Here is what Europe’s most interesting must cope with in early April.
On Apr. 1, 2023, Europe’s strongest strongmen will decide who stands the above the remainder. The competition would be the 2023 Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM), which can happen in Leeds, England. With the roster that includes defending champion Oleksii Novikov already introduced earlier this yr, the organizing physique, Giants Stay, has shared the competitors’s anticipated occasions.
2023 Europe’s Strongest Man Occasions
The 2023 ESM will probably be a single-day competitors comprised of 5 distinct occasions. Right here’s an outline of the occasions for the European strongman contest.
On the time of this writing, specifics haven’t been supplied on the small print of every occasion. Such info regarding actual implements, weights, and potential codecs could also be shared at a later date.
Novikov is the defending ESM champion, however there is no such thing as a scarcity of potential high contenders for his title. Athletes to observe may embody fellow Ukrainian countryman Pavlo Nakonechnyy, who captured a victory within the 2022 Giants Stay World Open final summer season. The third-place finisher from the 2022 ESM, Georgia’s Konstantine Janashia, ought to in all probability additionally not be discounted. Two-time Britain’s Strongest Man (2020, 2023) and 2020 ESM runner-up Adam Bishop may very well be one other one to observe.
As for a darkish horse, Masters deadlift World Document holder Rauno Heinla may be within the combine, because the Estonian possesses the requisite energy 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 occasion through the 2022 ESM and could also be in search of a level of redemption.
Right here’s an outline of the entire 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 (Eire)
- Adam Bishop (United Kingdom)
- Gavin Bilton (United Kingdom)
- Graham Hicks (United Kingdom)
- Paul Smith (United Kingdom) — Reserve
Notably, some occasions, just like the Log Press Ladder and Citadel Stones (an Atlas Stone identify variation), may very well be game-changers for opponents. That’s as a result of 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, will not be collaborating on this yr’s ESM iteration. Such a growth doubtlessly leaves a variety of factors on the desk for the possible winner.
Solely time will inform whether or not Novikov can construct on his ESM title. The Ukrainian athlete will seemingly enter this ESM as a heavy favourite to win. Nevertheless, with the exact format unknown and some new faces on the roster, it might be anybody’s competitors to take a stranglehold of.
Featured picture: @novikov_strong_wsm on Instagram
