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Arnold Amateur Strongman Contest |
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The Arnold Amateur Strongman Contest will feature 50 of the world’s top amateur strongman athletes, including 21 from the United States. All competitors will have to earn their spots through various qualifying competitions or by invitation.
"Strongman is by no means a ‘mainstream’ sport along the lines of football, basketball or baseball, but it is becoming more and more popular," said Dione Wessels, CEO of North American Strongman Inc., the governing body for amateur strongman competitions in the United States. "Adding an amateur competition to the Arnold Sports Festival will allow the perfect opportunity to further promote the sport of strongman in the United States."
There are an estimated 6,000 amateur strongman athletes in the United States that compete in 125 events throughout the year.
The winner of the Arnold Amateur Strongman Contest in 2010 will automatically qualify to compete in the Arnold Strongman Classic in 2011, which features the world’s top professionals.
The first qualifier for the 2010 Arnold Amateur Strongman Contest was held in late July in Bangor, Maine, where the 105K World’s Strongest Man competition was held at the Maine State Fair. The event features top professional strongman competitors that weigh 231 pounds or less. Those professionals, though, qualify as amateurs in the sport’s open division (unlimited weight class).
The top three finishers at the Maine competition who earned spots in the Arnold Amateur Strongman Contest were winner Dave Mihalov of Bridgeport, Conn.; Beau Gertz of Arvada, Colo., and Justin Blake of Auburn Hills, Mich.
"Strongman is by no means a ‘mainstream’ sport along the lines of football, basketball or baseball, but it is becoming more and more popular," said Dione Wessels, CEO of North American Strongman Inc., the governing body for amateur strongman competitions in the United States. "Adding an amateur competition to the Arnold Sports Festival will allow the perfect opportunity to further promote the sport of strongman in the United States."
There are an estimated 6,000 amateur strongman athletes in the United States that compete in 125 events throughout the year.
The winner of the Arnold Amateur Strongman Contest in 2010 will automatically qualify to compete in the Arnold Strongman Classic in 2011, which features the world’s top professionals.
The first qualifier for the 2010 Arnold Amateur Strongman Contest was held in late July in Bangor, Maine, where the 105K World’s Strongest Man competition was held at the Maine State Fair. The event features top professional strongman competitors that weigh 231 pounds or less. Those professionals, though, qualify as amateurs in the sport’s open division (unlimited weight class).
The top three finishers at the Maine competition who earned spots in the Arnold Amateur Strongman Contest were winner Dave Mihalov of Bridgeport, Conn.; Beau Gertz of Arvada, Colo., and Justin Blake of Auburn Hills, Mich.
The second qualifier was held at the NAS Amateur National Championships in Lafayette, Louisiana, in October. Justin Warren (heavyweight) and Doug Madewell (lightweight) won their respective weight classes to lead 16 qualifiers to the Arnold Amateur Strongman Contest.
International athletes from Australia, Russia, Lithuania, Latvia, Canada, Ukraine and the United Kingdom will qualify through spots granted to the sport’s governing bodies in those countries.
The Arnold Amateur Strongman will be held March 5 and March 7 at the Arnold Sports Festival and will be governed by North American Strongman Corp.
Contact Information
Contact event chair: Dione Wessels
www.nastrongman.com
www.nastrongman.com
Media contact: Brent LaLonde
Amateur Strongman Stories
Mihalov leads Arnold Amateur Qualifiers at 105 K America's Strongest Man Contest
Dione Wessels
Dave Mihalov
Also at the Arnold
Locations
Preliminaries
Greater Columbus Convention
Center, Hall C
400 North High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Finals
Greater Columbus Convention
Center, Hall D, EXPO Stage
400 North High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Schedule
Friday, March 5, 2010
Preliminary
8:00 a.m. - 12:00pm
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Final Competition
1:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
