northern Ireland Stephen Gracey TBC
2003 Republic of Ireland Martin Campbell TBC TBC TBC
2002 Republic of Ireland Phil Porter TBC TBC TBC
2001 Republic of Ireland Andrew Sheehan TBC TBC TBC
2000 Republic of Ireland Martin Campbell TBC TBC TBC

Northern Ireland (Ulster) Strongest Man/Ulster's Strongest Man

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location
2008 Northern Ireland Francis Kirby Northern Ireland Gary Mckelvey TBC TBC
2007 Northern Ireland Dave Warner Northern Ireland Gary Mckelvey TBC TBC
2006 Northern Ireland Francis Kirby Northern Ireland Dave Warner Northern Ireland Gary McKelvey TBC
2005 Northern Ireland Brian Irwin Northern Ireland Francis Kirby Northern Ireland Gary McKelvey TBC
2004 Northern Ireland Brian Irwin Northern Ireland Stephen Gracey Northern Ireland Martin Tweedle TBC
2003 Northern Ireland Francis Kirby TBC TBC TBC
2002 Northern Ireland Francis Kirby TBC TBC TBC
2001 Northern Ireland Pat Dreary TBC TBC TBC
2000 Northern Ireland Glenn Ross TBC TBC TBC
1999 Northern Ireland Glenn Ross TBC TBC TBC
1998 Northern Ireland Glenn Ross TBC TBC TBC
1997 Northern Ireland Glenn Ross TBC TBC TBC
1996 Northern Ireland Glenn Ross TBC TBC TBC
1995 Northern Ireland Glenn Ross TBC TBC TBC

Republic of Ireland's Strongest Man

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location
2007 Republic of Ireland Jason Reilly TBC TBC TBC
2006 Republic of Ireland Jason Reilly Republic of Ireland Pat McNamara Republic of Ireland Daniel Troy TBC
2005 Republic of Ireland Carl Waitoa Republic of Ireland Paul Roberts Republic of Ireland Christopher Bowe TBC
2004 Republic of Ireland Paul Roberts Republic of Ireland Carl Waitoa Republic of Ireland Jason Reilly TBC
2003 Republic of Ireland Ray O'Dwyer TBC TBC TBC
2002 Republic of Ireland Kevin Murray TBC TBC TBC

Orkney\Shetland's Strongest Man

Other Regional

  • CNP Professional Strongman Premier League
  • Midland's Strongest Man
  • Mighty Midlander
  • Corby Great Strength Eccleston
  • East Britain Strongest Man
  • North of England Strongest Man
  • Yorkshire’s Strongest Man

References