Posted Mar 13, 2001

Just thought I would let you know that Michael Sidonio (Australia) came very close to matching Jouko Ahola's "World Record" from Nov 1999 missing by a mere 0.7 metres! In an exhibition in Canberra, Australias capital, Michael lifted (Handles 16" of the ground) two 151.5kg gas cylinders and walked 51metres! to smash his previous mark from Oct 2000 of 41 metres. In the same exhibition Michael somehow managed to lift a 175kg concrete ball up onto a 45 inch tall barrel for what is probably a record of some sort here in Australia. michaelsidonio@hotmail.com

IFSA Poland Results
Posted by Sami

1. Jarek Dymek (home field)
2. Janne Virtanen (some problems with lower back, has been for long - one event was deadlift)
n. Karlsen
n. Samuelsson

Janne expects Rasmussen to be his biggest threat in European Championships next saturday.

European championships qualifying comp held at Rauma, Finland
Posted by Sami

1. Harri Simonen (no weak points)
2. Sami Heinonen (flu, Sami is out of luck!)
3. Odd Haugen (very good with "new" equipment)
4. Harri Hohtari (local, good with equipment)
5. Juha Räsänen (got only one rep with log, lost it there, the winning performance was 7 reps, 3-4 reps was usual with a thick 125 kg. Has a strong back but pressing and leg strength...)
6. Tuomas Turunen
7. Pedro Karlsson
8. Roy Holte
9. Hannu Vilkko
10. Marko Patteri (grip still a big problem and there were farmer's walk and hercules hold)
11. Wennberg

Simonen will probably do ok in European championships, but I don't think the events are made for him, especially if there's no pressing events. Heinonen and Räsänen might do better with Helsinki events but
today they lost with clear margin. 

Posted Feb 19, 2001

Riku Kiri, European Champion '96 and 3-time WSM medalist will make a comeback in European Championships. Good luck Riku! 

Flemming Rasmussen, who has been undefeated for long (since '97, huh?), will also return to IFSA for this year. Now we will see if Virtanen and Karlsen are really as good as...  ;-) 

Every event in Helsinki will be a dual, two men performing at the same time. There will be farmer's walk with 130 kg cases for 60 m, truck pull and crucifix WR attempt with 12.5 kg weights (ridiculously light, a remnant from the early years of competition...) Janne Virtanen should win all these three events. Talk about home field advantage... 

In the beginning of March there will be Finnish qualifiers for EC, and that's going to a fight between Sami Heinonen, Pasi Paavisto, Juha Räsänen, Harri Simonen and my training buddy Marko Patteri, to decide who gets to join Virtanen and Kiri. Much heavier weights will be used in this qualifying event than in EC... but that's maybe because the qualifying event is for fans, EC for general public. Of course I'd be able do think up ten other reasons also. 

I'll be there taking photos in both of the competitions.

Budweiser Northeast Strongman Showdown, Wilmington, Massachusetts, Feb 17
From DPF by Sami

Justin will probably write more about this competition later. 

Results: 
1. Svend Karlsen 
2. Hugo Girard 
3. Brian Schoonveld 
4. Travis Lyndon 
5. Phil Pfister 
6. Chad Coy 
7. Bryan Neese 
8. Bruce Tessier 
9. Sami Heinonen 
10. Walt Gogola 
11. Gary Mitchell 
12. Ed Brost 
13. Glenn Ross 
14. Jamie Barr 

Team Europe won by one point. 

Hugo Girard won the Viking Press, Schoonie won the Farmer's Walk, Travis Lyndon won the stones, Svend Karlsen won the Yoke, Pfister has been building a house recently, Ross was sick and something must have been wrong also with Sami Heinonen (and all other competitors who didn't win ;-). 

Virtanen makes a new WR in Crucifix
by Sami

With the old official (Guinness book) weights 12.5 kg Janne Virtanen held an awesome 1 min 19.63 sec in Helsinki Boat Fair, Feb 9. First attempt was 5 sec short and after an hour Janne returned on stage to try again, this time with a better luck. 

He used two Yamaha engines as weights. Janne is also a fisherman by heart and he spents quite a lot of time fishing. 

Janne also plans to start building a house this spring. Let's hope that doesn't mess up his competition plans. 

Jackal's Gym is now carrying the 2000 American Hercules Strongman Championship Tapes.  The Tapes contain Raw footage and are not edited or narrated at this point.  They do however show some very good footage of a top level contest.  This contest will be held again this summer with Chad Coy & Bryan Neese promoting the contest.  There are two tapes. Day one was the Amateur contest.  Day Two was the Pro Contest.  Check our website store for ordering info. 

The Pro final placings were: 

  Place      Competitor                                                        Points 
    1         Juha Rasanen                                                        46 
    2         Phil Pfister                                                             46 
    3         Karl Gillingham                                                      40 
    4         Brian Schoonveld                                                  36 
    5         Wade Gillingham                                                   31 
    6         Tom Shields                                                          25 
    7         Chad Coy                                                             25 
    8         Shawn Smith                                                         23 
    9         Odd Haugen                                                         23 
   10         John Beatty                                                            9 
   11         Thomas Ingalsbe                                                    7 
   12         Gary Mitchell                                                         4 

Gilly's Power / Jackal's Store 
Karl Gillingham 
10 Lincoln Lane 
Northfield, MN 55057 
507-645-2774 
http://www.jackalsgym.com
 

Photo
Posted by Magnús Ver Magnússon

Hi here is a new photo to show that I am training hard 
Magnus 
 

New NASS Brick Lifting Record
Posted by Bill Holland on November 07, 2000 

On October 28, 2000 in Luray, Virginia, Gary Brown, rewrote the book on 3.5 lb brick lifting. Gary lifted 41 bricks with what appeared to be relative ease. He attempted 45 bricks but a balancing problem developed and the lift was disallowed. My congradulations to Gary for a job well done. I expect we will 
see Gary at some contests during 2001. 
Just thought some of you would like to know. 
 

Farmer's Walk
Posted by Angie Sidonio <sidonio@one.net.au> 

Australian Strongman Michael Sidonio lifted (handles 16" off the ground) and carried a 151.5kg gas cylinder in each hand a distance of 41 metres in Canberra Ausralia on Oct 25. This feat was one of three to launch an apeal for The National Brain Injury Foundation. The other strength feats involved Sidonio lifting two Gosford Quarries Stones 135kg and 165kg up onto large wine barrells and then pulling a 13.5 tonne fire engine up a noticable incline 10 metres!  All three feats were completed within a 35 minute time frame! PHEW! 
 

Results - 2000 NSAA Back Alley Challenge
Posted by Bryan Neese on November 05, 2000 

It was a great day in Kokomo for the NSAA Mastiff Equipment Back Alley Challenge. 12 Athletes participated in a great contest. I will have the complete write up on Samson Power in the next few days. The 3 remaining spots for this years NSAA American Championship in Vegas were captured by John Beatty, Jared Spybrook, and Big Tony Scrivens. Here are the official placings. 

1. Brian Schoonveld 
2. Bryan Neese 
3. John Beatty 
4. Jared Spybrook 
5. Tony Scrivens 
6. Mark "Samson" K. 
7. Nick Osborn 
8. Pat Mitchell 
9. Ted Fridline 
10. Brian Adminson 
11. Frank Grzesk 
12. Dave Shulty 

A Big thank you to Brian Duncan for being a great head judge, Kathy Schoonveld for her great job as score keeper and Erica Neese for keeping every thing running smoothly. Also Chad Coy and Power House gym Kokomo for the use of their facilities and even though Chad was hurt he tested every event and helped get all of the wts. back. 
 

China GP
Posted by BILL LYNDON www.aussiepower.net on October 21 

RESULTS. 
1-SAMUELSSON 
2-HUGO 
3-JANNE 
4-KARLSEN 
5-MUHR 
6-DAREK 
7-BALTUS 
8-BOYER 
9-BASKIN 
10-VAGADAL 
11-OLAFSSON 
12-13-14-LOCAL INVITEES.