Giants Live
Encyclopedia
Giants Live or The Giants Live Grand Prix Competition Series was created in 2009 as the official World’s Strongest Man Qualifying Tour taking over from the Strongman Super Series
. Like its predecessor, it is a live, arena-based sport competition for strength athletes.
in this regard. The first 2009 qualifying event took place on May 17 at the Mohegan Sun Casino Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut
, and with the second event being the Viking Power competition, Giants Live appears to mirroring the Super Series for its desired locations.
Giants Live was licensed the exclusive rights by IMG Sports Media, the creator and owner of the 32 year old World’s Strongest Man competition. Previously, the qualifying tournament was known as the Strongman Super Series and from 2003 the "World’s Strongest Man Super Series". A Strongman Super Series continued to operate in 2009, but did not have WSM qualifying status.
At each Grand Prix event, in common with previous such series, each competitor competes in six different tests of strength with the winner crowned Grand Prix Champion. The top three athletes at each tournament win a qualifying slot at the World’s Strongest Man final.
Along with the Strongman Champions League
, this event made important progress in acting as a fundamental part of a unifying movement for world strength athletics by making plans to help SCL get its athletes to the 2009 World's Strongest Man
contest. SCL chief, Mostert, stated that "The top 5 SCL athletes will have places in the Giants Live tour for qualifying at World's Strongest Man
(WSM) 2009". In addition, he also stated that wild cards for the WSM will include SCL athletes. He went on to say that "Finally we made it all possible again that all the athletes have chances to qualify for the WSM, which means in my opinion the WSM will have the strongest field ever in her history!". He went on to thank TWI/IMG
and Giants Live for their part in making these possibilities. This was groundbreaking because for a number of years prior to this, the athletes under the IFSA
had been banned by the federation from entering WSM (since the IFSA fell out of favour with TWI). Likewise, the athletes invited to participate in WSM were not invited to participate in IFSA events. Some competitions bridged the divide, such as the Arnold Strongman Classic
and more recently Fortissimus
, but neither had the history or gravitas, or indeed popular appeal of the iconic World's Strongest Man
. The IFSA athletes, with the demise of the IFSA finances, almost all competed in SCL from 2008. This deal, along with the Fortissimus deal before it, united storngman in a way it had not been since 2004.
Strongman Super Series
The Strongman Super Series, known from 2005 to 2008 as the World's Strongest Man Super Series and reverting in 2009 to the World Strongman Super Series, is a sequence of grand prix events in the sport of strength athletics...
. Like its predecessor, it is a live, arena-based sport competition for strength athletes.
History
On April 27, 2009 Giants Live was named the Official World's Strongest Man Qualifying Tour for 2009-2011, thus taking over from the Strongman Super SeriesStrongman Super Series
The Strongman Super Series, known from 2005 to 2008 as the World's Strongest Man Super Series and reverting in 2009 to the World Strongman Super Series, is a sequence of grand prix events in the sport of strength athletics...
in this regard. The first 2009 qualifying event took place on May 17 at the Mohegan Sun Casino Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, and with the second event being the Viking Power competition, Giants Live appears to mirroring the Super Series for its desired locations.
Giants Live was licensed the exclusive rights by IMG Sports Media, the creator and owner of the 32 year old World’s Strongest Man competition. Previously, the qualifying tournament was known as the Strongman Super Series and from 2003 the "World’s Strongest Man Super Series". A Strongman Super Series continued to operate in 2009, but did not have WSM qualifying status.
At each Grand Prix event, in common with previous such series, each competitor competes in six different tests of strength with the winner crowned Grand Prix Champion. The top three athletes at each tournament win a qualifying slot at the World’s Strongest Man final.
Along with the Strongman Champions League
Strongman Champions League
The Strongman Champions League is a strongman competition circuit, bestowing the Champions League Winner title to the overall winner, and is competed for by a pool of strength athletes containing some of the most notable in the sport, including Žydrūnas Savickas, Travis Ortmayer, Mikhail Koklyaev,...
, this event made important progress in acting as a fundamental part of a unifying movement for world strength athletics by making plans to help SCL get its athletes to the 2009 World's Strongest Man
World's Strongest Man
The World's Strongest Man is a well recognised event in strength athletics and has been described by a number of highly respected authorities in the sport as the premier event in strongman. Organized by TWI, an IMG Media company, it is broadcast around the end of December each year...
contest. SCL chief, Mostert, stated that "The top 5 SCL athletes will have places in the Giants Live tour for qualifying at World's Strongest Man
World's Strongest Man
The World's Strongest Man is a well recognised event in strength athletics and has been described by a number of highly respected authorities in the sport as the premier event in strongman. Organized by TWI, an IMG Media company, it is broadcast around the end of December each year...
(WSM) 2009". In addition, he also stated that wild cards for the WSM will include SCL athletes. He went on to say that "Finally we made it all possible again that all the athletes have chances to qualify for the WSM, which means in my opinion the WSM will have the strongest field ever in her history!". He went on to thank TWI/IMG
IMG (business)
IMG, originally known as the International Management Group is a global sports and media business headquartered in New York City.-History:...
and Giants Live for their part in making these possibilities. This was groundbreaking because for a number of years prior to this, the athletes under the IFSA
International Federation of Strength Athletes
The International Federation of Strength Athletes was an international governing body for strongman competition...
had been banned by the federation from entering WSM (since the IFSA fell out of favour with TWI). Likewise, the athletes invited to participate in WSM were not invited to participate in IFSA events. Some competitions bridged the divide, such as the Arnold Strongman Classic
Arnold Strongman Classic
The Arnold Strongman Classic is one of the highest profile events featuring strength athletes in the world. Created by Dr. Terry Todd, it is an offshoot of the Arnold Sports Festival which takes place annually in Columbus, Ohio, USA.-History:...
and more recently Fortissimus
Fortissimus
The Fortissimus is a well recognised event in strength athletics. The name means "the mightiest" and is a multi-event challenge at the end of which the winner is crowned as the "Strongest Man on Earth"...
, but neither had the history or gravitas, or indeed popular appeal of the iconic World's Strongest Man
World's Strongest Man
The World's Strongest Man is a well recognised event in strength athletics and has been described by a number of highly respected authorities in the sport as the premier event in strongman. Organized by TWI, an IMG Media company, it is broadcast around the end of December each year...
. The IFSA athletes, with the demise of the IFSA finances, almost all competed in SCL from 2008. This deal, along with the Fortissimus deal before it, united storngman in a way it had not been since 2004.
Producers
Giants Live is a collaboration between AEG ThemeStar, Crystal Entertainment & Colin Bryce:- AEG ThemeStar - an international producer and presenter of family entertainment. They have worked with Warner Bros.Warner Bros.Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
, NickelodeonNickelodeon (TV channel)Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
, HIT Entertainment, MattelMattelMattel, Inc. is the world's largest toy company based on revenue. The products it produces include Fisher Price, Barbie dolls, Hot Wheels and Matchbox toys, Masters of the Universe, American Girl dolls, board games, and, in the early 1980s, video game consoles. The company's name is derived from...
, Universal StudiosUniversal StudiosUniversal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
, Disney and the NFL among others. - Crystal Entertainment - an entertainment company founded by Charles Garland, former COO of 19 Entertainment19 Entertainment19 Entertainment, based in Los Angeles, United States, is a creator and producer of entertainment properties based around the areas of Music and Television / Film, including American Idol in the United States, Pop Idol in the United Kingdom as well as versions of the Idol series in more than...
. - Colin BryceColin BryceColin Bryce is a former Great Britain Olympic bobsledder and strongman now working as a television presenter and producer...
- an ex-Strongman competitor, Olympian bobsleigher, and latterly a head referee and commentator on strongman events such as World's Strongest ManWorld's Strongest ManThe World's Strongest Man is a well recognised event in strength athletics and has been described by a number of highly respected authorities in the sport as the premier event in strongman. Organized by TWI, an IMG Media company, it is broadcast around the end of December each year...
, Britain's Strongest ManBritain's Strongest ManBritain's Strongest Man is an annual strongman event held in the United Kingdom. Competitors qualify for the final through regional heats and the winner is awarded the title of "Britain's Strongest Man"...
, Strongman Super SeriesStrongman Super SeriesThe Strongman Super Series, known from 2005 to 2008 as the World's Strongest Man Super Series and reverting in 2009 to the World Strongman Super Series, is a sequence of grand prix events in the sport of strength athletics...
and World Strongman Cup, as well as a long-term producer of World Strongest Man through his company Show Productions.
Giants Live 2009
| Year | Champion | Runner-Up | 3rd Place | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohegan Sun Grand Prix 2009 17 May 2009 |
 Derek PoundstoneDerek Poundstone Derek Poundstone Derek Poundstone Derek Poundstone (born on September 28, 1981, 6'1" (1,85m), 341 lb is an American professional strongman athlete from Waterbury, Connecticut.... |
Travis Ortmayer Travis Ortmayer Travis Ortmayer is an American Professional Strongman athlete from Cypress, Texas. Travis is the owner of Athletic Nation gym... |
Brian Shaw Brian Shaw (strongman) Brian Shaw is a professional strongman competitor and winner of the 2011 World's Strongest Man competition.-Early life:... |
Mohegan Sun Casino Arena, Connecticut Connecticut Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately... |
| Viking Power Challenge 2009 6 June 2009 |
Travis Ortmayer Travis Ortmayer Travis Ortmayer is an American Professional Strongman athlete from Cypress, Texas. Travis is the owner of Athletic Nation gym... |
 Richard SkogRichard Skog Henning Nikolai Isdahl alias Richard Skog weighs 170 kilograms and is a strongman competitor from Norway. Before life as strongman he was part of the Norwegian Armed Forces. He has been a part of the World's Strongest Man competition for 4 straight years in 2007-2010, but has yet to qualify for... |
 Mikhail KoklyaevMikhail Koklyaev Mikhail Koklyaev is a six-time Russian National Weightlifting champion, strongman competitor and powerlifter.He was born in 1978 in Chelyabinsk, Russia... |
Stavanger Stavanger Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway... , Norway Norway Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million... |
| Giants Live Poland 1 August 2009 |
 Jarek DymekJarek Dymek Jarek Dymek is a strongman competitor from Malbork, Poland. He is a training partner of 5 time World's Strongest Man champion Mariusz Pudzianowski. In 2005 Jarek won Europe's Strongest Man, his career best win. Jarek has competed in the World's Strongest Man 8 times, making the finals 5 times. His... |
 Mark FelixMark Felix Mark Felix is a strongman competitor and regular entrant to the World's Strongest Man competition... |
 Stefan Solvi PeturssonStefán Sölvi Pétursson Stefán Sölvi Pétursson is a leading strongman competitor and entrant to the World's Strongest Man competition.-Career:... |
Malbork Malbork Malbork is a town in northern Poland in the Żuławy region , with 38,478 inhabitants . Situated in the Pomeranian Voivodeship since 1999, it was previously assigned to Elbląg Voivodeship... , Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
Giants Live 2010
| Year | Champion | Runner-Up | 3rd Place | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants Live-South Africa 10 April 2010 |
Brian Shaw Brian Shaw (strongman) Brian Shaw is a professional strongman competitor and winner of the 2011 World's Strongest Man competition.-Early life:... |
Mikhail Koklyaev Mikhail Koklyaev Mikhail Koklyaev is a six-time Russian National Weightlifting champion, strongman competitor and powerlifter.He was born in 1978 in Chelyabinsk, Russia... |
Terry Hollands Terry Hollands Terry Hollands , is one of the world's leading strongman competitors and was Britain's Strongest Man .-Early life:... |
 JohannesburgJohannesburg Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa... , South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... |
| Giants Live-Kiev 30 May 2010 |
Derek Poundstone Derek Poundstone Derek Poundstone Derek Poundstone Derek Poundstone (born on September 28, 1981, 6'1" (1,85m), 341 lb is an American professional strongman athlete from Waterbury, Connecticut.... |
Laurence Shahlaei Laurence Shahlaei Laurence Shahlaei is a British strongman competitor, winner of the England's Strongest Man title at 2009 and repeat competitor at the World's Strongest Man.-Early life:... |
 Johannes ArsjoJohannes Årsjö Johannes Årsjö is a Swedish strongman competitor.-Biography:Born in Norrköping, Sweden, Årsjö came to international prominence after winning Sweden's Strongest Man in 2009 A series of top 10 finishes in international grand prixs within both the Giants Live and Strongman Super Series circuits led... |
 KievKiev Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press.... , Ukraine Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia... |
| Giants Live-London 19 June 2010 Europe's Strongest Man 2010 Europe's Strongest Man Europe's Strongest Man is an annual strength athletics competition which began in 1980. The event is held in various locations throughout Europe, and features exclusively European strongman competitors. Mariusz Pudzianowski currently holds the record for most wins with 6 titles... |
Zydrunas Savickas Žydrunas Savickas Žydrūnas Savickas is a professional strongman and is widely considered one of the all-time greatest athletes in the history of the sport... |
Terry Hollands Terry Hollands Terry Hollands , is one of the world's leading strongman competitors and was Britain's Strongest Man .-Early life:... |
Mark Felix Mark Felix Mark Felix is a strongman competitor and regular entrant to the World's Strongest Man competition... |
 LondonLondon London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
| Giants Live-Poland 8 August 2010 |
Vytautas Lalas Vytautas Lalas Vytautas Lalas is a professional strongman competitor from Mažeikiai, Lithuania.Lalas won the junior Lithuanian championships in 2005, and Lithuania's Strongest Man in 2010.... |
Robert Szczepanski Robert Szczepanski Robert Szczepański , is a boxer, powerlifter and Strongman competitor. Prior to competing in strongman, Szczepański coached boxing and Powerlifting, and in 1993 he won a bronze medal in boxing at the Polish Junior Championships. Robert began competing in strongman in 2002. He has a wife, Magda, and... |
Janusz Kulaga |
Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
| Giants Live-Istanbul 24 October 2010 |
Zydrunas Savickas Žydrunas Savickas Žydrūnas Savickas is a professional strongman and is widely considered one of the all-time greatest athletes in the history of the sport... |
Brian Shaw Brian Shaw (strongman) Brian Shaw is a professional strongman competitor and winner of the 2011 World's Strongest Man competition.-Early life:... |
Stefan Solvi Petursson Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Stefán Sölvi Pétursson is a leading strongman competitor and entrant to the World's Strongest Man competition.-Career:... |
 IstanbulIstanbul Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and... , Turkey Turkey Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe... |
Giants Live 2011
| Year | Champion | Runner-Up | 3rd Place | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants Live-London March 19, 2011 |
Brian Shaw Brian Shaw (strongman) Brian Shaw is a professional strongman competitor and winner of the 2011 World's Strongest Man competition.-Early life:... |
Laurence Shahlaei Laurence Shahlaei Laurence Shahlaei is a British strongman competitor, winner of the England's Strongest Man title at 2009 and repeat competitor at the World's Strongest Man.-Early life:... |
Vytautas Lalas Vytautas Lalas Vytautas Lalas is a professional strongman competitor from Mažeikiai, Lithuania.Lalas won the junior Lithuanian championships in 2005, and Lithuania's Strongest Man in 2010.... |
London London London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its... , England England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental... |
| Giants Live-Poland August 6, 2011 |
Krzysztof Radzikowski Krzysztof Radzikowski Krzysztof Radzikowski is a professional strongman competitor from Łódź, Poland.Radzikowski recently won the Giants Live Poland event on August 6, 2011. This victory qualifies him for the 2011 World's Strongest Man contest.-Personal Records:*Squat - *Bench Press - *Deadlift - -References:... |
Mike Jenkins Mike Jenkins (strongman) Mike Jenkins is a professional strongman competitor from Westminster, Maryland. Mike works as a High School athletics director outside of strongman. Mike was a college and professional football player before switching over to strongman competition in 2007... |
Mateusz Baron |
Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
| Giants Live-Finland August 13, 2011 |
 Martin WildauerMartin Wildauer Martin Wildauer is a leading Austrian strongman competitor and entrant to the World's Strongest Man competition.-Biography:... |
 Vidas Blekaitis |
 Rauno Heinla |
 FinlandFinland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... |
| Giants Live-Ukraine August 24, 2011 |
Sergey Romanchuk Sergey Romanchuk Sergey Romanchuk is a Ukrainian professional strongman competitor. Sergey has competed in the 2010 World's Strongest Man and 2010 Europe's Strongest Man contests. Sergey recently won the Strongman Champions League event in Kiev, Ukraine on Dec. 18, 2010.Sergey recently won the Giants Live Ukraine... |
Mark Felix Mark Felix Mark Felix is a strongman competitor and regular entrant to the World's Strongest Man competition... |
Josh Thigpen |
Poltava, Ukraine |
Giants Live 2011 Finnish qualifiers
- Giants Live teamed with Strongman Champions LeagueStrongman Champions LeagueThe Strongman Champions League is a strongman competition circuit, bestowing the Champions League Winner title to the overall winner, and is competed for by a pool of strength athletes containing some of the most notable in the sport, including Žydrūnas Savickas, Travis Ortmayer, Mikhail Koklyaev,...
in 2011 to setup 4 qualifying events to gain entry in the Giants Live Finland event. The events were open only to Finnish athletes.Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location
May 13, 2011 Juha Matti Jarvi Antti Mourujärvi Pedro Karlsson PoriPoriPori is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. The city is located some from the Gulf of Bothnia, on the estuary of the Kokemäenjoki river, which is the largest in Finland. Pori is the most important town in the Satakunta region....
, FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
May 21, 2011 Juha Matti Jarvi Kai Pasanen Jarno Kirselä MaskuMaskuMasku is a municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Finland Proper region. The municipality, which is located just north of Turku, has a population of and covers an area of ofwhich...
, FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
May 28, 2011 Juha Matti Jarvi Jarno Kirselä Kai Pasanen JyväskyläJyväskyläJyväskylä is the capital of Central Finland and the largest city on the Finnish Lakeland, north-east of Tampere and north of Helsinki, on northern coast of lake Päijänne. The city has been continuously one of the most rapidly growing cities in Finland since World War II. The city is surrounded...
, FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
June 14, 2011 Juha Matti Jarvi Jarno Kirselä Janne Illikainen OuluOuluOulu is a city and municipality of inhabitants in the region of Northern Ostrobothnia, in Finland. It is the most populous city in Northern Finland and the sixth most populous city in the country. It is one of the northernmost larger cities in the world....
, FinlandFinlandFinland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
- The top 4 Finnish athletes to qualify for the Giants Live Finland event on August 13, 2011 were:
Position Name Country Points 1. Juha Matti Jarvi 60 2. Jarno Kirselä 44 3. Kai Pasanen 30 4. Tomi Lotta Tomi LottaTomi Lotta is a strongman competitor from Finland. Tomi has competed in both the World's Strongest Man and IFSA Strongman World Championships, but failed to make the finals in both events. His career best win is the 2004 Finland's Strongest Man title. He is known by his nickname "the Finnish Beach...
(via SCL series) 17