Giants Live
| 2013 | |
 The official logo of Giants Live | |
| Tournament information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Various |
| Established | 2009 |
| Format | Multi-event competition |
| Purse | varies |
Giants Live was created in 2009 as the official Tour that qualifies strongmen to compete in the annual World's Strongest Man contest. At each Grand Prix, up to twelve international strongmen come together and compete over six events. The top three at each contest will receive an invitation to compete at the World's Strongest Man contest for that same year.
History[]
On April 27, 2009, Giants Live was named the Official World's Strongest Man Qualifying Tour for 2009–2011, thus taking over from the Strongman Super Series in this regard. The first 2009 qualifying event took place on May 17 at the Mohegan Sun Casino Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, and with the second event being the Viking Power competition.[1]
Giants Live was licensed the exclusive rights by IMG Sports Media, the creator and owner of the World's Strongest Man competition. Previously, the qualifying tournament was known as the IFSA Strongman Super Series from 2001–2004, and the World's Strongest Man Super Series from 2005–2008. Strongman Super Series continued to operate under the title of "Strongman Super Series" in 2009 and 2010, but did not have WSM qualifying status. The qualifying status went with Giants Live and Colin Bryce, the Tour's producer.
At each Grand Prix event, in common with previous such series, each competitor competes in six different tests of strength with the winner crowned Grand Prix Champion. The top three athletes at each tournament will win a qualifying slot at the World's Strongest Man competition.
Along with the Strongman Champions League, this event made important progress in acting as a fundamental part of a unifying movement for world strength athletics by making plans to help SCL get its athletes to the 2009 World's Strongest Man contest. SCL chief, Mostert, stated that "The top 5 SCL athletes will have places in the Giants Live tour for qualifying at World's Strongest Man (WSM) 2009". In addition, he also stated that wild cards for the WSM will include SCL athletes. He went on to say that "Finally we made it all possible again that all the athletes have chances to qualify for the WSM, which means in my opinion the WSM will have the strongest field ever in her history!" He went on to thank TWI/IMG and Giants Live for their part in making these possibilities.[2] This was groundbreaking because for a number of years prior to this, the athletes under the IFSA had been banned by the federation from entering WSM (since the IFSA fell out of favour with TWI). Likewise, the athletes invited to participate in WSM were not invited to participate in IFSA events. Some competitions bridged the divide, such as the Arnold Strongman Classic and the Fortissimus, but neither had the history, gravitas, or popular appeal of the World's Strongest Man. Most of the IFSA athletes, with the demise of the IFSA finances, competed in SCL from 2008. This deal, along with the Fortissimus deal before it, united strongman in a way it had not been since 2004.
Producers and key staff[]
Giants Live is a collaboration between IMG Media and Power Productions UK - owned by Colin Bryce:
Colin Bryce – an ex-Strongman competitor and Olympic bobsleigher, Bryce is currently a long-term producer of World Strongest Man through his company Power Productions and formerly the head referee and commentator on strongman events such as World's Strongest Man, Britain's Strongest Man, Strongman Super Series and World Strongman Cup.
Darren Sadler – an ex-Strongman competitor and former world champion in the U105 category, Sadler is currently a co-producer of World Strongest Man alongside Colin Bryce and formerly the head referee on for Giants Live competitions.
Magnús Ver Magnússon – an ex-Strongman competitor and four-time holder of World's Strongest Man, Magnússon is currently the head referee for Giants Live and World's Strongest Man competitions.
Bill Kazmaier – an ex-Strongman competitor and three-time holder of World's Strongest Man, Kazmaier is currently one of three main commentators for Giants Live competitions, alongside Neil Pickup and Radzi Chinyanganya.- Neil Pickup – formerly a professional arm wrestler, Pickup is currently one of three main commentators for Giants Live competitions, alongside Bill Kazmaier and Radzi Chinyanganya. Pickup is also the MC for these events.
- Radzi Chinyanganya – Radzi is currently one of three main commentators for Giants Live competitions, alongside Neil Pickup and Bill Kazmaier.
- – The duo dream team behind the live feed
- Dave Warner – Ex strongman competitor and multiple time UK strongest man competitor. One of the head judges. Judged Eddie's 500kg deadlift
Event results[]
Most wins[]
| Champion | Country | Wins | Podiums |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson |  Iceland |
9 | 10 |
| Žydrūnas Savickas |  Lithuania |
6 | 7 |
| Eddie Hall |  England |
5 | 8 |
| Laurence Shahlaei | England |
4 | 10 |
 Finland |
4 | 5 | |
| Johannes Årsjö |  Sweden |
3 | 9 |
| Mateusz Kieliszkowski |  Poland |
3 | 5 |
| Brian Shaw |  United States |
3 | 5 |
| Derek Poundstone | United States |
3 | 3 |
| Evan Singleton | United States |
3 | 5 |
References[]
- ^ "GIANTS LIVE NAMED OFFICIAL QUALIFYING TOUR FOR WORLD'S STRONGEST MAN COMPETITION". Archived from the original on 2009-07-24. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (23 April 2009). "Strongman Champions League: Season Starting at FIBO ... Feeding into WSM". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ "Official Results". Archived from the original on 2009-07-24. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (7 June 2009). "Travis Ortmayer Wins Giants Live - Viking Power Challenge". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (6 August 2009). "Dymek, Felix and Petursson: Looking Good at Giants Live ... Ready for WSM". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (13 April 2010). "Brian Shaw Wins Giants Live-World's Strongest Man Qualifier in South Africa". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (31 May 2010). "Giant Live-Kiev: Derek Poundstone, Laurence Shahlaei and Johnannes Arsjo Qualify for World's Strongest Man 2010". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (9 August 2010). "Vitautas Lalas Wins Giant Live - Poland, Qualifies for World's Strongest Man". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (22 October 2010). "Giants Live: Savickas and Shahlaei Attack the Apollon's Axle". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (20 March 2011). "Giant Live - London: Brian "The Evolution" Shaw Wins the Title, WSM Invitation". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (16 May 2011). "Juha Matti Jarvi Wins First Finnish Strongman Qualifier". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (23 May 2011). "Juha Matti Jarvi Wins Again in Finland". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (29 May 2011). "Juha Matti Jarvi: Three Contests, Three Wins". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (14 June 2011). "Juha Matti Jarvi Wins Fourth Giants Live Finnish National Qualifier". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (7 August 2011). "Radzikowski Wins Giants Live Poland, Jenkins is Second". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (17 August 2011). "Martin Wildauer Wins Giants Live Finland". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (27 August 2011). "Sergii Romanchuk Wins Giants Live–Ukraine". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (19 March 2012). "Mike Jenkins Wins Giants Live–FitX Melbourne 2012". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (10 June 2012). "Laurence Shahlaei Wins Giants Live–Finland". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (18 June 2012). "Akos Nagy Wins Giants Live–Hungary". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (23 June 2012). "Zydrunas Savickas Wins Europe's Strongest Man". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (23 July 2012). "Polish Sweep at Giants Live, WSM Update". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (12 March 2013). "Giants Live–Melbourne FitX: Poundstone Wins with One Arm". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (27 June 2013). "Giants Live-Budapest: Burke, Hall and Solvang Qualify for WSM". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ "The Worlds Strongest Man Qualifying Tour". Archived from the original on 2013-07-10. Retrieved 2013-07-08.
- ^ Giants Live – Poland
- ^ Giants battle it out in Gateshead to be crowned World’s Strongest Man
- ^ World’s Strongest Man 2014 – Giants Live Qualifier 1
- ^ World’s Strongest Man 2014 – Giants Live Qualifier 4
- ^ World’s Strongest Man 2014 – Giants Live Qualifier 3
- ^ World’s Strongest Man 2014 – Giants Live Qualifier 5
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (27 January 2015). "Giants Live-Sweden: Top 3 to World's Strongest Man 2015". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (10 June 2015). "Bjornsson, Felix and Licis Qualify for World's Strongest Man 2016". IronMind. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
- ^ Europe's Strongest Man + World Deadlift Championships 2015 Results
- ^ World’s Strongest Man 2016 – Giants Live 1
- ^ World’s Strongest Man 2016 – Giants Live 2
- ^ World’s Strongest Man 2016 – Giants Live 3
- ^ World’s Strongest Man 2016 – Giants Live 5
- ^ World’s Strongest Man 2017 – Giants Live 1
- ^ World’s Strongest Man 2017 – Giants Live 2
- ^ World’s Strongest Man 2017 – Giants Live 3
- ^ World’s Strongest Man 2017 – Giants Live 4
- ^ World’s Strongest Man 2017 – Giants Live 5
- ^ World’s Strongest Man 2018 – Giants Live 2
- ^ World’s Strongest Man 2018 – Giants Live 3
- ^ 2018 Giants Live North America Results
- ^ World’s Strongest Man Tour Finals 2018
- ^ A New Britain’s Strongest Man is Crowned – Britain’s Strongest Man 2019 Results
- ^ Europe’s Strongest Man 2019 results and event round up
- ^ Giants Live Wembley 2019 – full results and show round up
- ^ Giants Live North America 2019 Results
- ^ A strong finish! World Tour Finals 2019 full results and round-up
- ^ OSG 2019 Results after Day 3
External links[]
- Strongmen competitions