World's Strongest Man Masters & World's Strongest WomanSep 19, 2016 by Armen Hammer
Nick Best Edges Mark Felix For World's Strongest Master Title
Nick Best Edges Mark Felix For World's Strongest Master Title
In a competition that came right down to the wire, Nick Best edged out Mark Felix by half a point for the World's Strongest Master title in Doncaster, Engla
In a competition that came right down to the wire, Nick Best edged out Mark Felix by half a point for the World's Strongest Master title in Doncaster, England, this weekend. After tying on the opening event, the Viking press, the two exchanged the lead multiple times as they muscled through the next four events.
The rest of the field included four former World's Strongest Man competitors, and many more who wouldn't of been out of place competing alongside Brian Shaw in Botswana this year.
Check out the event recaps below, as well as the archived footage from the World's Strongest Masters here!
American Eric Patterson kicked off the weekend's action and really set the tone by battling his way to 11 reps at 145kg -- a number that kept him ahead of the pack until title contender Rob Frampton laid down 16 whopping reps. Unbelievably, it was bested by the formidable Lithuanian Vidas Blekaitis, who impressively put up 24 reps and stopped before he broke a sweat.
Next, the competitors faced a staggering 420-kilogram yoke. Understandably, it proved to be too much for some, but not for Sweden's Stefan Bergqvist. He completed the 20-meter course in 17.14 seconds, which demonstrated he was capable of hanging with the best. But Best stole the show, and ultimately the win, when he sprinted the course in an incredible 9.29 seconds. It bested Blekaitis's leading time by less than half a second, and put him back into the title race.
In the third event, Felix was the clear favorite -- the van deadlift is his speciality. The Englishman has only been beaten twice in the event in his long long career, and were at the hands of 500-kilogram deadlifter Eddie Hall. But it was clear that Felix had no intention to let a third loss slip by him. With the van deadlift set at 360kg, a few athletes struggled, but the atmosphere really spurred them on to amazing achievements. John Pollock took an early lead when he threw down 14 world-class reps -- a number that could only be beaten by the big four. Blekaitis and Best drew on 17, and Felix put on a virtuoso display by making 20 reps look easy.
Up to that point, the field was still fairly even, but that all changed when they wheeled out the 420-kilogram frame carry -- a weight that frustrated many competitors at Europe's Strongest Man earlier this year, and continued to in Doncaster this weekend. Five of the earlier competitors were unable to complete the course. But Pollock, "The Machine," finished the course, and finished it fast. He ran a blistering-fast time of 15.62 seconds before jumping onto the frame to delight the crowd. Best was the next to really shake up the field -- he put up a quick time of 11.8. Blekaitis and Felix were the last pair to go. The race was neck and neck until Felix dropped the frame, which allowed the Lithuanian to take the victory in 10.74 seconds.
Going into the final event, Best, Blekaitis and Felix were all in position to possibly leave Doncaster with the golden trophy. Dennis Van Beuskom of The Netherlands was the first to complete all five stones in a great time of 38.48 seconds. But that wouldn't stand up to the mighty Felix, who literally destroyed the course in a winning time of 20.38 seconds and slam-dunked the last stone straight through the top of the antique whiskey barrel much to the joy of the crowd and the dismay of Best. After the barrel was replaced and the stone thoroughly dried off, Best took the field knowing he needed a fast time to secure the title. He completed the course in a fast 21.66 seconds. Although it wasn't enough to beat Felix, it was more than enough to put the pressure on Blekaitis. He knew all he had to do was put up four stones in a respectable time to take the win. The first two stones went up like a dream, but fate was not on his side as he attempted the third. In the rush of the competition with the crowd cheering him on, he grabbed at the third stone, and it was immediately clear something was wrong. An old bicep injury that forced him out of World's Strongest Man all those years ago reared its ugly head once more, and kept him from another title. With Blekaitis only able to complete two stones, Best was declared the World's Strongest Master.
Full results also available here.
The rest of the field included four former World's Strongest Man competitors, and many more who wouldn't of been out of place competing alongside Brian Shaw in Botswana this year.
Check out the event recaps below, as well as the archived footage from the World's Strongest Masters here!
Viking Press
American Eric Patterson kicked off the weekend's action and really set the tone by battling his way to 11 reps at 145kg -- a number that kept him ahead of the pack until title contender Rob Frampton laid down 16 whopping reps. Unbelievably, it was bested by the formidable Lithuanian Vidas Blekaitis, who impressively put up 24 reps and stopped before he broke a sweat.
Yoke
Next, the competitors faced a staggering 420-kilogram yoke. Understandably, it proved to be too much for some, but not for Sweden's Stefan Bergqvist. He completed the 20-meter course in 17.14 seconds, which demonstrated he was capable of hanging with the best. But Best stole the show, and ultimately the win, when he sprinted the course in an incredible 9.29 seconds. It bested Blekaitis's leading time by less than half a second, and put him back into the title race.
Van Deadlift
In the third event, Felix was the clear favorite -- the van deadlift is his speciality. The Englishman has only been beaten twice in the event in his long long career, and were at the hands of 500-kilogram deadlifter Eddie Hall. But it was clear that Felix had no intention to let a third loss slip by him. With the van deadlift set at 360kg, a few athletes struggled, but the atmosphere really spurred them on to amazing achievements. John Pollock took an early lead when he threw down 14 world-class reps -- a number that could only be beaten by the big four. Blekaitis and Best drew on 17, and Felix put on a virtuoso display by making 20 reps look easy.
Frame Carry
Up to that point, the field was still fairly even, but that all changed when they wheeled out the 420-kilogram frame carry -- a weight that frustrated many competitors at Europe's Strongest Man earlier this year, and continued to in Doncaster this weekend. Five of the earlier competitors were unable to complete the course. But Pollock, "The Machine," finished the course, and finished it fast. He ran a blistering-fast time of 15.62 seconds before jumping onto the frame to delight the crowd. Best was the next to really shake up the field -- he put up a quick time of 11.8. Blekaitis and Felix were the last pair to go. The race was neck and neck until Felix dropped the frame, which allowed the Lithuanian to take the victory in 10.74 seconds.
Atlas Stones
Going into the final event, Best, Blekaitis and Felix were all in position to possibly leave Doncaster with the golden trophy. Dennis Van Beuskom of The Netherlands was the first to complete all five stones in a great time of 38.48 seconds. But that wouldn't stand up to the mighty Felix, who literally destroyed the course in a winning time of 20.38 seconds and slam-dunked the last stone straight through the top of the antique whiskey barrel much to the joy of the crowd and the dismay of Best. After the barrel was replaced and the stone thoroughly dried off, Best took the field knowing he needed a fast time to secure the title. He completed the course in a fast 21.66 seconds. Although it wasn't enough to beat Felix, it was more than enough to put the pressure on Blekaitis. He knew all he had to do was put up four stones in a respectable time to take the win. The first two stones went up like a dream, but fate was not on his side as he attempted the third. In the rush of the competition with the crowd cheering him on, he grabbed at the third stone, and it was immediately clear something was wrong. An old bicep injury that forced him out of World's Strongest Man all those years ago reared its ugly head once more, and kept him from another title. With Blekaitis only able to complete two stones, Best was declared the World's Strongest Master.
Results
Full results also available here.
