Tap O Noth Strongman Challenge 2004

The Tap O Noth Strongman Challenge took place in Rhynie, on Saturday the 21st of August. This is the inaugural year of this event and it was organised by local strongman David Eastwood and Iain Murray. David acted as the events referee and Iain acted as MC for the Strongman event.

We had 6 competitors from all over Scotland. Gordon Kay from Perthshire, Steve Evans from Peterhead, Andy Carnie from Dumbarton and three strongmen from the Shetland Isles Liam Tate, Ronnie Leask and Paul Hughson.

We started off with the Log Lift. An 85kg (190lbs) log had to be lifted from the ground to straight arms above the athlete’s head. There was a 70 second time limit with the athlete completing the most repetitions in that time winning. Gordon Kay had drawn the short straw and was first up, with the crowd cheering him on he made a respectable 5 repetitions. Liam Tate was next and managed a gut busting 4 before Ronnie Leask, currently Shetland’s Strongest man succeeded with 7 repetitions. That looked like a winning total until Andy Carnie stepped up and banged out 9 repetitions. Big Steve from Peterhead looked all set to beat that but only managed 4 repetitions and finally Paul managed 5 good solid lifts.

The Medley event was next, a 230kg (36 stone) yoke had to be carried 15 meters and then two 100kg (220lbs) bottles had to be carried 15 meters and all this in less than 70 seconds. The first two athletes really struggled and Liam and Gordon only managed to move the yoke 5.45 and 5.6 meters respectively. Steve Evans completed the course in what seemed a very good time of 47.42 seconds. But then Paul Hughson came out and completed the course in 35.98 seconds. His joy was short lived as Ronnie came out and set a cracking pace and finished in 27.36 seconds. This looked like a winning time but current leader Andy Carnie ran all the way and finished in a time of 21.60 seconds.

The third event is an old favourite the Stones of Strength, Clachan Nearst or Clachan Cuid Fir as we call them on the West Coast. Five round stones weighing 100kg, 110kg, 120kg, 130kg and 140kg. But before the strongmen had there chance we had a local challenge, anyone who could pick up the smallest stone (100kg) and place it on the whiskey cask would win a bottle of whiskey. I’d like to thank KnockDhu distillery for there kind donation of the casks (empty of course) for this event. Many tried but none managed to place the stone on the cask and Edgar was deemed the winner as having lifted the stone the highest of the ground. Some of the locals started to mutter “It can nae be done” and with a quick tug David Eastwood swung the stone up onto his shoulder and after walking around with it threw it off onto the cask.

With that display over it was back to the strongman competition, the sun was out and the crowd were looking at our strongmen with renewed respect. Gordon and Liam struggled with this event and only managed the first two stones. Steve Evans had a quick time for the first 3 stones, 25.16 seconds but try as he might he couldn’t get the 130 off his knees. Andy Carnie our current leader was not looking forward to this event as it was his first meeting with the Stones. His inexperience showed and he struggled here, eventually managing the 120kg stone just as the whistle went for the 70 second time limit. With two competitors left the crowd were eager to see someone lift all 5 stones, but it was not to be, both Paul and Ronnie set the fastest times of the day 23.36 and 26.26 seconds respectively, but both were beaten by the 130 (300lbs) stone.

It was all down to the last event, only one and a half points separated the three leaders. The last event was a real killer, 5 objects had to be loaded onto a lorry. The objects had to be loaded in the following order beer keg (60kg), Sand Bag (90kg), Lorry wheel with hub (105kg), Tractor weight (100kg) and finally one of the bottles used in the medley event (100kg). I’d like to thank W A Wilson Agricultural Engineers, Clatt for their help with some of the objects for this event.

Liam, Steve, Andy and Gordon were all beaten by the lorry wheel, after a long day it was just too much. Now with our current leader Andy having only managed the keg and sand bag a good time by either Ronnie or Paul could win the overall event. They both made easy work of the keg and sand bag and then after a struggle they both managed the lorry wheel. With two objects left it would be down to time as they both succeeded in loading the remaining objects. However Ronnie came out on top with a winning time of 53.95 seconds and Paul just 9 seconds later.

So with some quick arithmetic it became apparent that our leader Andy had been pushed off the top spot to be replaced by Ronnie Leask of Shetland our first ever Tap O Noth Strongman winner.

The final placings and points were as follows:

1 Ronnie Leask 20.0
2 Paul Hughson 18.5
3 Andy Carnie 18.0
4 Steve Evans 11.5
5 Gordon Kay 8.5
6 Liam Tate 7.5

A big thank you to everyone who helped us on the day and of course to the Rhynie Gala committee who put up the prize money for this event. No local entrants this year but lets hope that they’re spurred on to have a go next year.

IM