Europe's Strongest Man

The Beast took on The Mountain in the contest to find the continent’s king of strength.

- John Plummer

HOW DO YOU FOLLOW THE IMPOSSIBLE? That was the question in the run-up to Europe’s Strongest Man 2017. At the same event in 2016, Eddie Hall became the first man ever to dead lift 500 kilograms—a monumental feat of strength since witnessed by 4.5 million people on YouTube. The Beast was back at the First Direct Arena in Leeds but could he, or the 10 other continental kings of strength, conjure up anything as magical as that again?

All of Europe’s big names, except injured three-time champ Zydrunas Savickas, were there. Besides Eddie, the line-up included two time winner Hafpor “Thor” Bjornsson, better known as The Mountain on TV show Game of Thrones; defending champ Laurence Shahlaei and fellow British strength legends Terry Hollands and 51-year-old Mark Felix; the German Godzilla Raffael Gordzielik; and the Georgian Bull Konstantine Janashia.

With 10,000 fans watching, including plenty of Viking-clad Thor supporters, the stage was set for a colossal show of strength in front of what is almost certain, yet again, to be the biggest live audience for a Strongman event anywhere in the world this year. The World’s Strongest Man and the Arnold Strongman Classic may still be the most prestigious Strongman events, but Europe’s Strongest Man is catching up fast and, in terms of fan appeal, it is number one.

It helps that most of the world’s top Strongmen are European and the fan-friendly arena show format, slickly promoted by Giants Live organisers Darren Sadler and Colin Bryce, makes for more gripping Saturday night entertainment than The X Factor. But would it surpass the excitement of the 500?

THE BEAST UNLEASHED