Manhandling at McDonald
There will be no shortage of power on display at the eighth annual Kamloops’ Strongest Man (KSM) competition.
The B.C. Extreme Athletes’ event — featuring truck-pull, log-press, tire-flip, walking-medley, Atlas-stone and keg-deadlift competitions — will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at McDonald Park on Saturday, Sept. 8.
“These are more than just gym exercises,” event organizer Robin Wright said.
“When you manhandle something, there’s a lot more than just your biceps working.”
Wright expects about 20 powerhouses to compete for the overall points title, given to the strongman who posts the best combined score after all six events.
“You are completely wiped out when you’re done,” Wright said.
The truck pull will see harnessed-in competitors pull a 25,000-pound Cobra Contracting rig about 80 feet.
In the log press, participants will lift steel logs over their heads. It’s a single-lift, max-weight event — whoever presses the most weight wins.
The tire flip will see athletes flip 800 pounds of circular rubber across a 100-foot course.
There will be three different implements — farmers’ walk, yoke walk and Conan’s wheel — in the walking medley.
Each requires the musclemen to walk varying distances while carrying massive amounts of weight in different positions.
The Atlas-stone competition has the brutes roll massive boulders up their bodies and place them on top of a four-foot barrel.
Whistler Brewing is supplying the keg-deadlift equipment.
This one’s not complicated — lift upward of 750 pounds of beer as many times as possible in 75 seconds.
Wright said the general public might be surprised by the physiques of those who enter KSM.
It’s not always the bodybuilding-type frames that fare best.
“We had a mover flip the 500-pound tire 22 times in 75 seconds one year,” Wright said.
“The bodybuilder struggled to flip it five times.
“It was just because of the functionality of the muscles. The mover guy was moving pianos around and the bodybuilder was static in the gym.”
There is no cost to attend the event, but Wright is asking spectators to bring non-perishable items, which will be donated to the Kamloops Food Bank.
In a new wrinkle this year, there will be a vehicle-smash station.
With a cash or food donation, members of the public can relieve some stress by bringing a sledgehammer down on a vehicle, donated by Mike’s Auto Towing.
“This is a great event for the public,” Wright said.
“It’s also great for the food bank.”
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