Dinnie Stones

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Coordinates: 57°3′54″N 2°39′4″W / 57.06500°N 2.65111°W / 57.06500; -2.65111

The Dinnie Stones in 1995

The Dinnie Stones (also called Stanes or Steens) are a pair of Scottish lifting stones located in Potarch, Aberdeenshire. They were made famous by strongman Donald Dinnie, who reportedly carried the stones barehanded across the width of the Potarch Bridge, a distance of 205+1⁄2 in (17 ft 1+1⁄2 in; 5.22 m), in 1860. They remain in use as lifting stones.[1]

The stones are composed of granite, with iron rings affixed. They have a combined weight of 332.49 kg (733 lb 0 oz; 52+1⁄2 st), with the larger stone weighing 188.02 kg (414 lb 8 oz; 29+1⁄2 st) and the smaller stone weighing 144.47 kg (318 lb 8 oz; 23 st).[2]

The stones were reportedly selected in the 1830s as counterweights for use in maintaining the Potarch Bridge.[1] They were lost following World War I, but were rediscovered in 1953 by David P. Webster.[1]

Replicas of the Dinnie Stones have been used in international competition.[3]

Records[]

As of June 2019, 106 individuals have managed to lift the stones, including four women. Jan Todd in 1979 and Leigh Holland-Keen in 2018 were both assisted with weightlifting straps. On 19 January 2019, Emmajane Smith lifted the stones without straps, making her the first woman to do so.[4][5][6] On 10 June 2019, Annika Eilmann from Finland became the first woman who has successfully fully lifted and held the stones for over ten seconds in an unassisted manner.[7][8]

The current record for holding the stones up unassisted is 46.30 seconds, set on 18 May 2019 by Mark Haydock of Lancashire, England.[9] Five individuals, all men, have been recorded as matching Dinnie's carrying feat, including his father.[10]

The record for carrying the stones in a "farmers walk" style is held by Laurence Shahlaei who carried the stones 14 ft 10 in (4.52 m) on Saturday 7th August 2021.[11] The previous record was held by Brian Shaw at a distance of 11 ft 6+1⁄2 in (3.52 m).[12]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Shanks, Steven. "The Dinnie Stones: The Ultimate Challenge". DinnieStones.com. Retrieved 12 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Gladiators star smashes Dinnie Stones record". BBC News. 1 May 2018. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  3. ^ Dingwall, Blair (18 January 2017). "Dinnie Steen challenge to take centre stage at Arnold Schwarzenegger's US strongman festival". The Press and Journal. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  4. ^ "Listed below are the names and details of lifters who have put the wind under the stones unassisted". DinnieStones.com. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  5. ^ Saner, Emine (August 7, 2018). "A short guide to becoming seriously strong – by the woman who just lifted 332.5kg boulders". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  6. ^ http://www.thedinniestones.com/Lifters%20Pages/Emmajane%20Smith.html[bare URL]
  7. ^ Annika Eilmann Dinnie Stone Lift, retrieved 2019-08-22
  8. ^ First women in the world who take... - Strongwoman Annika Eilmann, retrieved 2019-08-22
  9. ^ Athey, Neil (6 June 2018). "World record Dinnie Stone lift smashed by strongman". Lancashire Telegraph. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  10. ^ "Listed below are the names and details of lifters who have carried the stones unassisted". DinnieStones.com. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  11. ^ "Dinnie Stones". Retrieved 2021-08-15.
  12. ^ "The Dinnie Stones". The Dinnie Stones. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
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