Here’s what Europe’s finest may have to contend with in early April.
On Apr. 1, 2023, Europe’s strongest strongmen will determine who stands the above the remainder. The competition will probably be the 2023 Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM), which can happen in Leeds, England. With the roster featuring defending champion Oleksii Novikov already announced earlier this yr, the organizing body, Giants Live, has shared the competition’s expected events.
2023 Europe’s Strongest Man Events
The 2023 ESM will probably be a single-day competition comprised of 5 distinct events. Here’s an summary of the events for the European strongman contest.
On the time of this writing, specifics haven’t been offered on the small print of every event. Such information concerning exact implements, weights, and potential formats could also be shared at a later date.
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Novikov is the defending ESM champion, but there is no such thing as a shortage of potential top contenders for his title. Athletes to observe might include fellow Ukrainian countryman Pavlo Nakonechnyy, who captured a victory within the 2022 Giants Live World Open last summer. The third-place finisher from the 2022 ESM, Georgia’s Konstantine Janashia, should probably also not be discounted. Two-time Britain’s Strongest Man (2020, 2023) and 2020 ESM runner-up Adam Bishop could possibly be one other one to observe.
As for a dark horse, Masters deadlift World Record holder Rauno Heinla is also in the combination, because the Estonian possesses the requisite power for a shorter contest just like the 2023 ESM, in comparison with multi-day contests just like the World’s Strongest Man. Heinla needed to withdraw after the third event throughout the 2022 ESM and should be in search of a level of redemption.
Here’s an summary of the whole roster for the 2023 ESM:
2023 Europe’s Strongest Man Roster
- Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine) — Reigning Champion
- Pavlo Nakonechnyy (Ukraine)
- Pavlo Kordiyaka (Ukraine)
- Konstantine Janashia (Georgia)
- Rauno Heinla (Estonia)
- Aivars Šmaukstelis (Latvia)
- Eythór Ingólfsson Melsted (Iceland)
- Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf (France)
- Dennis Kohlruss (Germany)
- Pa O’Dwyer (Ireland)
- Adam Bishop (United Kingdom)
- Gavin Bilton (United Kingdom)
- Graham Hicks (United Kingdom)
- Paul Smith (United Kingdom) — Reserve
Notably, some events, just like the Log Press Ladder and Castle Stones (an Atlas Stone name variation), could possibly be game-changers for competitors. That’s because two-time reigning World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion Tom Stoltman and his brother Luke Stoltman (the 2022 runner-up), who’re proficient in each, should not participating on this yr’s ESM iteration. Such a development potentially leaves lots of points on the table for the potential winner.
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Only time will tell whether Novikov can construct on his ESM title. The Ukrainian athlete will likely enter this ESM as a heavy favorite to win. Nevertheless, with the precise format unknown and a couple of recent faces on the roster, it will be anyone’s competition to take a stranglehold of.
Featured image: @novikov_strong_wsm on Instagram