Scotland's Strongest Man 2005

Hi Folks, this is for everyone who couldn't make it, and judging by the size of the crowd that's quite a few. 10 competitors this year, Christopher Innes pulled out after breaking his ankle on Friday and Gregor Edmunds was too tired after his trip to Dubai.

I've lost my sheet with the results for the first event, so this is my memory, so if I've got something wrong, SORRY, e-mail me the correct details and I'll get it updated.

The first event wa the log press, 4 logs, 100kg, 110kg, 120kg and 130kg. They were not only heavy but very wide so making them difficult to press. The time taken to press the logs was recorded and fasted time obviously won. Only one athlete, Brian Turner managed to press the 130kg log so he won the first event. Everyone else bar Stewart Bell pressed the 120kg log. The placing's and points after the first event were as follows.

OK, that served as a nice warm up now onto the really heavy stuff, deadlift for reps, this was using the deadlift frame with a cage for adding extra weight, in this case 15kg barrels. Starting weight was 230kg (510lbs) and each barrel loaded after each successful repetition added another 15kg. This is made even more difficult than a normal deadlift as you have to follow a different bar path to normal deadlifting, probably adding an extra 20-30kg to the actual weight lifted in comparison to a normal deadlift. Frank has been suffering with a sore back for the last year and this obviously hurt his performance here.

Brian was 2 for 2 now, and 2 point in front of Jamie Barr. But they were not going to get any rest as we moved straight onto the deadlift hold. Using a white van, the weight was around 320kg in the hands. The first time we had had this event had been 2002 and Forbes Cowan had won with a time of 50.57 seconds. So that was the time to beat, although to be fair I think the previous van had not been quite so heavy.

Andy had cut his hand and this was to hamper him for the rest of the day, however he still soldiered on and did not complain about it.

We had a 40 minute break now and the athletes needed it, they had had a hard day and it was only half time. The Scottish has to be one of the toughest strongman competitions today, it is 6 event in 5 hours and they're all heavy.

So after refreshments and some quick visits to the physio it was back for the Stairs, 10-11 inch steps, with 5 total steps. the weights were 200kg, 230kg and a massive 280kg. First up was Andy Patrick, this was not a good event for Andy, his lack of height being a big disadvantage here. But the top 5 athletes managed to complete this event and so placing were based on the time taken.

So we're at the second last event, and I'm tired and I'm only watching. The medley consisted of a 12 meter walk with two 150kg cases, a duck walk with a 230kg block and finally placing 3 120kg barrels onto whisky casks. Andy, stewart, Frank and Ewan had a really hard time gave their all but did not manage to finish the farmers walk, so their placing were scored on how far they carried the cases. All the remaining athletes apart from Billy, completed the event.

So Brian was in the lead, he's won every event thus far and the only way he was not going to win was for him to take 8th place and for Jamie to win the stones, but who know, that might happen. The stones used were the 100kg, 110kg, 120kg, 130kg, 150kg and the monster sugar cube 170kg.

So after another great but exhausting day the final placing were

So the top 3 get an invite to the British Championships being held at the Manga Centre in Rotherham Sheffield on the 18th and 19th of June. Billy Little gained the most promising athlete award. In memory of Paul Porteous who died last month, a new Sportsmanship award has been created. The athletes voted that this award go to Stewart Bell.

Thanks to everyone that helped, see you all next year.

IM