WORLD'S STRONGEST MAN 2021 -June 15-20

[Bazooka]

It's that time again strong heads, in two weeks in California, not on the telly until Christmas though lol.

Lineup:

Oleksii Novikov- Ukraine
Brian Shaw- USA
Aivars Smaukset- Latvia
Terry Hollands - UK
Graham Hicks- UK
Gavin Hilton- UK (just won UK Strongest Man )
Tom Stoltman -UK
Luke Stoltman-UK
Maxime Boudreault- Canada
JF Caron- Canada
Bobby Thompson- USA
Konstantine Janas- Georgia
Eythor Ingólfsson- Iceland
Evan Singleton- USA
Jerry Pritchett- USA
Kevin Fairis- USA
Robert Oberst- USA
Trey Mitchell - USA
Travis Ortmayer- USA
Adam Bishop- UK
Chris Van Der Linde- South Africa
Johnny Hansson- Sweden
Luke Richardson- UK
Mark Felix- UK
Mikhail Shivlyak- Russia

So many top picks this year, Novikov is looking deadly again, young, well rounded and injury free. Brian Shaw has slimmed down massively and looking swift in training, could be his fith title.  Tom Stoltman I think will make podium again no problem, JF Caron did amazingly last year at WSM and the Shaw Classic.

I'm going to go with Novikov 2nd title.

[Old Thrashbarg]

Is it just a result of Covid that the lineup is so dominated by US and UK competitors? With Eastern European and Scandinavian athletes not able to qualify through their usual route?

[Butchers Blind]

Why is it not on TV til xmas?

[Bazooka]

Is it just a result of Covid that the lineup is so dominated by US and UK competitors? With Eastern European and Scandinavian athletes not able to qualify through their usual route?

Well the organisation invites them based on their participation in other competitions and events, and if they attended the WSM the previous year. I don't think there is a bias, just in Covid and despite covid, the UK and USA were able to have competitions on their own turf. There are injuries to consider too, Rob Kearny (USA) Is not there because of injury, Mateusz Kieliszkowski (Poland) and Martins Licis (USA) are the same.

[Bazooka]

Why is it not on TV til xmas?

ESPN show it earlier usually in the US, but Channel 5 like it as their big viewing numbers draw on Boxing Day, but it's quite early this year so maybe it will be on TV on a bank holiday. I think they rely on it being not cared about by the mainstream media and public in general, it's bigger than ever thanks to the internet, YouTube in particular.Even though the winner will be known by those that follow it, unless you follow it you are unlikely to be aware at all.

[Cuellar]

Just watching some of the 2020 World's Strongest Man on youtube - Novikov made the 18 inch deadlift world record look easy. Wild.

[Old Thrashbarg]

ESPN show it earlier usually in the US, but Channel 5 like it as their big viewing numbers draw on Boxing Day, but it's quite early this year so maybe it will be on TV on a bank holiday. I think they rely on it being not cared about by the mainstream media and public in general, it's bigger than ever thanks to the internet, YouTube in particular.Even though the winner will be known by those that follow it, unless you follow it you are unlikely to be aware at all.

I do like to try to avoid seeing any of the results (whether that's UK's, Europe's or World's) until they're broadcast and then watch as-live. And it's been remarkably successful, given how easy it is to stumble upon news generally. I think, apart from the times I've attended ESM, the only result I've had spoiled in advance is when Eddie won WSM, with him obviously making plenty of appearances through the second half of 2017 on UK TV.

[Bazooka]

Yes exactly, I'm subscribed to at least 14 different strongman channels on YouTube including the athletes personal ones, so it's unavoidable.  If they were going to show it live or next day then sure I'd prefer that, but I'm not waiting months.

[Bazooka]

Don't want to ruin too much as day one finishes, but Terry Hollands is out with injury and retiring from WSM, but not necessarily the sport, what a shame.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Whw-W_FFRXI

[Bazooka]

Wow I wish I could have seen this live, been an incredible competition from what snippets I've seen and the results spreadsheets, down to Atlas Stones, it's a Stone Off.

[touchingcloth]

Do they have some big bazungas?

[Bazooka]

King of the stones!

[Bazooka]

Can't be arsed with spoilers it's on the main news, as it should be. Really happy for Tom he absolutely deserved it, 2nd was fantastic last year, but him and his brother Luke were going heavy in training, if Luke hadn't slipped up at the end events ,he was close to joining Tom in 3rd. Had it not been for Tom, Shaw would have gotten his 5th without question, will he retire? We will see.

[Old Thrashbarg]

I do like to try to avoid seeing any of the results (whether that's UK's, Europe's or World's) until they're broadcast and then watch as-live. And it's been remarkably successful, given how easy it is to stumble upon news generally. I think, apart from the times I've attended ESM, the only result I've had spoiled in advance is when Eddie won WSM, with him obviously making plenty of appearances through the second half of 2017 on UK TV.

I spoke too soon!

Can't be arsed with spoilers it's on the main news, as it should be.

Yeah... Ah well, I'll try to forget by the time it's shown on TV.

[Famous Mortimer]

Yeah... Ah well, I'll try to forget by the time it's shown on TV.

It is quite odd that it's the one sport that everyone kind of hopes isn't spoiled for 6 months. Perhaps they'll just show it "live" in future, and perhaps the BBC could get the rights back and give it the decent coverage it deserves.

[Bazooka]

I think with the multiple YouTube channels releasing the results for each event, and ESPN showing it earlier, and even WSM official social media says who has won, they need to get with the times. There are enough fans who would pay, including me to watch it live.

But outside of the dedicated fans, there are still enough people in the UK who will be oblivious and still want to watch at Christmas. Last year the competition was in November, so it wasn't as silly.

They have already stated they going to start showing it in order countries which is a decision that should have been made decades ago. Channel 5 will never get the viewing figures they get by showing it at Christmas or a bank holiday, the BBC could pull in bigger numbers.

[Famous Mortimer]

Re: the above post, it's being broadcast on CBS over here (I saw the first heat on Saturday lunchtime) so it's even odder that Britain waits til Christmas to show it.

[jamiefairlie]

"I wanted to watch Roger Moore necking with Fiona Fullerton. And instead, I have to watch a giant Michael Bolton lookalike, in a tight vest, throwing an oven over bales of hay!"

[Replies From View]

Silent But Violent or this isn't a British event.