FINAL RESULTS:  

P- Name	Wheelbarrow, 1100kg	Viking Press	Conan's Wheel (official, but odd looking results)	Loading, 5x100kg	Weight for Height, 16kg	Crucifix, 2x16kg	TOTAL
1- Janne Virtanen, FIN,  197cm, 140kg, WSM 2. -99	10p, 12.96s	7p, 11 reps	8p, 1.1915 rounds	11p, 39.23s	8.5p, 4.5m	10p, 46.3s,   not all the way	54.5p
2- Magnus Samuelsson, SWE, 200cm, 145kg, WSM-97, GP tour 2. -99	9p, 13.14s	11p, 15 reps	7p, 1.155 rounds	9p, 40.16s	8.5p, 4.5m	9p, 40.13s	53.5p
3- Svend Karlsen, NOR,  188 cm, 145kg, WSM 3. -99	11p, 12.41s	7p, 11 reps	10p, 2.03 rounds	6p, 43.52s	10p, 5.0m (now in the lead)	6p, 37.14s	50p
4- Peter Baltus, HOL, 197cm, 147kg, Finnish Open 1. -99, Holland's Strongest -99	12p, 11.72s	5p, 9 reps	6p, 1.1286 rounds	8p, 42.60s	11p, 5.2m	3p, 33.00s	45p
5- Sami Heinonen, FIN, 195 cm, 140kg, Helsinki GP 2. -99	5p, 19.20s	11p, 15 reps	5p, 1.0963 rounds	4p, 44.56s	8.5p, 4.5m	7p, 38.42s	40.5p
6- Phil Pfister, USA, 197cm, 140kg, U.S. Strongest 2. -99, WSM 4. -98	2p, - (0m)	12p, 16 reps	9p, 2.01 rounds	3p, 48.37s	3p, 4.0m	11p, 57.46s	40p
7- Martin Muhr, GER, 190cm, 130kg, Strongest man of Germany	8p, 16.36s	1p, 4 reps	11p, 2.0742 rounds	7p, 43.38s	8.5p, 4.5m	1p, 26.03s	36.5p
8- Harri Simonen, FIN, 187cm, 135kg, GP qualifying 1. -99	6p, 17.96s	9p, 14 reps	1p, 0.137 rounds	10p, 39.49s	5p, 4.5m	4p, 33.29s	35p
9- Mark Philippi, USA, 183cm, 136kg, U.S. Strongest -00, WSM finalist -97, -98	3p, - (5.83m)	8p, 12 reps	2p, 0.1635 rounds	5p, 44.27s	4p, 4.5m	8p, 38.81s	30p
10- Mariuz Pudianowski, POL, 185cm, 120kg, Team World 3. -99, Poland's Strongest -99	4p, 24.25s	4p, 8 reps	12p, 2.09 rounds	1p, 58.49s	2p, 4.0m	5p, 36.18s	28p
11- Odd Haugen, USA, 191cm, 137kg, U.S. Strongest -99	7p, 17.08s	2p, 7 reps	3p, 0.19 rounds	2p, 51.32s	2p, 4.0m	2p, 32.42s	18p
12- Andreas Gudmunsson, ICE, 195cm, 137kg, Iceland's Strongest -99	2p, - (0m)	4p, 8 reps	4p, 0.2042 rounds,   pec tear	0p	0p	0p	10p

  
BETTING: 

Virtanen J	2.38
Heinonen S	3.16
Samuelsson M	3.43
Karlsen S	8.75
Gudmunsson A	16.07
Pfister P	20.76
Philippi M	25.07
Pudianowski M	26.06
Simonen H	33.22
Baltus P	42.73
Haugen O	43.57
Muhr M	47.46

MISS GALAXY FINNISH CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS: 

P- Name	Judges	P-1	P-2	Track
1- Jutta Virtanen, 26, 171 cm, 59 kg	93.8	1	1	2
2- Sari Sandberg, 30, 158 cm, 51 kg	87.0	2	3	5
3- Erika Törrönen, 24, 164 cm, 55 kg	85.0	3	2	5
4- Kirsi Erden, 22, 162 cm, 52 kg	77.8	6	4	10
5- Sari Salo, 33, 163 cm, 56 kg	76.0	8	4	12
6- Anitra Arkko, 28, 164 cm, 50 kg	73.5	9	4	13
7- Johanna Kivelä, 28, 170 cm, 58 kg	78.3	4	10	14
8- Marika Mantere, 22, 174 cm, 60 kg	78.0	5	9	14
9- Leena Marjamäki, 22, 164 cm, 55 kg	72.8	10	4	14
10- Salla Kauranen, 24, 158 cm, 53 kg	76.5	7	11	18
11- Pauliina Kosola, 29, 171 cm, 64 kg	72.0	11	8	19

GALAXY 

Hei everybody! 

This year I ended up following the competition from a press stand. I was going to eat all the free sandwitches during the half time, but somebody beat me to it. Also on the way to the stand (ice hockey stadium's visitors box) I learned that there actually is a warmup room, a small gym for hockey players. Actually the gym seemed to have lots of equipment, not as bad as it could be. 

Before the competition started, I started a chat with a reporter woman who I found out to be from Sweden. Their magazine has had a competition, where you'd have to quess the name of Magnus Samuelsson's wife and win a trip to Helsinki GP. She, the winner and a couple of their friends had come to follow the competition. It was fun chatting with her. I took photos of Ms Galaxy competitors and she ended up shooting Mariusz Pudianowski, who I didn't pay the least bit attention to, before he somehow ended up winning the Conan's wheel! Justin wrote on DPF that those who followed him more closely think that he has big potential. Oh well. Peter Baltus impressed me most from the "new guys". In Tampere Open he also did very well (won over Räsänen et al)! 

Now, to the competition. I didn't see everything because I was trying to hide from the videocameras and still get some decent photos. So I even had to ask my buddies who sat there in the audience how some of the competitors actually did. 

Wheelbarrow: 
Svend was faster than Janne. They did it at the same time. Later only Baltus beat Svend's time. Baltus was also very fast in Super Yoke & Farmer's Walk Medley in Tampere, so actually I should've expected this. Svend got a great start for the competition and was looking healthier this year ;-) Sami Heinonen, who was expected to do good (at least by those who hadn't witnessed his deadlift performance last summer - 250x8 - ok, I hear he has a good max deadlift and his athletic ability is unquestionable - still has some "weak" events) dropped the wheelbarrow which lost him much time. Also small mistakes in other events, not his day for sure! 

Phil Pfister was not able to deadlift the wheelbarrow up. I heard he had injured his back in training, which was a real shame. I was expecting him to place much higher than 6th place. 

Viking Press: 
Here Heinonen almost took back what he just lost. Pfister was even more serious about improving his performance and squeezed one rep more. Svend still wasn't ready for Viking Press, although Jouko has witnessed him do 12 reps with 10-15 kg heavier weight than what was used here. Btw, Jouko is filming. I'll write more about that when I'm allowed to. Btw, Phil read him his lines on tape when Jouko visited Charleston. I hope Phil can pronounce right! 

Conan's Wheel: 
M-Pud surprised many. Had he even tried this event before?! Although the official results say he got just over 2 rounds, I remember he actually got about 2.5. All the other results must be wrong also. After his performance I realized I should start photographing other competitiors than Janne, Svend and Phil too... Don't ask me how the U.S. boys did. I asked that from my buddies on the way home. You don't want to know. But remember they didn't lose to bad competitors. Look at the list! 

Svend got the Conan up like NOTHING. He later pointed out this to me of course ("nobody has the leg and lower back strength I do"), when we changed thoughts. When I first met Svend there, I asked if he's ready for crucifix! "Haha, no, never". Also he told me he hasn't done much event training yet. Basic strength training. He asked if/said he should still lose a kg or two. Hmm, maybe 2-5 kg and get that Viking press up at the same time. Crucifix, come on! But his performance wasn't nearly as bad as we were afraid it could be! Svend had a good day. If he hadn't fumbled in loading he would've won. And there are still many many events good for him which were not used in the GP. Along Virtanen and Samuelsson, he's the top candidate for becoming the World's Strongest Man (in Sun City!?). 

Loading: 
Pfister lifted the sacks up almost completely with legs. Well, he couldn't help it - he was much faster last year. I heard him commenting the last sack feeling a bit heavy: "was like viiiittuu". Rough translation from Finnish: 'fuuuuck'. 

If you think 100 kg is light, remember that sacks are the kind of objects which don't "want to be lifted". You need determination and some skill to even get them up. Janne and Harri Simonen really excelled at this. No, they haven't trained with this exact equipment (at least I don't believe so). 

Weight for Height: 
was a total disaster. They had two 16 kg boxes to throw and both broke in pieces. With so much duct tape the boxes became almost 1 kg heavier they were able to finish the event. But it took tiiiiime. 

Svend's and Peter's last throws were impressive. Svend now in the lead again (also during the half-time) with 1/2 p over Samuelsson and Virtanen! 

Meanwhile I took a photo of Kiri. Bad thing he didn't quite manage to smile ;-) After the competition we got to talk a bit more and we agreed to do an interview. There's a rumour, which says he's aiming for a 1200 kg total in powerlifing. With enough duct tape and proper shirts to make it happen, haha. Didn't get to ask this or his other plans yet. If he will return to powerlifting, I'll be there! 

Although... I must admit being so f... busy last year I've lost some interest in sports in general. But I have no excuses any more, if I'm ever going to get in shape, now is the time. At least some shape! Oh, after the competition I held crucifix for 45 secs with a camera hanging down my neck (would've meant a 3rd place in the competition - hey I had an official judge too). And I haven't trained that event either, recently. A fun event, requires only static strength. I wonder what would people say if trained Crucifix harder and went and broke Janne's WR?! 

Crucifix (as I hadn't already): 
Pfister was impressive. That's almost all I have to say. Janne could've done more (not necessarily as much as Phil) but he dropped the weights after he had won the whole competition. For me the competition was over after Weight for Height. The rest was plain obvious. Still Janne claimed that he was nervous as hell before the event. His first big victory, congrats! 

Janne has meantioned that he has gained 60 kg both in squat and deadlift during the last two years. In the Arena he showed his legs to someone close to me and asked "would you believe these legs are good for a 360 kg squat?!". Janne has improved even since Malta - somehow he has managed to train clever ;-) 

Oh, I've seen Jouko's training programs. There's nothing really that special. Only practical sense, will to train several hours and a strong desire to win. But it now looks like it won't be easy for him to come back and win again: The level of competition has risen a lot since last year. No stupid mistakes, no "never done that event before". 

Ok, some events had become lighter and that's bad. There should be at least one lift for max in every competition. There are several ways of measuring produced max strengh nowadays with new sensor technology - I or somebody else should plan something which instantly shows the power - and it could be projected for the audience to see it. Of course less max lifts means less injuries... but not necessarily in all events. ... Also the Viking Press is 10 kg too light. 

Hmm. There was less audience than last year. Worrying. Somehow the competition was not also as heart-stirring as I expected. 

GALAXY: 
Galaxy competition felt short (at least when you consider organizing a galaxy competition alone), the track event taking only some minutes. Maybe a third event also? Something's missing, said many. 

The press card was good for taking a closer look at the competitors. Sorry, but when I was only 1.5 m from the girls my camera couldn't take pics from so close (with the lense I used). Anyway, a couple of Al Bundy shots await when I get them developed ;-) Yes Heidi, I DO care about personality. Yea yea... 

How do you say it English... left TURN! It was like being in army, the whole bikini round. 

Jutta Virtanen, who won, had lots of charisma - and that's very important to have in galaxy/fitness/ bodybuilding - to look like you're the best, no question about it. Better not overdo it, but believe in yourself and shine... Then again, if sports were all about self-confidence, I'd win the GP and Galaxy both! 

That's about it. Maybe one thing still. Gerrit has let WSL to know... how did Heidi put it: 

Gerrit also told me he got PLENTY of response on the interview. He's 
very grateful and happy about that. 

Congrats to Janne, Magnus and Svend in Helsinki GP! 
 

(why don't "the right"/more guys get invited in the GP's?) 

Later notes: 

Svend, your shoulders aren't properly "rolled back"! Quite, but not enough. This cost you 10 seconds. You're not bad at all in crucifix if you held almost 40 secs like that. Also your hands werent relaxed enough before the event started (you held them up all the time = no blood circulation). You should get to 30 secs very relaxed, move your hands slighly during that, then rotate shoulders slightly again and fight another 30 starting to build up as much adrenaline as you can get. 

In my opinion it's good to combine dumbbell side raises (in shoulder workout) with some static training. Don't (always) hold until the weights drop, for example I do some side raises with say 20 kg and hold them up 2 secs every time etc. Also front raises, "hits" with dumbbells, plus moving your hands (straight) at shoulder level keeping the dbs up (side-forward-side) etc etc. This shouldn't even tax your shoulders but helps getting used to the event. One full crucifix hold in a week is ... enough I'd say, but maybe modify your shoulder training? OR do this when you do biceps, in the end of the workout just a minute or two. 
Use light weight so it doesn't hurt anywhere. Then eventually you should proceed over 20 kg to make your shoulders really ready for this. Right when preparing for a competition, I would personally train both 2 kg over and 2 kg under.