WSM ALL TIME RANKINGS 1999

World's Strongest Man competition has long been the best known way to find out who's the strongest of strong men. The competitors go trough a variety of events, which all have an equal weight on total competition points. These events are chosen with care to test maximum strength, ability to move and carry objects of different shape and weight, explosive speed, and finally to test endurance in events a normal man can't do for even one second. It is important to note that these events should not have standard equipment nor be the same every time, because they are planned to test general, and not specific strength.

Basicly, if we would use this same method to find out for example who's currently the best track and field athlete, we'd get decathlon with changing events, distances and objects. Being the best in one event, as respectable achievement as it is, does not really make anyone the best on the whole arena. In the strength field however, the competitors are in a way much closer to each other, like shot putters and discus throwers in T&F, which makes this competition much more meaningful and a bit easier to arrange.

As there have been so many men to claim this title, "World's Strongest Man", with just one or two record lifts under their belt, I must ask:

What would be the one lift, or two, three lifts, which could grant you the title (well, other than deadlifting 1 ton...)? And did we just forget grip strength and "crucifix"-type of holding events? You answer this question - if you can, and then WSM will have only this event or these events.
By far, there hasn't been a guy in history who has mastered more than just some maximum lifts, or even kept records in those for at least - say three years. But there have been 11 competitors since 1977, World's Strongest Men, who have had the best overall strength at their time. They have at least some right to call themselves the strongest.

All time rankings? When it's quite impossible to even say who's the strongest now?! Criteria?

I admit that because we don't really have a solid criteria for even choosing the strongest today, all time rankings are more or less just for fun. Actually strongman competitions can't be that serious either - nor give a final answer. But even though WSM is just a show for somebody, it's also the only place to prove you're the best! If someone like Anthony Clark (he holds the bench press record with a couple of good tight shirts) would want to keep saying on his www-page that he's the strongest man, he must come to WSM and prove it. Otherwise, it's just a joke. Of course he can say he's the greatest bench presser ever - which is already much closer to the truth - how close, that's a different debate.

Naturally because WSM isn't the best paid competition there is and only few guys make money with it, many great strength athletes choose other sports.

Why do we need this ranking then, for fun only?

Even many of the competitors today don't really know the history and great men of this sport. Hope this ranking helps a bit to make it more clear who won, when, and how much.

POINTS SYSTEM:  
  • We give no points for having the best lift or records in something, the only thing that matters is how a competitor did in WSM FINALS
  • Winning a competition gives 10 pts (the number of competitors that year doesn't matter)
  • 2nd place gives 5 pts
  • 3rd place gives 3 pts
  • Every event win in a competition gives basicly 1 point. However, since there have been different number of events in different years (from 8 to 11 events) all competition wins are normalized to 8 events/competition: This means winning an event in 11 event competition gives only 8/11 point.
  • Competition points are the toughest to compare. There have been different number of competitors in the finals, different point systems in use (for example some year the winner got 12 pts, not 10 or 8, and loser might, or might not get points at all). We could use just the points and not normalize them, but that would not be fair at all: Some year with 40 pts a competitor could end up being 2nd, and some other year with 40, he might end up being last. Chris and I have figured out only one system by far, which is still far from perfect: Percentage of winning points * 2 pts. For example 63/73*2pts.
  • However, this would not credit those who's win has been very clear: 2 Bonus points for winning with over 10% (winning points are then greater than 2nd points*1.1)
NOTES: 
  • Until 1983 WSM was just "USA Strongest Invitational", but let's not still take anything away from American pioneers (it wasn't until 1985 this sport was introduced in Finland)
  • '80 and '82 results are incomplete (for places below 5 or so), but that doesn't have a big effect on top places. I took the liberty of estimating those missing points. 
  • No points are deducted from not winning while competing in WSM or losing to some specific competitor. The more you compete, the higher you rank.
YEAR Winning PTS Winning percentage over 2nd
'77 
'78 
'79 
'80 
'81 
'82 
'83 
'84 
'85 
'86 
'88 
'89 
'90 
'91 
'92 
'93 
'94 
'95 
'96 
'97 
'98
'99		 63.25 
64.33 
60.3 
102.5 
96 
91 
49.5 
57.5 
50.5 
59 
56 
54.5 
48.5 
56 
63 
54 
50.5 
71 
52 
61 
73
60		 46.2% 
10.9% 
32.2% 
29.7% 
9.1% 
16.7% 
3.1% 
11.7% 
3.1% 
7.3% 
9.8% 
10.1% 
1.0% 
15.5% 
1.6% 
10.2% 
2.0% 
13.6% 
20.9% 
7.0% 
9.0%
13.2%
 

 
R Competitor Country 1st 2nd 3rd + event wins + competition points
+ 
 Bonus TOTAL
1 Jon Pall Sigmarsson ICE 4
('84,'86,'88,'90)		 2('83,'85) 1('89) 53 3/8+3/8+1/8+4/8
+4/8+1/8+2/8		 18,00 48('83)+57,5('84)+49('85)+59('86)
+56('88)+47('89)+48,5('90)		 13,60 2 86,605
2 Magnus Ver Magnusson ICE 4
('91,'94,'95,'96)		 2('92,'93)   50 3/8+3/8+2/8+2/8
+2/8		 12,00 56('91)+62('92)+49('93)+50,5('94)
+71('95)+52('96)		 11,78 6 79,783
3 Bill Kazmaier USA 3
('80,'81,'82)		 1('88) 1 ('79) 38 2/10+6/10+5/11
+4/10+3/8		 16,24 44,9('79)+102,5('80)+96('81)+91('82)
+51('88)+40('89)		 10,78 4 69,015
4 Geoff Capes ENG 2
('83,'85)		 2('81,'86) 2('80,'84) 36 1/10+3/11+1/10
+2/8+1/8+4/8+3/8		 13,78 59,5('80)+88('81)+67('82)+49,5('83)
+49('84)+50,5('85)+55('86)		 12,04   61,817
5 Jouko Ahola FIN 2
('97,'99)		 1('98)   25 2/8+3/8+1/7 6,14 61('97)+67('98)+60('99) 5,84 2 38,978
6 Bruce Wilhelm USA 2
('77,'78)		     20 5/10+3/10 6,40 63,25('77)+64,33('78) 4,00 4 34,400
7 Jamie Reeves ENG 1
('89)		 1('92) 1('88) 18 1/8+4/8 5,00 47('88)+54,5('89)+62('92) 5,65 2 30,647
8 Magnus Samuelsson SWE 1
('98)		   1('97) 13 3/8+4/8+1/7 8,14 19,5('95)+52,5('97)+73('98)+47('99) 5,84   26,980
9 Gary Taylor WAL 1
('93)		   1('91) 13 1/8+4/8+1/8 6,00 39('91)+43,5('92)+54('93)+42('95) 5,96 2 26,957
10 Don Reinhoudt USA 1
('79)		 1('78)   15 4/10+3/10 5,60 58+('78)+60,3('79)+[10?]('80) 4,00 2 26,598
11 Ab Wolders NED   2('84,'89) 1('86) 13 2/8+3/8 5,00 51,5('84)+37,5('86)+41('88)+49,5('89) 6,34   24,343
12 Gerrit Badenhorst RSA   1('95) 1('96) 8 1/8+2/8+2/8+3/8 8,00 57,5('92)+17,5('93)+38,5('94)
+62,5('95)+41('96)		 7,34   23,336
13 Riku Kiri FIN   1('96) 2('93,'94) 11 1/8+3/8+2/8 6,00 48,5('93)+48('94)+43('96)+26('98) 5,35   22,355
14 Lars Hedlund SWE   2('79,'80) 1('78) 13 2/10+2/10+1/10 4,00 38,9('78)+45,6('79)+79('80) 4,26   21,263
15 Ted Van Der Parre NED 1
('92)		     10 3/8+ 3,00 35,5('91)+63('92)+7('94) 3,55   16,545
16 Henning Thorsen DEN   1('91)   5 3/8+ 3,00 34('90)+48,5('91)+41('92) 4,44   12,436
17 Flemming Rasmussen DEN   1('97)   5 3/8+ 3,00 42,5('95)+35,5('96)+57('97) 4,43   12,431
18 Manfred Höberl AUT   1('94)   5 2/8+1/8 3,00 22,5('91)+41,5('93)+49,5('94) 4,30   12,301
19 Tom Magee CAN   1('82)   5 2/10+1/8 2,60 78('82)+38,5('83)+33('85) 4,58   12,177
20 OD Wilson USA   1('90)   5 3/8+ 3,00 48('90)+30,5('91) 3,07   11,069
21 Ilkka Nummisto FIN     1('90) 3 1/8+ 1,00 19('86)+40('88)+27,5('89)+39('90)
+29('92)		 5,61   9,611
22 Dave Waddington USA     1 ('81) 3 2/10+1/8 2,60 72,5 ('81)+[40?]('82)+34('84) 3,57   9,172
23 Svend Karlsen NOR     1('99) 3 0+2/7+ 2,29 33('97)+52,5('99) 2,83   8,118
24 Janne Virtanen FIN   1('99)   5 1/7+ 1,14 53('99) 1,77   7,910
25 Bob Young USA   1 ('77)   5 1/10+ 0,80 43,25('77)+22,33('79) 2,11   7,908
26 John Gamble USA     1 ('82) 3 1/10+1/8 1,80 69,5('82)+32,5('83) 2,84   7,641
27 Marko Varalahti FIN     1('95) 3 2/8+ 2,00 48,5('95) 1,37   6,366
28 Jon Kolb USA         1/10+4/10 4,00 23,4('78)+41,43('79) 2,10   6,102
29 Simon Wulfse NED     1('83) 3 1/8+ 1,00 47('83) 1,90   5,899
30 Cees de Vreugd NED     1('85) 3 1/8+ 1,00 45,5('85) 1,80   5,802
31 Laszlo Fekete HUN         1/8+1/7 2,14 11('88)+32('89)+31('90)+23('99) 3,61   5,755
32 Ken Patera USA     1('77) 3 1/10+ 0,80 34('77) 1,08   4,875
33 Wout Ziljstra  NED     1('98) 3     62('98) 1,70   4,699
34 Torfi Olafsson ICE         1/8+ 1,00 45,5('97)+19('98)+29.5('99) 3,00   3,996
35 Harold Collins USA         1/8+1/8 2,00 24,5('93)+28('97) 1,83   3,825
36 Heinz Ollesch GER         1/8+ 1,00 46('95)+43,5('97) 2,72   3,722
37 Rick "Grizzly" Brown USA         1/8+1/8 2,00 29('85)+14('86) 1,62   3,623
38 Gregg Ernst CAN         1/8+ 1,00 29,5('91)+38('92) 2,26   3,260
39 Jerry Hannan USA         1/10+ 0,80 [40?]('80)+68('81) 2,20   2,997
40 Hugo Girard CAN         1/7+ 1,14 5('98)+49.5('99) 1,79   2,930
41 Bishop Dolegiewicz CAN         1/10+ 0,80 56('80)+46('81) 2,05   2,851
42 Mark Philippi USA         1/8+ 1,00 40,5('97)+18('98) 1,82   2,821
43 Forbes Cowan SCO             36,5('94)+34('96) 2,75   2,753
44 Berend Veneberg NED             26('93)+9('98)+41('99) 2,58   2,576
45 Lou Ferrigno USA         2/10+ 1,60 27,5('77) 0,87   2,470
46 Raimunds Bergmanis LAT             25('96)+44,5('97) 2,42   2,421
47 Adrian Smith ENG         1/8+ 1,00 33,5('90) 1,38   2,381
48 Jean-Pierre Brulois FRA             19,5('85)+31,5('86)+15('88) 2,38   2,376
49 Jorma Ojanaho FIN         1/8+ 1,00 32,5('96) 1,25   2,250
50 Ernie Hackett USA         1/10+ 0,80 65,5('82) 1,44   2,240
51 Curt Marsh USA         1/10+ 0,80 64('82) 1,41   2,207
52 Keith Bishop USA         1/11+ 0,73 61,5('81) 1,28   2,009
53 Durwin Piper USA         1/11+ 0,73 58('81) 1,21   1,936
54 Rudolph Kuester GER             34('84)+20('89) 1,92   1,917
55 Markku Suonenvirta FIN         1/8+ 1,00 25,5('91) 0,91   1,911
56 Dusko Markovic CAN             34('86)+17,5('89) 1,79   1,795
57 Daniel Poulin CAN         1/8+ 1,00 22('84) 0,77   1,765
58 Joe Zaliezniak USA         1/11+ 0,73 48('81) 1,00   1,727
59 Cleve Dean USA         1/10+ 0,80 14,4('79)+[20?]('80) 0,87   1,668
60 George Hechter USA             36('85) 1,43   1,426
61 Mike Dayton USA         1/10+ 0,80 19,25+ ('77) 0,61   1,409
62 Phil Pfister USA             51('98) 1,40   1,397
63 Joe Onosai SAM             12,5('94)+29,5('95) 1,33   1,326
64 Craig Wolfley USA             63('81) 1,31   1,313
65 Pieter de Bruyn RSA             46('98) 1,26   1,260
66 Anton Boucher NAM             31,5('94) 1,25   1,248
67 Stago Piczko NED             59('81) 1,23   1,229
68 Tjalling Van Den Bosch NED             28,5('90) 1,18   1,175
69 Brian Oldfield USA         1/10+ 0,80 12('78) 0,37   1,173
70 Phil Martin USA             40('95) 1,13   1,127
71 Wayne Price RSA             38,5('95) 1,08   1,085
72 Aap Uspenski EST             25,5('90) 1,05   1,052
73 Chris Okonkwo NIG             25,5('83) 1,03   1,030
74 Roger Ekström FIN             25,5('85) 1,01   1,010
75 Doyle Kenady USA             24('83) 0,97   0,970
76 Derek Boyer FIJ             28,5('97) 0,93   0,934
77 Regin Vagadal FAE             24('96) 0,92   0,923
78 Allen Gallberg CAN             22('83) 0,89   0,889
79 Henrik Ravn DEN             23('93) 0,85   0,852
80 Joe Quigley AUS             23('88) 0,82   0,821
81 James Perry USA             25('92) 0,79   0,794
82 Jamie Barr SCO             22.5('99) 0,75   0,750
83 Yngve Gustavsson  SWE             21,5('84) 0,75   0,748
84 Klaus Wallas AUT             22('86) 0,75   0,746
85 Franco Columbo ITA             22,25('77) 0,70   0,704
86 Larry Kidney USA             [35?]('80) 0,68   0,683
87 Jon Cole USA             21,5('77) 0,68   0,680
88 Bill Dunn USA             [30?]('82) 0,66   0,659
89 Pius Ochieng KEN             18,5('84) 0,64   0,643
90 Ilkka Kinnunen FIN             19('92) 0,60   0,603
91 Billy Graham USA             [30?]('80) 0,59   0,585
92 Gus Rethwisch USA             16,73('78) 0,52   0,520
93 Gerard Du Prie NED             [25?]('80) 0,49   0,488
94 Boris Djerassi ISR             15,23('78) 0,47   0,473
95 Jim Hough USA             [20?]('82) 0,44   0,440
96 George Frenn USA             10('77) 0,32   0,316
97 Ross Browner USA             [10?]('82) 0,22   0,220
98 Ivan Putski POL             5,4('78) 0,17   0,168
99 Joe Dube USA             4,4('79) 0,15   0,146
100 John Matuszak USA             4('78) 0,12   0,124
101 Dave Johns USA             2('79) 0,07   0,066
102 Bill Anderson SCO             1,33('79) 0,04   0,044
103 Rene Minkwitz DEN             1('99) 0,03   0,033
104 Jerry Blackwell USA             0('79) 0,00   0,000
105 Jack Wright USA             0('78) 0,00   0,000