2009 World's Strongest Man
Introduction '''The World's Strongest Man 2009''' was the 32nd edition of World's Strongest Man and took place in Valletta, Malta from 26 September to 3 October 2009.It was sponsored by PartyPoker.com. It was anticipated by the strength athletics world as promising to be ''"the best one yet."'' The anticipation was based on the organisers ensuring invites were made to "every top athlete in the world" regardless of their affiliation to any particular strength athletics body. In previous years, the schism between the International Federation of Strength Athletes and the organisers of WSM had meant that certain athletes were forbidden to compete, undermining the credentials of the competition.
Qualifying The official qualifying competition for the 2009 WSM was the newly created Giants Live tour. This had taken the place of the World's Strongest Man Super Series, although the latter continued to run with a separate pool of athletes. However, the weakening of the IFSA, due to the economic pressures affecting the whole of the strength athletics world at this time, had led to the breaking down of barriers between the various concurrent circuits. Strength athletes were able to compete in more than one circuit and did so, with a cross over of athletes between the Giants Live circuit, the Strongman Champions League and the Strongman Super Series. In an interview with Ironmind, a source close to the WSM decision makers said, "World’s Strongest Man has never stopped the world’s best strongmen from going to WSM and now that the world of strongman is getting much closer, it appears that we will be able to have every top athlete in the world there this year." This led to Ironmind stating that the World’s Strongest Man 2009 promises to be the best one yet. Such is the status of WSM that Ironmind also stated that "If you are a leading strongman competitor, or want to be recognized as one, the most important thing at this point is to get an invitation to the 2009 World’s Strongest Man contest. "This ethos led to a mixture of qualifying criteria applied. Mariusz Pudzianowski qualified, by virtue of being the defending WSM champion. A further eight competitors were selected based on their showing on Giants Live (Brian Shaw; Derek Poundstone; Travis Ortmayer; Mikhail Koklyaev (injured so did not compete); Richard Skog; Mark Felix; Jarek Dymek; and Stefan Solvi Petursson). In addition “the top five from Strongman Champions League were taken into account”, in a deal struck with the relatively new organisation which had already made deals with such high profile tournaments as Fortissimus. The IMG committee also developed a list of wild card invitations. This gave them the flexibility to invite the very top athletes in the world who were not part of the official qualifying tour, or subsequent agreements with other bodies. Through this avenue Zydrunas Savickas, six time winner of the Arnold's Strongest Man, IFSA World Champion, and Fortissimus winner, deemed by many as the strongest man in the world was invited. Also, those who performed well in the revamped Strongman Super Series also received invites as well as podium finishers in certain one off events.
Competitors The 2009 WSM line-up was widely agreed to have been one of, if not the best ever. Every major federation and Strongman competition was represented. Among those competing were the current and 5-time World's Strongest Man, Mariusz Pudzianowski (also the last man to win the World Strongman Cup); 2-time IFSA World Champion and reigning Fortissimus champion Zydrunas Savickas, titled the Strongest Man on the Planet, (also the Strongman Champions League winner); and that year's Arnold Strongman Classic champion, Derek Poundstone, (also the current Strongman Super Series overall champion). Additionally, a former World's Strongest Man, Phil Pfister, the Highlander World Champion Sebastian Wenta, the Rolling Thunder world champion, Mark Felix, and 15 current national champions and a former World Champion in the 105 kg class. So strong was the line-up that Tarmo Mitt, four times a WSM finalist, was only among the reserves. The competitors held, between them, at least 15 strongman world records.Source: Name  Nationality WSM record Other Strongman Achievements PudzianowskiMariusz Pudzianowski   5 time World's Strongest Man champion (2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008)2nd place 2006 World's Strongest Man, 4th place 2000 2 time World Strongman Cup overall champion 2006, 20074 time Strongman Super Series overall World Champion DymekJarek Dymek   4th place 2005 World's Strongest Man Europe's Strongest Man 2005 KlyushevAlexander Klyushev  Russia's Strongest Man 2008 Second place in World's Strongest Nation 2008 SkogRichard Skog   2009 Norway's strongest man2nd place 2009 Giants Live Norway FelixMark Felix   4th place 2006 World's Strongest Man 2 time Rolling Thunder World Champion and World Record HolderIFSA Britain's Strongest Man 2005 PéturssonStefán Sölvi Pétursson   Iceland's Strongest Man 2009 (and 2008 IFSA)3rd place Giants Live Poland 2009 OrtmayerTravis Ortmayer   5th place 2008 World's Strongest Man 3rd at Arnold Strongman Classic 20092nd place 2005 IFSA Pan-American Championships1st place 2008 Strongman Super Series Madison Square Garden Grand Prix1st place 2009 Giants Live Norway  PoundstoneDerek Poundstone   2nd place 2008 World's Strongest Man 2 time America's Strongest Manchampion 2007 & 20082009 Arnold Strongman Classic champion2008 Fortissimus championStrongman Super Series overall World Champion 2008,1st place 2008 Strongman Super Series Mohegan Sun Grand Prix1st place 2009 Giants Live Mohegan Sun Grand Prix4th place 2007 IFSA Strongman World Championships2nd place 2007 World's Strongest Team ShawBrian Shaw   3rd place Fortissimus 2009Winner of 2009 FIT Expo PfisterPhil Pfister   2006 World's Strongest Man champion4th place 1998, 2001, 2007, 2008 3rd place Arnold Strongman Classic 20023 time runner-up America's Strongest Man NeeKevin Nee   6th place 2007 World's Strongest Man(youngest competitor to ever make the finals) Youngest ever competitor in WSM in 20052nd place 2007 Mohegan Sun Grand Prix SavickasZydrunas Savickas   2nd place World's Strongest Man 2002-2004 Six time winner of Arnold Strongman Classic 2003-20082 time winner IFSA Strongman World Championships 2005 & 20062008 Strongman Champions League overall winner2009 Fortissimus champion2004 Strongman Super Series overall World Champion1st place 2008 & 2009 World Log Lift ChampionshipsWorld Record Holder in 8 separate Strongman events10 time winner Lithuania's Strongest Man1st place 2007 World's Strongest Team LaureysJimmy Laureys   2008 Belgium's Strongest Man HollandsTerry Hollands   3rd WSM 2007 Britain's Strongest Man 2007UK's Strongest Man 2005England's Strongest Man (WSM) 2009 MarkuJimmy Marku   Britain's Strongest Man 2008UK's Strongest Man 2009England's Strongest Man 2006-2008 ShahlaeiLaurence Shahlaei   England's Strongest Man 2009 SadlerDarren Sadler   2007 Champion IFSA World Strongman Challenge u105k2nd 2005 World Championships u105k(IFSA)  WentaSebastian Wenta   2nd at 2007 WSM Highlander World Champion (07,08,09)3rd at 2008 Fortissimus ArsjoJohannes Arsjo   4th Place Viking Power Challenge 2009 WildauerMartin Wildauer   3rd Strongman Champions League Finland Grand Prix 2009 OstlundDave Ostlund   3rd WSM 2008 1st Venice Beach Super Series 20073rd Madison Square Garden Super Series 2008 WhiteMarshall White   Bucharest WSMSS Grand Prix 2009 winner KazelniksAgris Kazelniks   2nd Strongman Champions League Holland Grand Prix 2009 MurumetsAndrus Murumets   Estonia's Strongest Man (02 and 05)Multiple wins in Strongman Champions League Grand Prixs3rd 2007 Arnold Strongman Classic IlinKonstantin Ilin   2009 Ukraine's Strongest Man TrimplFlorian Trimpl   2009 Germany's Strongest Man SmitEttiene Smit   6 times South Africa's Strongest Man KatonaErvin Katona   2nd place in 2008 Strongman Champions League SavoieChristian Savoie   2009 Canada's Strongest Man JeanLouis Philippe Jean   2008 Canada's Strongest Man MittReserve:Tarmo Mitt   5th in 20064 consecutive finals (2005–08) 6x Estonia's Strongest Man2nd overall in 2006 World Strongman Cup2nd Sweden Super Series 2008 SulaimanReserve:Simon Sulaiman /  Holland's Strongest Man 2009
Format The 25 competitors were split into five separate heats, each consisting of six events. After each event each competitor was given points, from 5 for first to 1 for last. Half points occurred if more than one competitor has the same result, and no points were scored if a competitor did not take part in an event. The points were tallied after the six events and the two competitors with the most points from each heat progressed to the final. The final consisted of seven events and the champion was the competitor with the most points after all of the events.The Head referee was Colin Bryce, assisted by Svend Karlsen (the 2001 World's Strongest Man). Jouko Ahola, World's Strongest Man winner from 1997 and 1999, was the equipment manager.
Events There were a total of 15 different events used in the competition:In the Group stages the a mixture of the following events were used:*Medley - Cannon ball & sledge (the event took place on the Valletta Waterfront)*Medley - Anchor & chain & barrels (the event took place on the Valletta Waterfront)*Truck Pull (the event took place on the Valletta Waterfront - all groups were involved)*Squat Lift (the event took place at the Grand Hotel Excelsior - groups one and four involved)*Dead Lift (the event took place at the Grand Hotel Excelsior - groups two, three and five involved)*Car Walk (the event took place at the Grand Hotel Excelsior - groups one, three and four involved)*Fingal's Fingers (the event took place on the Birgu Waterfront - groups two and five were involved)*Dumbbell Press (the event took place on the Birgu Waterfront - groups one and three were involved)*Keg Toss (the event took place at Golden Bay - groups two, four and five were involved)*Atlas Stones (the event took place at Golden Bay - all groups were involved)In the final:*Fingal's Fingers (the event took place at Fort St Elmo)*Giant Farmer's Walk (the event took place at Fort St Elmo)*Plane Pull (limited public access)*Overhead Lift - Apollon's Axle (the event took place at Wied iz-Zurrieq)*Boat Pull (the event took place at Wied iz-Zurrieq)*Car Deadlift (the event took place at the Grand Hotel Excelsior)*Atlas Stones (the event took place at the Grand Hotel Excelsior)
Heats ===Group 1=== Position Name  Nationality Event 1Medley Event 2Truck Pull Event 3Squat Lift Event 4Carwalk Event 5Dumbbell Press Event 6Atlas Stones 1 (34pts) Derek Poundstone   1 (38.71s) 1 (42.66s) 2 (6 in 30.02s) 1 (19.09s) 1 (9 reps) 2 (4 stones in 25.1s) 4 (18pts) Jimmy Marku   2 (44.06s) 6 (1m 07.47s) 1 (6 in 25.57s) 5 (12.3m) 4= (0 reps) 3 (4 stones in 59.6s) WD (after Rd 5) Kevin Nee   6 (16.6m) 5 (1m 05.59s) 3 (6 in 31.19s) 3 (46.53s) 4= (0 reps) WD 3 (21pts) Konstiantyn Ilin   5 (1m 06.49s) 2 (50.08s) 4 (6 in 31.85s) 4 (49.34s) 2 (8 reps) 4 (2 stones in 37.42s) 2 (25pts) Louis-Philippe Jean   3 (46.00s) 3 (58.28s) 5 (5 in 26.38s) 2 (26.6s) 3 (6 reps) 1 (5 stones in 48.73s) WD (after Rd 2) Sebastian Wenta   4 (54.37s) 4 (58.37s) WD WD WD WD===Group 2=== Position Name  Nationality Event 1Medley Event 2Truck Pull Event 3Dead Lift Event 4Fingal's Fingers Event 5Keg Toss Event 6Atlas Stones 2 (30pts) Brian Shaw   2 (22.79s) 1 (42.19s) 3 (7 in 35.97s) 2 (5 in 31.34s) 2 (8 in 29.41s) 2 (5 stones in 29.27s) 4 (17pts) Mark Felix   3 (24.13s) 5 (51.56s) 1 (7 in 31.36s) 5 (4 in 34.15s) 6 (4 in 1m15:00s) 5 (5 stones in 48.49s) 6 (12.5pts) Marshall White   6 (28.67s) 6 (56.97s) 6 (4 in 17.67s) 3 (5 in 56.67s) 4= (6 in 1m15:00s) 4 (5 stones in 37.67s) 5 (13.5pts) Martin Wildauer   4 (25.28s) 4 (50.94s) 4 (7 in 36.26s) 6 (4 in 56.68s) 4= (6 in 1m15:00s) 6 (4 stones in 30.90s) 3 (21pts) Stefan Solvi Petursson   5 (26.78s) 3 (50.07s) 5 (6 in 31.57s) 4 (4 in 29.22s) 1 (8 in 23.53s) 3 (5 stones in 30.43s) 1 (32pts) Zydrunas Savickas   1 (22.63s) 2 (43.53s) 2 (7 in 31.64s) 1 (5 in 31.06s) 3 (8 in 30.19s) 1 (5 stones in 28.20s)===Group 3=== Position Name  Nationality Event 1Medley Event 2Truck Pull Event 3Dead Lift Event 4Carwalk Event 5Dumbbell Press Event 6Atlas Stones 5 (17.5pts) Alexander Klyushev   6 (49.83s) 5 (1m10.06s) 4 (7 in 45.97s) 3 (25.06s) 1= (6 reps) 5 (4 in 38.27s) 3 (22pts) Darren Sadler   4 (45.17s) 4 (1m02.31s) 1 (7 in 35.19s) 5 (47.41s) 3 (4 reps) 3 (4 in 35.85s) 4 (20.5pts) Ervin Katona   3 (44.12s) 3 (49.22s) 3 (7 in 43.03s) 4 (28.28s) 4= (3 reps) 4 (4 in 37.14s) 6 (7pts) Jimmy Laureys   5 (49.53s) 6 (1m10.91s) 5 (5 in 33.07s) 6 (5.8m) 6 (0 reps) 6 (4 in 39.21s) 2 (27.5pts) Mariusz Pudzianowski   2 (37.81s) 2 (45.40s) 2 (7 in 36.50s) 2 (20.72s) 4= (3 reps) 2 (5 in 33.91s) 1 (30.5pts) Phil Pfister   1 (35.90s) 1 (40.91s) 6 (4 in 23.25s) 1 (20.30s) 1= (6 reps) 1 (5 in 24.88s)===Group 4=== Position Name  Nationality Event 1Medley Event 2Truck Pull Event 3Squat Lift Event 4Carwalk Event 5Keg Toss Event 6Atlas Stones 6 (15.5pts) Agris Kazelniks   6 (33.85s) 5 (56.88s) 3 (6 in 32.27s) 4 (25.63s) 4= (4 in 1m15s) 4 (4 in 47.43s) 4 (20pts) Ettiene Smit   5 (25.58s) 6 (1m02.50s) 2 (6 in 27.48s) 2 (22.66s) 1 (8 in 25.89s) 6 (3 in 51.19s) 3 (22pts) Johannes Arsjo   1 (22.09s) 4 (56.32s) 4 (6 in 36.65s) 6 (34.41s) 2 (7 in 1m15s) 3 (5 in 35.23s) 1 (26pts) Laurence Shahlaei   2 (23.84s) 1 (45.42s) 1 (7 in 35.65s) 1 (21.87s) 6 (3 in 1m15s) 5 (3 in 25.54s) 5 (19.5pts) Richard Skog   4 (25.03s) 2 (46.75s) 5 (4 in 18.05s) 5 (32.22s) 4= (4 in 1m15s) 2 (5 in 29.97s) 2 (23pts) Travis Ortmayer   3 (24.15s) 3 (49.13s) 6 (2 in 7.57s) 3 (24.44s) 3 (6 in 1m15s) 1 (5 in 27.96s)===Group 5=== Position Name  Nationality Event 1Medley Event 2Truck Pull Event 3Dead Lift Event 4Fingal's Fingers Event 5Keg Toss Event 6Atlas Stones 3 (26pts) Andrus Murumets   1 (34.38s) 4 (47.07s) 2 (6 in 30.89s) 4 (4 in 45.45s) 2= (6 in 1m15s) 2 (5 in 30.03s) 4 (18pts) Christian Savoie   3 (37.78s) 2 (45.91s) 4 (6 in 38.79s) 6 (3 in 22.83s) 6 (4 in 1m15s) 3 (5 in 32.85s) 2 (26pts) Dave Ostlund   5 (42.15s) 3 (46.28s) 3 (6 in 30.96s) 1 (5 in 33.84s) 2= (6 in 1m15s) 1 (5 in 26.66s) 6 (12pts) Florian Trimpl   4 (41.98s) 5 (57.43s) 6 (5 in 32.74s) 5 (4 in 49.85s) 5 (5 in 1m15s) 5 (4 in 32.66s) 5 (15pts) Jarek Dymek   6 (46.40s) 6 (16.2m) 5 (5 in 24.30s) 3 (4 in 32.47s) 1 (7 in 1m15s) 6 (4 in 34.49s) 1 (29pts) Terry Hollands   2 (36.41s) 1 (40.50s) 1 (7 in 32.70s) 2 (4 in 27.83s) 2= (6 in 1m15s) 4 (5 in 44.05s)
Final '''Dates:''' 1, 2, 3 September 2009. ''Results published at  Official WSM site''===Results=== Position Name  Nationality Event 1Fingal's Fingers Event 2MedleyGiant Farmer's Walk Event 3Plane Pull Event 4Overhead LiftApollon's Axle Event 5Boat Pull Event 6Car Deadlift Event 7Atlas Stones 01 (58pts) Žydrūnas Savickas  01 (5 in 28.69s '''WR''') 04 (36.20s) 02 (40.24s) 01 (9 lifts) 08 (1m02.94s) 01 (11 lifts) 02 (5 in 24.63s) 02 (53pts) Mariusz Pudzianowski  06 (5 in 36.47s) 01 (25.05s) 05 (40.91s) 02= (8 lifts) 02 (39.38s) 02= (9 lifts) 05 (5 in 26.57s) 03 (49pts) Brian Shaw  03 (5 in 32.37s) 07 (48.80s) 03= (40.53s) 05 (6 lifts) 01 (32.44s) 04= (8 lifts) 04 (5 in 25.62s) 04 (46pts) Derek Poundstone   05 (5 in 35.38s) 02 (31.63s) 06 (41.12s) 02= (8 lifts) 07 (1m06.14s) 02= (9 lifts) 06 (5 in 27.03s) 05 (45.5pts) Travis Ortmayer   04 (5 in 34.85s) 10 (45.05m) 03 (40.53s) 04 (7 lifts) 03 (45.88s) 06 (7 lifts) 01 (5 in 24.29s) 06 (41pts) Terry Hollands  08 (5 in 43.07s) 06 (37.13s) 01 (38.19s) 09= (2 lifts) 04 (47.07s) 04= (8 lifts) 03 (5 in 25.22s) 07 (28.5pts) Phil Pfister  07 (5 in 37.57s) 05 (36.86s) 07 (42.56s) 06= (5 lifts) 05 (50.89s) 10 (0 lifts) 07 (5 in 28.67s) 08 (25pts) Dave Ostlund   02 (5 in 32.08s) 09 (1m12.37s) 08 (45.53s) 08 (4 lifts) 09 (1m06.14s) 08 (5 lifts) 08 (5 in 32.13s) 09 (23.5pts) Laurence Shahlaei  09 (4 in 38.03s) 03 (33.54s) 09 (45.54s) 09= (2 lifts) 06 (51.13s) 07 (6 lifts) 10 (4 in 28.03s) 10 (14.5pts) Louis-Philippe Jean  10 (4 in 44.11s) 08 (50.45s) 10 (46.69s) 06= (5 lifts) 10 (12.3m) 09 (3 lifts) 09 (5 in 51.47s)
Television broadcast ===United States===In the USA the event was broadcast on ESPN and ESPN2 in January 2010, on Thursday 7 January and Saturday 9 January, with some repeat screenings on Sunday 10, 17 and 24 January. Further screenings in late February and March are planned.===United Kingdom===In the UK Bravo obtained the rights to screen both The Giants Live Tour (the official qualifying tour for The World's Strongest Man) as well as the finals. Giants Live was shown on three consecutive days from Saturday 26 December 2009 to Monday 28 December. The finals were broadcast over six consecutive Mondays in early 2010 from 4 January to 8 February, with each episode dedicated to a qualifying group, and the sixth episode being the final. The UK broadcast was produced by IMG Media for Bravo and featured presenters Martin Bayfield and Zöe Salmon, with some guest presenters including Bill Kazmaier and Svend Karlsen. The commentators were Paul Dickenson and Colin J L Bryce and the outside broadcast was performed by 021 Television Ltd.
References
External links *  Official site