Strength athletics in Iceland

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Iceland Iceland
CapitalReykjavík
64°08′N 21°56′W / 64.133°N 21.933°W / 64.133; -21.933
Area
• Total
103,125 km2 (39,817 sq mi)
Population
• 2024 census
399,189[1]
• Density
3.66/km2 (9.5/sq mi)
ISO 3166 codeIS

Strength athletics in Iceland refers to the participation of Icelandic competitors and holding national strongman events. The sport's roots have a long and ancient history going back many centuries with the legends of Orm Storolfsson and Grettir Ásmundarson to the 19th century traditional strongmen including Snorri Björnsson, Brynjólfur Eggertsson and Gunnar Salómonsson; before the televisation of modern strongman competitions in the late 1970s.

Iceland has held a preeminent position as a nation due to the enormous success of its competitors on the international stage, who between them have won Nine World's Strongest Man titles and numerous other international strongman competitions, and is often regarded as 'the strongest nation of the world'.[2][3][4]

History[edit]

The origin of Icelanders testing each other through feats and tests of strength predates the introduction of strength athletics and in terms of strength based sports there had been a number of noted powerlifters and weightlifters during the twentieth century. However, in the era of strongman competition Iceland has a record that belies the size of the nation's population having won 9 World's Strongest Man titles, second only to the USA who have won 12 titles. Before Iceland had its own national competition, it already had men competing on the international circuit. In 1983, the young powerlifter and bodybuilder, Jón Páll Sigmarsson entered the 1983 World's Strongest Man competition and was only beaten into second place by the experienced Geoff Capes. Sigmarsson went on to win the competition the following year and in total won the World's Strongest Man four times, and became the first man to win the title 4 times. Sigmarsson was also a six times World Muscle Power champion, 2 times Europe's Strongest Man and winner of the Pure Strength title. His contemporary, and good friend Hjalti Árnason, was also competing at this time and as well as podium finishes in World Muscle Power and World Strongman Challenge, he won the highly regarded Le Defi Mark Ten International competition. Magnús Ver Magnússon followed in their footsteps and emulated Sigmarsson's four World's Strongest Man titles, becoming the second man to win the title 4 times. He also won World Strongman Challenge, Europe's Strongest Man and European Hercules competitions. Ver Magnússon and Árnason also won the 1989 Pure Strength team competition. There have also been several other highly acclaimed Icelandic competitors in the top international events including Andrés Guðmundsson, Benedikt Magnússon, Torfi Ólafsson and most notably Stefán Sölvi Pétursson who achieved fourth-place in the 2010 World's Strongest Man competition. The next entire decade of Icelandic Strongman competitions was dominated by Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson who won the main National title 10 consecutive times in addition to winning several other national competitions multiple times and also winning 9 Giants Live tours including the Europe's Strongest Man 5 times, 8 Strongman Champions League titles, the Arnold Strongman Classic 3 consecutive times, the World's Strongest Man and the World's Ultimate Strongman becoming the most decorated Icelandic Strongman of All time.[5]

National competitions[edit]

Since 1985, Iceland has had its own national competition, Iceland's Strongest Man. There have also been three other major titles contested in Iceland, including Strongest Man in Iceland, Iceland's Strongest Man (IFSA) and Iceland's Strongest Viking; in addition to Westfjord's Viking, Grundarfjord Viking, Highland Viking, Eastfjord Strongman Championships and Thor's Powerlifting Challenge.

Iceland’s Strongest Man[edit]

Iceland’s Strongest Man
Tournament information
LocationIceland Iceland
Established1985; 39 years ago (1985)
Number of
tournaments
39
FormatMulti-event Strongman competition with 6-10 athletes
Venue(s)Mosfellsbær, Reykjavík, Selfoss
Current champion
Kristján Jón Haraldsson (2023)

In 1985, the very first Iceland's Strongest Man contest was held[6] and it was not for the faint-hearted. Three of the six competitors ended up in hospital.[7] Jón Páll won the competition while Hjalti Árnason emerged second and Magnús Ver third. Thus, in the very first contest the podium finishers would between them go on to win the World's Strongest Man eight times, the World Muscle Power Classic seven times, the World Strongman Challenge, Le Defi Mark Ten International and numerous powerlifting titles including the super-heavyweight IPF World Powerlifting Championships. The contest's profile was immediately internationally renowned and it eventually became an open competition, although if a non-Icelander wins, the title of Iceland's Strongest Man defers to the highest placed Icelander. This has only happened on 2 occasions when the legendary Bill Kazmaier of the United States and Regin Vagadal of the Faroe Islands won. Tom Stoltman, Terry Hollands and Adrian Rollinson of the United Kingdom and Don Pope of the USA have all placed second. Luke Stoltman of the United Kingdom has placed third.

Being held for 39 consecutive years since its inception in 1985, Iceland's Strongest Man is the oldest continuously held strongman competition in the world. With 10 consecutive titles from 2011 to 2020 Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson holds the record for the most number of wins while Magnús Ver Magnússon and Jón Páll Sigmarsson have 7 and 5 wins respectively.

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place
1985 Iceland Jón Páll Sigmarsson Iceland Hjalti Árnason Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon
1986 Iceland Jón Páll Sigmarsson Iceland Hjalti Árnason Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon
1987 Iceland Jón Páll Sigmarsson Iceland Hjalti Árnason Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon
1988 United States Bill Kazmaier Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon Iceland Hjalti Árnason
1989 Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon Iceland Hjalti Árnason Iceland Torfi Ólafsson
1990 Iceland Jón Páll Sigmarsson Iceland Andrés Guðmundsson Iceland Hjalti Árnason
1991[8][9] Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon Iceland Hjalti Árnason Iceland Björgvin Filippusson
1992 Iceland Jón Páll Sigmarsson Iceland Andrés Guðmundsson Iceland Pétur Guðmundsson
1993 Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon Iceland Andrés Guðmundsson Iceland Pétur Guðmundsson
1994 Iceland Gunnar Þór Guðjónsson Iceland Torfi Ólafsson & Iceland Audunn Jónsson
1995 Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon Iceland Torfi Ólafsson Iceland Andrés Guðmundsson
1996 Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon Iceland Hjalti Árnason Iceland Andrés Guðmundsson
1997 Iceland Torfi Ólafsson (To be confirmed) (To be confirmed)
1998 Faroe Islands Regin Vagadal Iceland Gunnar Þór Guðjónsson Iceland Torfi Ólafsson
1999[10] Iceland Gunnar Þór Guðjónsson Iceland Audunn Jónsson & Iceland Torfi Ólafsson
2000[11] Iceland Gunnar Þór Guðjónsson Iceland Torfi Ólafsson Iceland Audunn Jónsson
2001 Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon Iceland Magnús Magnússon Iceland Kristinn Óskar 'Boris' Haraldsson
2002[12] Iceland Magnus Magnusson Iceland Audunn Jónsson Iceland Grétar Guðmundsson
2003 Iceland Benedikt Magnússon Iceland Audunn Jónsson Iceland Grétar Guðmundsson
2004 Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon Iceland Benedikt Magnússon Iceland Audunn Jónsson
2005[13] Iceland Kristinn Oskar 'Boris' Haraldsson United Kingdom Adrian Rollinson Iceland Guðjón Gíslason
2006[14] Iceland Kristinn Óskar 'Boris' Haraldsson United States Don Pope Iceland Jens Fylkisson
2007[15] Iceland Kristinn Óskar 'Boris' Haraldsson United Kingdom Terry Hollands United States Don Pope
2008 Iceland Kristinn Óskar 'Boris' Haraldsson Iceland Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Iceland Orri Geirsson
2009 Iceland Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Iceland Kristinn Óskar 'Boris' Haraldsson Iceland Páll Logason
2010 Iceland Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Iceland Benedikt Magnússon Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson
2011[16] Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland Ari Gunnarsson Iceland Páll Logason
2012 Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland Ari Gunnarsson Iceland Páll Logason
2013 Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland Páll Logason Iceland Ari Gunnarsson
2014 Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland Páll Logason Iceland Úlfur Orri Pétursson
2015 Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland Ari Gunnarsson Iceland Fannar Smári Vilhjálmsson
2016 Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Iceland Ari Gunnarsson
2017 Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland Ari Gunnarsson Iceland Sigfús Fossdal
2018 Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð Iceland Sigfús Fossdal
2019 Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson United Kingdom Tom Stoltman United Kingdom Luke Stoltman
2020 Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð Iceland Ari Gunnarsson
2021 Iceland Stefán Karel Torfason Iceland Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð Iceland Kristján Sindri Níelsson
2022 Iceland Kristján Jón Haraldsson Iceland Stefán Karel Torfason Iceland Páll Logason
2023 Iceland Kristján Jón Haraldsson Iceland Vilius Jokužys Iceland Theodór Már Gudmundsson

Champions breakdown[edit]

Champion Times Years
Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson 10 (consecutive) 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020
Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon 7 1989, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 2001, 2004
Iceland Jón Páll Sigmarsson 5 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1992
Iceland Kristinn Óskar 'Boris' Haraldsson 4 (consecutive) 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Iceland Gunnar Þór Guðjónsson 3 1994, 1999, 2000
Iceland Stefán Sölvi Pétursson 2 (consecutive) 2009, 2010
Iceland Kristján Jón Haraldsson 2 (consecutive) 2022, 2023
Iceland Torfi Ólafsson 1 1997
Iceland Magnús Magnússon 1 2002
Iceland Benedikt Magnússon 1 2003
Iceland Stefán Karel Torfason 1 2021
United States Bill Kazmaier 1 1988
Faroe Islands Regin Vágadal 1 1998

Most podium finishes without winning the title[edit]

Athlete Times (breakdown)
Iceland Hjalti Árnason 8 (6 x 2nd, 2 x 3rd)
Iceland Ari Gunnarsson 7 (4 x 2nd, 3 x 3rd)
Iceland Audunn Jónsson 6 (4 x 2nd, 2 x 3rd)
Iceland Páll Logason 6 (2 x 2nd, 4 x 3rd)
Iceland Andrés Guðmundsson 5 (3 x 2nd, 2 x 3rd)
Iceland Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð 3 (3 x 2nd)
Iceland Pétur Guðmundsson 2 (2 x 3rd)
Iceland Grétar Guðmundsson 2 (2 x 3rd)
Iceland Sigfús Fossdal 2 (2 x 3rd)

Strongest Man in Iceland[edit]

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place
2010[17] Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland Benedikt Magnússon Iceland Páll Logason
2011[18] Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland Ari Gunnarsson Iceland Georg Ögmundsson
2012[19] Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland Ari Gunnarsson Iceland Páll Logason
2016[20] Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland Ari Gunnarsson Iceland Stefán Sölvi Pétursson
2017[21] Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland Òskar Pétur Hafstein Iceland Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð
2018 Iceland Ari Gunnarsson Iceland Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð Iceland André Bachmann
2019 Iceland Ari Gunnarsson Iceland Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð Iceland Kristján Jón Haraldsson
2020 Iceland Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð Iceland Stefán Karel Torfason Iceland Òskar Pétur Hafstein
2021 Iceland Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð Iceland Kristján Jón Haraldsson Iceland Tómas Darri Thorsteinsson
2022 Iceland Kristján Jón Haraldsson Iceland Vilius Jokužys Iceland Theodór Már Gudmundsson
2023 Iceland Kristján Jón Haraldsson Iceland Vilius Jokužys Iceland Pálmi Guðfinnsson

Iceland's Strongest Man (IFSA)[edit]

The IFSA organised the Iceland's Strongest Man competition for a number of years before 2005. However, when the IFSA disassociated from the World's Strongest Man competition, Iceland's Strongest Man remained the official qualifier with no IFSA involvement. The IFSA did continue to promote their own version until their financial demise at the end of 2008.

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place
1999 Iceland Andrés Guðmundsson (To be confirmed) (To be confirmed)
2005[22] Iceland Benedikt Magnússon (To be confirmed) (To be confirmed)
2006 Iceland Benedikt Magnússon Iceland Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Iceland Georg Ögmundsson
2008 Iceland Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Iceland Páll Logason Iceland Grétar Guðmundsson

Iceland's Strongest Viking[edit]

This contest dates back to 1992[23] however, in some years the results of this contest have been combined with those of Iceland's Strongest Man in order to ascertain who qualifies for the World's Strongest Man.

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place
2000 Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon Iceland Audunn Jónsson Iceland Svavar Einarsson
2001 Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon Iceland Guðmundur Otri Sigurðsson Iceland Jón Valgeir Williams
2002 Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon Iceland Jón Valgeir Williams Iceland Magnús Magnússon
2003 Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon Iceland Jón Valgeir Williams Iceland Audunn Jónsson
2004 Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon Iceland Benedikt Magnússon Iceland Jón Valgeir Williams
2005[24] Iceland Magnús Ver Magnússon Iceland Magnus Magnusson Iceland Georg Ögmundsson
2006[25] Iceland Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Iceland Georg Ögmundsson Iceland Jón Valgeir Williams
2007 Iceland Benedikt Magnússon Iceland Pétur Bruno Thorsteinsson and Iceland Georg Ögmundsson
2009 Iceland Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Iceland Páll Logason (To be confirmed)
2010[23] Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland Páll Logason Iceland Ari Gunnarsson
2011 Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Iceland Ari Gunnarsson
2012 Iceland Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Iceland Georg Ögmundsson
2020 Iceland Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð Iceland Ari Gunnarsson Iceland Stefán Karel Torfason
2021 Iceland Ari Gunnarsson Iceland Kristján Jón Haraldsson Iceland Stefán Karel Torfason
2022 Iceland Kristján Jón Haraldsson Iceland Stefán Karel Torfason Iceland Kristján Sindri Níelsson
2023 Iceland Vilius Jokužys Iceland Kristján Sindri Níelsson Iceland Sigfús Fossdal

Other competitions[edit]

  • Westfjord's Viking (Vestfjarðarvíkingin)
  • Grundarfjord Viking (Grundarfjarðartröllið)
  • Highland Viking (Upsveitarvíkingin)
  • Eastfjord Strongman Championships (Austfjarðartröllið)
  • Thor's Powerlifting Challenge
  • Magnus Classic

Regional Competitions[edit]

Nordic Strongman Championships[edit]

The Nordic Strongman Championships consists of athletes from Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark.[26]

Year Champion Runner-Up 3rd Place Location
2005 Norway Svend Karlsen Sweden Magnus Samuelsson Finland Juha-Matti Räsänen Norway IFSA Nordic Strongman Championships Kristiansand, Norway
2012[26] Sweden Johannes Årsjö Norway Lars Rorbakken Denmark Michael Licht Norway Nordic Strongman Championships Harstad, Norway

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Þjóðskrá". www.skra.is (in Icelandic). Icelandic National Registry. 14 January 2024. Archived from the original on 14 January 2024.
  2. ^ Tuesday, June 15, 2021, The Giants of Iceland - Strength Beyond Measure by Richard Chapman, Verified Expert - www.guidetoiceland.is
  3. ^ Monday, October 17, 2022, Jamaica makes sprinters. Kenya makes marathoners. And Iceland makes Strongmen! by Greg Merritt - www.guidetoiceland.is
  4. ^ Strossen, Randall J. (May 9, 2007). "The Brotherhood of Stone - "Basically, there are lots of very powerful Icelanders, whom I feel are 'the strongest people in the world' - Dr. Bill Crawford". IronMind Enterprises, Inc.
  5. ^ "Strongman Archives - Athletes". Strongman Archives. 5 April 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  6. ^ Wednesday, June 17, 2009, Stefán Sölvi Pétursson Wins Iceland's Strongest Man by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D., IronMind
  7. ^ Friday, June 19, 2015, Hafthor: 5X Iceland’s Strongest Man by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D., IronMind
  8. ^ 2 september 1991, Sterkasti maður íslands 1991: Magnús Ver sigraði
  9. ^ In 1991 Jón Páll Sigmarsson was unable to compete due to injury sustained in Denmark. Andrés Guðmundsson took fourth place
  10. ^ Iceland's Strongest Man 1999, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2021-03-27
  11. ^ Sunday, June 18, 2000, Gunnar Thor Wins Icelandic Strongest Man... by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. IronMind[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ Monday, June 17, 2002, Magnus Magnussson Wins Iceland's Strongest Man by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. IronMind
  13. ^ Saturday, June 18, 2005, Boris Wins Iceland's Strongest Man, Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. IronMind
  14. ^ Tuesday, June 20, 2006, Iceland's Strongest Man Contest: Boris Wins, Qualifies for WSMSS, by Randall J. Strossen, IronMind
  15. ^ Boris Repeats as Iceland’s Strongest Man by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D.
  16. ^ "Hafthor Julius Bjornsson Wins Iceland's Strongest Man". Archived from the original on 2011-06-23. Retrieved 2011-06-20.
  17. ^ "Hafthor Julius Bjornsson Wins 2010 Strongest Man in Iceland". Archived from the original on 2011-12-10. Retrieved 2011-06-06.
  18. ^ "Hafthor Julius Bjornsson Wins the Strongest Man in Iceland". Archived from the original on 2011-06-12. Retrieved 2011-06-06.
  19. ^ "Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Wins Strongest Man in Iceland". Archived from the original on 2013-03-16. Retrieved 2012-06-04.
  20. ^ "Hafthor Wins Strongest Man in Iceland".
  21. ^ "Hafthor Wins Strongest Man in Iceland Viking Challenge 2017".
  22. ^ David Horne (7 March 2005). "Iceland's Strongest Man (IFSA)". www.davidhorne-gripmaster.com. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
  23. ^ a b Monday, July 12, 2010, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Wins Iceland’s Strongest Viking: Magnús Ver Magnússon Praises His Progress by Randall J. Strossen, IronMind
  24. ^ Ironmind report, 2005 Iceland's Strongest Viking
  25. ^ "Ironmind report, 2006 Iceland's Strongest Viking". Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2010-10-03.
  26. ^ a b "Nordic Strongman Championships: Viking Loses His Title!". Archived from the original on 2013-10-04. Retrieved 2012-06-21.
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