World's Strongest Viking

World's Strongest Viking

Tournament information
Location	Norway (2014–2023) Finland (2023–)
Established	2014
Format	Multi-event competition
Current champion
Adam Roszkowski

World's Strongest Viking is a leading international Strongman competition organized by Strongman Champions League. It was held as a winter edition from 2014 to 2023, and as a summer edition from 2023 onwards, both with participation of top strongman athletes in the world. ^[1] At the end of each edition, the winner is conferred with the title 'World's Strongest Viking'.

History

The roots of the competition goes back to the Nordic Strongman Championships which was continued until 2013 with participation of athletes from Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark. In 2014, Giants Live upscaled it to global level, officially renaming the competition and the title to 'World's Strongest Viking'. ^[1] In 2015, Strongman Champions League took over. ^[2]

During the initial nine editions, it was held under freezing and perilous weather conditions in winter at Vinstra, Norway, testing the athletes to their limits. ^[3] The first nine editions also extensively featured vintage Viking events. Upon the introduction of summer format in 2023, the competition was shifted to the months of June to August and was held in Hämeenlinna and Joensuu in Finland.

Events

Among the most iconic events were Viking deadlift, ^[4] Viking boat pull, ^[5] Viking press, Viking ship mast super yoke, ^[6] Hercules hold, power stairs and Atlas stones. The competitions were noted for their heavily wood crafted implements and replicating historical feats of strength. One of the most legendary moments of the competitions came in 2015 when Iceland's Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson surpassed the historical 1,000 years old Viking ship mast (Ormrinn langi) feat of strength by carrying a 650 kg (1,433 lb), 10 metres (33 ft) long, 1.41 metres (4 ft 8 in) circumference Viking ship mast on his back for 5 steps in −20 °C weather. ^{[7] [8] [9]}

Championship results

Winter format(the competitions were also known by the names Giants Live Norway in 2014 and SCL Norway from 2015 to 2021).

Year	Champion	Runner-Up	3rd Place	Location
2014 [10]	Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson	David Nyström	Terry Hollands	Vinstra, Norway
2015 [11]	Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson	Krzysztof Radzikowski	Jean-François Caron	Vinstra, Norway
2016 [12]	Jean-François Caron	Matjaz Belsak	Krzysztof Radzikowski	Vinstra, Norway
2017 [13]	Jean-François Caron	Krzysztof Radzikowski	Luke Herrick	Vinstra, Norway
2018 [14]	Krzysztof Radzikowski	Dennis Kohlruss	Luke Herrick	Vinstra, Norway
2019 [15]	Krzysztof Radzikowski	Ole Martin Kristiansen	Mika Törrö	Vinstra, Norway
2020 [16]	Sean O'Hagan	Aivars Šmaukstelis	Mika Törrö	Vinstra, Norway
2021 [17]	Dainis Zageris	Kelvin de Ruiter	Henrik Hildeskor	Vinstra, Norway
2023 [18]	Johan Espenkrona	Eric Dawson	Øyvind Gustavsen	Vinstra, Norway

Summer format

Year	Champion	Runner-Up	3rd Place	Location
2023 [19]	Kane Francis	Ervin Toots	Sigfús Fossdal	Hämeenlinna, Finland
2025 [20]	Adam Roszkowski	Kevin Hazeleger	Jesper Hansson	Joensuu, Finland

Signature world records

• Viking ship mast (Ormrinn langi) carry – 650 kg (1,433 lb), 10 m (33 ft) long, 1.41 m (4 ft 8 in) circumference log for 5 steps
  Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (2015) ^{[7] [9]}

• Viking boat pull (with the sails intact) – 3,000 kg (6,614 lb)harness only/ no rope for 25 meters 'in ice terrain' - 18.87 seconds
  Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (2015) ^{[21] [11]}

• Viking boat pull (with the sails intact) – 3,000 kg (6,614 lb)harness only/ no rope for 20 meters 'in ice terrain' - 16.12 seconds
  Mika Törrö (2019) ^{[21] [15]}

• Viking boat pull (without the sails) – 3,000 kg (6,614 lb) harness only/ no rope for 25 meters 'in ice terrain' - 16.67 seconds
  Krzysztof Radzikowski (2017) ^{[21] [13]}

• Viking press (for reps) – 160 kg (353 lb) x 19 reps
  Bjørn Andre Solvang (2017) ^{[22] [13]}

• Viking sword front hold (27 kg (60 lb)) – 1 minute 33.01 seconds
  David Nyström (2014) ^{[23] [10]}

• Viking lumberjack tree-sledge pull – 900 kg (1,984 lb)harness only/ no rope for 24 meters 'in ice terrain' - 26.06 seconds
  Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (2014) ^{[21] [10]}

• Viking wheel of pain – 3,000 kg (6,614 lb) for 78.82 metres (258 ft 7 in) within a 60 seconds time limit 'in ice terrain'
  Øyvind Gustavsen (2023) ^{[24] [18]}

References

1. "World's Strongest Viking 2014". Giants Live. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
2. "World's Strongest Viking 2021". Strongman Champions League. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
3. "SCL Norway aka The World's Strongest Viking". Randall J. Strossen, IronMind Enterprises, Inc. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
4. "World's Strongest Viking 2020". Strongman Champions League. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
5. "Strongman Champions League - World's Strongest Viking 2015". YouTube. Retrieved 3 February 2015.
6. "KRZYSZTOF RADZIKOWSKI IS THE WORLD'S STRONGEST VIKING 2018". Starting Strongman. Retrieved 5 February 2018.
7. "STRENGTH RECORD, Section 09 - Hip lifts & Back carries". www.strengthrecord.com. Retrieved 11 April 2025.
8. Randall J. Strossen (1 January 2015). "Hafthor Wins World's Strongest Viking, Sets Sights on World's Strongest Man". IronMind . Retrieved 4 March 2018.
9. Kyle Newport (3 February 2015). "The Mountain from 'Game of Thrones' Breaks 1,000-Year-Old Weightlifting Record". Bleacher Report . Retrieved 4 March 2018.
10. "2014 Giants Live Norway". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
11. "2015 SCL Norway". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 31 January 2015.
12. "2016 SCL Norway". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
13. "2017 SCL Norway". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 29 January 2017.
14. "2018 SCL Norway". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
15. "2019 SCL Norway". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
16. "2020 SCL Norway". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
17. "2021 SCL Norway". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
18. "2023 World's Strongest Viking". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
19. "2023 SCL World's Strongest Viking". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
20. "2025 SCL World's Strongest Viking". strongmanarchives.com. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
21. "STRENGTH RECORD, Section 18 - Pulling". www.strengthrecord.com. Retrieved 14 April 2025.
22. "STRENGTH RECORD, Section 03 - Overhead presses". www.strengthrecord.com. Retrieved 9 April 2025.
23. "STRENGTH RECORD, Section 15 - Static holds". www.strengthrecord.com. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
24. "STRENGTH RECORD, Section 13 - Revolving, Pushing & Carrying". www.strengthrecord.com. Retrieved 12 April 2025.