Luke Skaarup

Luke Skaarup
Skaarup 2012
Born	(1979-09-29) September 29, 1979 (age 46) Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Other names	The Iron Viking
Occupation(s)	Strongman, Mechanical Engineer
Known for	2 x Ontario's Strongest Man- 2012 & 2014
Height	6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Spouse	Nicolette Skaarup
Children	Brayden, Gabrielle, Logan, Charlotte
Website

Competition record
Strongman
Representing   Canada
World Amateur Strongman Championship [1]
Qualified	2010
8th	2012	[2]
Canada's Strongest Man [3]
8th	2009
6th	2012	[4]
6th	2013	[5]
10th	2014
9th	2015
Canada's Strongest Man under 105kg [6]
2nd	2008
North America's Strongest Man [6] [7]
12th	2009
6th	2013	[8] [9]
4th	2014	[10]
10th	2015	<
Ontario's Strongest Man [11]
9th	2007
6th	2008
3rd	2009
3rd	2010
5th	2011
1st	2012
4th	2013	[12]
1st	2014
2nd	2015

Luke Skaarup (born September 9, 1979) is a professional engineer and also a retired professional strongman from Canada who competed actively in the sport of strongman from 2007 to 2015. During his competitive career, he held many records, most notably the Canadian record for heaviest atlas stone ever lifted in competition (450 pounds (200 kg)), the Ontario record for heaviest deadlift (780 pounds (350 kg)), and the Ontario Record heaviest dumbbell press (230 pounds (100 kg)). He competed in over sixty competitions with his top placings being the 2 x Ontario's Strongest Man Champion (2012 & 2014) ^[13] , 4th at North America's Strongest Man (2014) ^[14] , and 8th at the World Amateur Strongman Championships (2012).

He has competed in strongman for 9 years with 2 years of powerlifting and 5 years of bodybuilding competitions prior to that. Luke has been lifting weights seriously for over 20 years and began when he was 16 years of age to assist his physical development and strength for football.

Personal ^[15] - Luke is married to his wife Nicolette Skaarup and is the father of four children (Brayden, Gabrielle, Logan, and Charlotte). Education- Luke has a diploma in Mechanical Engineering Technology from Lakehead University (2000), a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lakehead University (2003), and a master's degree from Queens University in Earth Energy Resource Leadership (MEERL- 2022). He is a professional engineer and is employed as a senior leader with a large energy company in Alberta. Luke is the oldest of five children. He has a younger brother and three sisters. His brother Dan Skaarup was also a competitive strength athlete and former bodybuilder.

After retiring in 2015, Luke had left biceps reattachment surgery and ACL repair surgery in his right knee in 2016. While Luke has retired from competing in strength sports he still weight trains regularly, coaches youth football and encourages his children to pursue their own sports.

Ontario records

• 18" deadlift (1150 lbs),
• Deadlift (780 lbs),
• Circus dumbbell (230 lbs),
• Farmer's walk (310 lbs per hand for 160 ft in 23.5s),
• Yoke (850 lbs for 100 ft in 20.5s)

Canadian records

He lifted the heaviest atlas stone ever lifted in competition, that weighed 454 lbs to 38.5". This same stone has also been lifted by JF Caron at Canada's Strongest Man in 2016.

Personal records

Powerlifting (competition):

• Squat - 340.9 kg (752 lb)equipped
• Bench press - 210 kg (460 lb)
• Deadlift - 365.0 kg (804.7 lb)

Powerlifting (gym):

• Squat - 352 kg (776 lb)
• Bench press - 218.2 kg (481 lb)
• Deadlift - 365.9 kg (807 lb)

Strongman: ^[16]

• Log lift for max weight - 168.2 kg (371 lb)
• 18" deadlift - 522.2 kg (1,151 lb)
• log press (370 lbs and 300 lbs x 8 reps),
• Military press (310 lbs x 5 reps),
• Push press 2" Axel (380 lbs x 2 reps),
• Tire flip (1300 lbs and 1100 lbs x 5 reps),
• Bench press (350 lbs x 16 reps and 225 lbs x 30 reps),
• Front squat (540 lbs x 3 reps),
• Natural stone (450 lbs),

Profile

• Biceps: 54 cm (21 in)
• Neck  : 48 cm (19 in)
• Calves: 48 cm (19 in)
• Chest: 142 cm (56 in)
• Quadriceps: 80 cm (31 in)
• Height: 182 centimetres (6 feet 0 inches)
• Weight: 140 kg (310 lb)

Strongman competition history

Strong Man, Bodybuilding, Weight Lifting, Luke Skaarup: The Iron Viking

2015

• Canada's Strongest Man 2015 – Dubreuilville, ON, CAN – 9th place – injured ^[17]
• USA Classic – Giant's Live Qualifier – Martinsville, IN, USA – 8th place – DNF – re-tore left biceps
• North America's Strongest Man 2015 – Warwick, QC, CAN – 9th place – DNF – torn quad and left biceps
• Ontario's Strongest Man 2015 – Toronto, ON, CAN – 2nd place ^{[18] [ circular reference ]}
• Kings of Strength – Ancaster, ON, CAN – 1st place

2014

• Bavarian Strongman Competition – Oktoberfest – Kitchener, ON, CAN – 3rd place
• Canada's Strongest Man 2014 – Quebec City, QC, CAN – 10th place. Did not finish – torn biceps in right arm
• Thunder Bay's Strongest Man – Thunder Bay, ON, CAN – 1st place
• North America's Strongest Man 2014 – Warwick, QC, CAN – 4th place ^[19]
• Ontario's Strongest Man 2014 – Thunder Bay, ON, CAN – 1st place ^[18]
• Adrenaline Pro Strongman – Regina, SK, CAN – 1st place

2013

• Dubreuilville Strongman Challenge PRO – Dubreuilville, ON, CAN – 5th place – injured – torn right calf ^[20]
• North America's Strongest Man 2013 – Gatineau, QC, CAN – 11th place – injured – torn right calf
• Canada's Strongest Man 2013 – Quebec City, QC, CAN – 6th place ^[21]
• Saskatoon Ex – Frank's Red Hot Strongman2013 – Saskatoon, SK, CAN – 1st place
• Thunder Bay's Strongest Man 2013 – Thunder Bay, ON, CAN – 1st place ^[22]
• Strongman Champions League Canada – North America's Strongest Man Challenge – Warwick, QC, CAN – 6th place ^[23]
• Ontario's Strongest Man 2013 – Thunder Bay, ON, CAN – 4th place
• Strongman Champions League Canada – Force Supreme – Sherbrooke, QC, CAN – 9th place ^[24]

2012

• Dubreuilville Strongman Challenge PRO – Dubreuilville, ON, CAN – 3rd place ^[25]
• Canada's Strongest Man 2012 – Quebec City, Quebec, CAN – 6th place
• Thunder Bay's Strongest Man 2012 – Thunder Bay, ON, CAN – 1st place
• Ontario's Strongest Man 2012 – Kitchener, ON, CAN – 1st place ^{[18] [26]}
• Battle at the Beach II – Milwaukee, WI, USA – 3rd place (tie)
• Toronto Pro Strongman – Toronto, ON, CAN – 2nd place
• Fort Frances Pro Strongman 2012 – Fort Frances, ON, CAN – 2nd place
• World Amateur Strongman Championships 2012 – Columbus, OH, USA – 8th place ^{[27] [ circular reference ]}

2011

• Dubreuilville Strongman Challenge PRO – Dubreuilville, ON, CAN – 3rd place
• Saskatoon Ex Strongman 2011 – Saskatoon, SK, CAN – 1st place
• Winkler Harvest Fest Strongman 2011 – Winkler, MB, CAN – 1st place
• Thunder Bay's Strongest Man 2011 – Thunder Bay, ON, CAN – 1st place
• Tbaytel Dryden Pro Strongman – Dryden, ON, CAN – 3rd place
• Ontario's Strongest Man 2011 – Toronto, ON, CAN – 5th place
• Fort Frances Strongman 2011 – Fort Frances, ON, CAN – 1st place
• Teddy Bob's Strongman – Winnipeg, MB, CAN – 1st place

2010

• Bavarian Strongman Challenge – Kitchener, ON, CAN – 1st place
• Dubreuilville Strongman Challenge PRO – Dubreuilville, ON, CAN – 4th place
• Winkler Harvest Fest Strongman – Winkler, MB, CAN – 1st place
• Motors & Muscles – Thunder Bay, ON, CAN – 2nd place
• Ontario's Strongest Man – Cornwall, ON, CAN – 3rd place
• Woodstock Strongman – Woodstock, ON, CAN – 1st place
• World Amateur Strongman Championships – Columbus, OH, USA – 22nd place

2009

• North America's Strongest Man – Gatineau, QC, CAN – 12th place. Injured – torn left biceps ^[28]
• Canada's Strongest Man – Quebec City, QC, CAN – 8th place
• Quebec Cup – Cheneville Pro – Cheneville, QC, CAN – 8th place
• Ontario's Strongest Man – Kitchener, ON, CAN – 3rd place
• Rockbrune Bros Strongman – Barrie, ON, CAN – 1st place
• Woodstock Strongman – Woodstock, ON, CAN – 2nd place

2008

• Bavarian Strongman Challenge – Waterloo, ON, CAN – 3rd place
• Animal Strongman Series – FINALS – Woodstock, ON, CAN – 1st place
• Dubreuilville Strongman Challenge PRO – Dubreuilville, ON, CAN – 9th place. Injured – torn right ACL.
• Canada's Strongest Man under 105 kg – Comox Valley, BC, CAN – 2nd place (tie)
• Ontario's Strongest Man – Wawa, ON, CAN – 6th place
• Ontario's Strongest Man Qualifier – Wawa, ON, CAN – 2nd place
• Power of Dads Strongman – Ottawa, ON, CAN – 3rd place
• Animal Strongman Series – 2nd Leg – Woodstock, ON, CAN – 1st place
• Animal Strongman Series – 1st Leg – Woodstock, ON, CAN – 8th place

2007

• Steel City Strength Challenge – Hamilton, ON, CAN – 2nd place
• Woodstock Strongman – novice – Woodstock, ON, CAN – 1st place
• Ontario's Strongest Man – Ottawa, ON, CAN – 9th place

References

1. "Strongman | Strongman Corporation | Saint Charles".
2. "Adam Scherr Leads ASC Amateur Strongman World Championships". Archived from the original on March 16, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
3. "Competition Results".
4. "Jean-Francois Caron Wins Canada's Strongest Man". Archived from the original on March 16, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
5. "Canada's Strongest Man: Jean-Francois Caron Wins". Archived from the original on August 27, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
6. "Strong Man, Bodybuilding, Weight Lifting, Luke Skaarup: The Iron Viking". Archived from the original on October 9, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
7. "Christian Savoie Leads North America's Strongest Man... Team USA Ahead of Team Canada". Archived from the original on August 10, 2014. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
8. "Mike Burke Wins Festival Hommes Forts Warwick". Archived from the original on August 20, 2013. Retrieved September 1, 2013.
9. "NetNewsLedger - Luke Skaarup - Sixth in International Strongman Competition". July 8, 2013.
10. "Festival hommes forts : Brian Shaw affiche sa suprématie - Sports - la Nouvelle Union". Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved July 11, 2014.
11. "Index of /Results".
12. "OntarioStrongestMan2013.JPG (1432x490 pixels)". www.lukeskaarup.com. Archived from the original on September 1, 2013. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
13. "City of strength". TB News Watch. March 27, 2017. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
14. "Thunder Bay Strongman Luke 4th Strongest in North America". Net News Ledger. July 7, 2014. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
15. Skaarup, Luke (2018). Success Philosophy: Standing on the Shoulders of Sleeping Giants. iUniverse. ISBN   9781532046247.
16. "A Call to Arms: Europa Games Giants Live Qualifier". RX Muscle. October 22, 2014. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
17. "Luke Skaarup - Strongman Archives". Strongman Archives. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
18. Strength athletics in Canada
19. "NetNewsLedger – Thunder Bay Strongman Luke 4th Strongest in North America". July 7, 2014.
20. Ontario Forum
21. "NetNewsLedger – Thunder Bay Strongman Luke Skaarup 6th in Canadian Championships". August 19, 2013.
22. "ThunderBayStrongestMan2013.JPG (806x469 pixels)". www.lukeskaarup.com. Archived from the original on September 1, 2013. Retrieved May 22, 2022.
23. "Mike Burke Wins Festival Hommes Forts Warwick". IronMind. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
24. "Strongman Jean-Francois Caron Wins in Sherbrooke". Archived from the original on August 20, 2013. Retrieved July 26, 2013.
25. "Iron Viking snags third in Dubreuilville". Fort Frances Times. July 25, 2018. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
26. "Skaarup finally crowned Ontario's Strongest Man". Fort Frances Times. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
27. Arnold Strongman Classic
28. "Canada Wins North American Strongman Championships". IronMind. Retrieved September 29, 2025.

External links

• NetNewsLedger - Luke Skaarup - Sixth in International Strongman Competition