The World Log Lift Championships Explained
The World Log Lift Championships (sometimes referred to as World Log Lift Challenge) is an annual competition featuring strength athletes from all over the world, competing exclusively in the log clean and press. Created initially as part of the Strongman Champions League, it has since been part of Giants Live and the championship has been present in both series, Giants Live running one version of the championship and the World Log Lift Federation taking over the Strongman Champions League's variant of the championship.
History
In its inaugural year 2008, the Strongman Champions League introduced the World Log Lift Championships. The event however had been a staple of strongman competitions since the early 1980s. Beginning with the 1980 World's Strongest Man contest, where Bill Kazmaier hoisted 157abbr=onNaNabbr=on to win the event and set a world record. Kazmaier then increased the record to 163abbr=onNaNabbr=on in 1981 World's Strongest Man. During 1987 Pure Strength, Jón Páll Sigmarsson lifted 163.5abbr=onNaNabbr=on and Kazmaier regained the record with 170abbr=onNaNabbr=on in 1988 World's Strongest Man. Then Jamie Reeves managed 177abbr=onNaNabbr=on at 1989 Kraftur championships followed by 180abbr=onNaNabbr=on at 1992 World Mighty Man in Johannesburg.
At 2002 Strongman Super Series in Sweden Svend Karlsen increased the record to 185abbr=onNaNabbr=on and at 2003 Strongman Super Series in Canada Hugo Girard took it to 186abbr=onNaNabbr=on. At 2004 IFSA Ukraine Grand Prix, Žydrūnas Savickas set a new record with 188abbr=onNaNabbr=on, and Raimunds Bergmanis brought it up to 190abbr=onNaNabbr=on at 2004 Strongman Super Series in Moscow.
Savickas began his long reign over the log lift world record starting in 2005, bringing it up to 200abbr=onNaNabbr=on at 2005 IFSA Hungary Grand Prix, and then to 202.5abbr=onNaNabbr=on at 2005 IFSA European Championships in Riga. At 2006 IFSA Russia Grand Prix, Savickas raised it to 205abbr=onNaNabbr=on. In 2008 Savickas broke the record with 207.5abbr=onNaNabbr=on at 2008 SCL Holland and in 2009 with 212.5abbr=onNaNabbr=on at World Log Lift Championships. At 2012 Europe's Strongest Man Savickas renewed the record to 216abbr=onNaNabbr=on and then upto 217.5abbr=onNaNabbr=on at 2012 SCL Holland.
At 2012 World's Strongest Man Savickas brought the world record to 220abbr=onNaNabbr=on making it his tenth consecutive log lift world record. At 2013 Europe's Strongest Man, Savickas lifted 221abbr=onNaNabbr=on for another world record, followed by 222.5abbr=onNaNabbr=on at 2013 SCL World Log Lift Championships. At 2014 Arnold Brazil Savickas took the record to 223abbr=onNaNabbr=on. 8 days later, at 2014 Giants Live Poland, Savickas took the world record to 227abbr=onNaNabbr=on and his final world record was 228abbr=onNaNabbr=on, set at 2015 Arnold Brazil, marking it his sixteenth time breaking the world record.
At 2021 Giants Live world tour finals Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou broke Savickas's final world record with 229abbr=onNaNabbr=on, then at 2023 World Log Lift Championships in Glasgow with 230abbr=onNaNabbr=on and again at 2024 World Log Lift Championships in Birmingham, taking the log lift world record to 231abbr=onNaNabbr=on where it stands today.
Variations
WSM giant log
At 2010 World's Strongest Man, the organizers came up with a more challenging longer log where Savickas established a new world record with 210abbr=onNaNabbr=on.[1]
SCL giant log
At 2014 SCL FIBO, Strongman Champions League introduced a log which was thicker than any log which has been used before. Savickas took the record to 205abbr=onNaNabbr=on with this new giant log until it was broken by Krzysztof Radzikowski with 206abbr=onNaNabbr=on at 2015 SCL FIBO, and then by Graham Hicks with 207abbr=onNaNabbr=on at 2017 SCL FIBO.
Champions
| Year | Champion | Runner-Up | Third Place | Host location |
|---|
| 2008 |  Žydrūnas Savickas |  Mikhail Koklyaev
 Oleksandr Lashyn
 Sebastian Wenta | | Vilnius, Lithuania |
| 2009 | Žydrūnas Savickas | Krzysztof Radzikowski | Vidas Blekaitis | Kaunas, Lithuania |
| 2011 | Žydrūnas Savickas | Vidas Blekaitis | Vytautas Lalas
Patrick Baboumian
Ervin Katona | Vilnius, Lithuania |
| 2012 | Žydrūnas Savickas | Krzysztof Radzikowski | Vytautas Lalas
Vidas Blekaitis
Mikhail Koklyaev | Vilnius, Lithuania |
| 2013 | Žydrūnas Savickas | Vidas Blekaitis | Krzysztof Radzikowski | Vilnius, Lithuania |
| 2015 GL | Graham Hicks
Eddie Hall
Žydrūnas Savickas | | | Doncaster, England |
| 2015 WLLF | Vidas Blekaitis | Krzysztof Radzikowski | Dainis Zageris | Vilnius, Lithuania |
| 2016 |  Rob Kearney
Vidas Blekaitis | | Vytautas Lalas | Vilnius, Lithuania |
| 2017 | Graham Hicks | Vidas Blekaitis
Vytautas Lalas | | Vilnius, Lithuania |
| 2018 GL | Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou
Eddie Hall
 Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | | | Leeds, England |
| 2018 WLLF | Žydrūnas Savickas | Vidas Blekaitis | Dainis Zageris | Alytus, Lithuania |
| 2019 GL | Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou | Rob Kearney
Graham Hicks
Mateusz Kieliszkowski | | Leeds, England |
| 2019 WLLF |  Rongo Keene | Vidas Blekaitis
 František Piros
 Jared Leask | | Panevežys, Lithuania |
| Luke Stoltman
Graham Hicks | | Oleksii Novikov | Leeds, England |
| Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou
Luke Stoltman | | Bobby Thompson | Leeds, England |
| 2022 WLLF | Didzis Zariņš | Jack Osborn
Dennis Kohlruss
Jacob Finerty | | Ipswich, England |
| Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou | Tom Stoltman | Tyler Cotton
 Mitchell Hooper
Pavlo Kordiyaka
Luke Stoltman | Glasgow, Scotland |
| 2023 WLLF | Sean Gillen | Dennis Biesenbach |  Tomáš Sikora | Southampton, England |
| Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou | Ondřej Fojtů
Mitchell Hooper | | Birmingham, England |
|
Multiple time champions
| Champion | Country | Times | Years |
|---|
| | 7 | 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 GL, 2018 WLLF |
| | 5 | 2018 GL, 2019 GL, 2022 GL, 2023, 2024 |
| | 3 | 2015 GL, 2017, 2021 |
| | 2 | | 2015 WLLF, 2016 |
| | 2 | 2015 GL, 2018 GL |
| | 2 | 2021, 2022 GL | |
Heaviest Lifts
In History
At the Championships
| Weight | Competitor | Year | Record Set |
|---|
| 1 | 231abbr=onNaNabbr=on | | 2024 | World Record |
| 2 | 230abbr=onNaNabbr=on | | 2023 | World Record |
| 3 | 222.5abbr=onNaNabbr=on | | 2013 | World Record |
| 4 | 220abbr=onNaNabbr=on | | 2019 | Burkinabé Record |
| 5 | 218abbr=onNaNabbr=on | | 2022 | - |
| - |
| 7 | 215abbr=onNaNabbr=on | | 2018 (WLLF) | - |
| 8 | 214abbr=onNaNabbr=on | | 2019 (GL) | American Record |
| English Record |
| - |
|
Continental records (Men)
1 Cheick Sanou, who is a Canadian citizen, has the heaviest lift for this region at 231abbr=onNaNabbr=on, but is not listed as he has declared for Burkina Faso.
Continental records (Women)
| Region | Weight | Athlete | Nation | Year set |
|---|
| Africa | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Faith Aviwe Totiyana | South Africa | 2021 |
|---|
| Asia-Pacific | 122.5abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Nicole Genrich | Australia | 2024 |
|---|
| Europe | 140abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Andrea Thompson | England | 2022 |
|---|
| North, Central America and Caribbean | 145.78abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Inez Carrasquillo | Puerto Rico | 2023 |
|---|
| South America | 100abbr=onNaNabbr=on | Fatima Cipriano |  Brazil | 2023 | |
|---|
2008
Zydrunas Savickas entered the 2008 Log Lift World Championships as the clear favorite, and intended to set a new record with 212.5kg (468.5lb). Savickas' competitors included Mikhail Koklyaev, Ervin Katona, Sebastian Wenta, Oleksandr Lashyn, Tobias Ide, Agris Kazelniks, Oleksandr Pekanaov, Krzysztof Radzikowski and Saulius Brusokas.[2]
The competition, held in Lithuania, saw each lift judged by three officials similar to Powerlifting and Olympic Weightlifting. The referees were Strongman Champions League founders Ilkka Kinnunen, Marcel Mostert and Latvian weighlifter Viktors Ščerbatihs, who had won the bronze medal in the +105kg (231lb) superheavyweight class at the recent Beijing Olympics. One of the strongest contenders, Oleksandr Pekanov, who had a personal best of 190kg (420lb) missed his opener of 180kg (400lb) three times. However, a number of other athletes came away with personal records, and two National Records were set. Zydrunas Savickas missed his world record attempt of 212.5kg (468.5lb), but won the championships with his lift of 200kg (400lb).[3]
Results
Records
2009
The championships took place in Kaunas, Lithuania on 21 November 2009.
Results
Records
2010
The Log Lift Championships were not held in 2010, and was moved up to February 2011 to kick off the 2011 season of SCL.[6]
2011
The 2011 World Log Lift Championships were held in Siemens Arena in Vilnius, Lithuania on 12 February 2011 to kick off the 2011 SCL season. Key competitors were reigning champion Zydrunas Savickas, Vidas Blekaitis and Vytautas Lalas who finished in the top 3 places respectively, with Zavickas winning his 3rd straight log lift title. There were 12 athletes in total, 3 athletes failed their opening weight on all 3 attempts.[7] The event was broadcast live on Eurosport.[8]
Results
Records
| Nation | Name | Log Weight |
|---|
| German | Patrik Baboumian | 185kg (408lb) |
| Serbian | Ervin Katona | 185kg (408lb) |
| Australian | Warrick Brant | 182.5kg (402.3lb) |
|
2012
The 2012 World Log Lift Championships were held in Siemens Arena in Vilnius, Lithuania on Sunday 7 October 2012.[9]
Results
Records
2013
The 2013 World Log Lift Championships were held in Siemens Arena in Vilnius, Lithuania on Saturday 19 October 2013. Savickas set a new world record with a lift of 222.5kg (490.5lb).[10]
Results
Records
2015
The 2015 World Log Lift Championships were held at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, England on 14 February 2015. Savickas attempted to set a new world record with a lift of 228kg (503lb) but narrowly failed.[11]
Results
Records
2016
The 2016 World Log Lift Championships were held at the SCL Lithuania event in Vilnius. [12]
Results
Records
2017
The 2017 World Log Lift Championships were held at the SCL Lithuania event in Vilnius. [13]
Results
| Name | Log Weight |
|---|
| 1 | Graham Hicks | 192.5kg (424.4lb) |
| 2 | Vidas Blekaitis | 180kg (400lb) |
| 2 | Vytautas Lalas | 180kg (400lb) |
| 4 | Alex Moonen | 170kg (380lb) |
| 5 | Dennis Kohlruss | 170kg (380lb) |
| 6 | Jiří Vytiska | 170kg (380lb) |
| 7 | Marcin Sendwicki | 170kg (380lb) |
| 8 | Martynas Brusokas | 167kg (368lb) |
| 9 | Jared Leask | 165kg (364lb) |
| 10 |  Ivan Makarov | 160kg (350lb) |
| 11 | Oskars Martuzāns | 160kg (350lb) |
| 12 | Will Baggott | 160kg (350lb) |
|
2018
The 2018 World Log Lift Championships were held at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England, as the opening event for Europe's Strongest Man. Two strongmen attempted to set a new world record with a lift of | 230kg (510lb) but both failed.
Records
2019
In 2019, there were two World Log Lift Championships, the first of which was held at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England, again, as the opening event for Europe's Strongest Man. Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou attempted to set a new world record with a lift of 229kg (505lb) but narrowly failed.[14] The second championship was run by the World Log Lift Federation in Lithuania
Results (Giants Live)
Records (Giants Live)
Results (World Log Lift Federation)
| Name | Log Weight |
|---|
| 1 | Rongo Keene | 207.5kg (457.5lb) |
| 2 | Vidas Blekaitis | 200kg (400lb) |
| 2 | František Piros | 200kg (400lb) |
| 2 | Jared Leask | 200kg (400lb) |
| 5 |  Joachim Gustafsson | 192.5kg (424.4lb) |
| 6 | Robert Cyrwus | 190kg (420lb) |
| 7 | Didzis Zariņš | 190kg (420lb) |
| 8 | Oleg Pylypiak | 185kg (408lb) |
| 9 | Jiří Vytiska | 180kg (400lb) |
|
Records (World Log Lift Federation)
| Nation | Name | Log Weight |
|---|
| Australian | Rongo Keene | 207.5kg (457.5lb) |
| Slovak | František Piros | 200kg (400lb) |
| South African | Jared Leask | 200kg (400lb) |
| World Junior | Oleg Pylypiak | 185kg (408lb) |
|
2021
The 2021 World Log Lift Championships were held at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England, as the opening event for Europe's Strongest Man.[15]
Results
2022
The 2022 World Log Lift Championships were held at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England, as the opening event for Europe's Strongest Man.
Results
2023
The 2023 World Log Lift Championships were held at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland, as the opening event for the Giants Live World Tour Finals.
Results (Giants Live)
Records (Giants Live)
Results (World Log Lift Federation)[16]
| Name | Log Weight |
|---|
| 1 |  Sean Gillen | 200.4kg (441.8lb) |
| 2 | Dennis Biesenbach | 195kg (430lb) |
| 3 | Tomáš Sikora | 187.5kg (413.4lb) |
| 4 | Dawid Elgert | 182.5kg (402.3lb) |
| 5 | Macauley Tinker | 180kg (400lb) |
| 6 | Nathan Gunvin | 160kg (350lb) |
| 7 | Sam Morgan | 155kg (342lb) |
| X | Charlie Stickley | No lift |
| X | Paulius Luksa | No lift | |
Records (World Log Lift Federation)
2024
The 2024 World Log Lift Championships were held at the Utilita Arena Birmingham, as the opening event for the Giants Live World Open.
Results
Records
See also
External links
Notes and References
- Web site: Zydrunas Savickas Breaks Log Lift World Record at the World’s Strongest Man Contest. 6 September 2024. Randall J. Strossen, IronMind Enterprises, Inc.. 21 September 2010.
- Web site: Strongman Champions League: World Log Lift Championships. www.ironmind.com. 1 January 2018.
- http://74.205.126.46/ironmind/opencms/Articles/2008/Nov/More_on_the_Strongman_Champions_League_World_Log_Lift_Championships.html More on the Strongman Champions League World Log Lift Championships by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. 2009 IronMind, Tuesday, November 18, 2008
- Web site: Log Lift Federation - Champion title goes to Z.Savickas. www.loglift.org. 1 January 2018.
- Web site: Log Lift Federation - Eurocom Europe Log Lift championship 2009. www.loglift.org. 1 January 2018.
- Web site: Strongman Champions League: More for 2011. ironmind.com. 1 January 2018.
- Web site: Lithuania Sweeps Log Lift World Championships. www.ironmind.com. 1 January 2018.
- Web site: SCL Announces 2011 Log Lift World Championships. ironmind.com. 1 January 2018.
- Web site: SCL Gets Ready for the Savickas Strongman Classic. www.ironmind.com. 1 January 2018.
- Web site: Zydrunas Savickas Breaks Log Lift World Record. www.ironmind.com. 1 January 2018.
- Web site: World Log Lifting Championships 2015. www.strongman.org. 8 April 2019.
- Web site: World Log Lifting Championships 2016. www.strongmancl.com. 9 April 2019.
- Web site: World Log Lifting Championships 2017. www.strongmancl.com. 8 April 2019.
- Web site: World Log Lifting Championships 2019. www.giants-live.com. 8 April 2019.
- Web site: Europe’s Strongest Man 2021 and World Log Challenge. www.giants-live.com. 13 September 2021.
- Web site: World Log Lift Championships 2023 - Men Open . 2024-10-21 . strengthresults.com.
Iran
Colombia
Ervin Katona
Bjørn Andrè Solvang
Juha-Matti Jarvi
Matjaz Belsak
Rauno Heinla
Mathew Ragg
Evans Aryee