| Competition Name: | 2018 Arnold Strongman Classic |
| Dates: | 2-3 March 2018 |
| Venue: | Greater Columbus Convention Center |
| Location: | Ohio, Columbus |
| Country: |  United States |
| Athletes Participating: | 10 |
| Nations Participating: | 8 |
| Winner: |  Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson |
| Prev: | 2017 |
| Next: | 2019 |
The 2018 Arnold Strongman Classic was a strongman contest that took place in Ohio, Columbus from 2–3 March 2018 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.[1] The Arnold Strongman Classic is the finale of the Arnold Strongman Tour and is seen as one of the biggest and most prestigious strongmen events on the circuit.[2] [3]
After continuous progression in the competition, coming 10th in 2012, 8th in 2013, 5th in 2014, 7th in 2015, 5th in 2016, and finally 2nd in 2017, Iceland's Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson won his first Arnold Strongman Classic after defeating the winner from 2017, the American Brian Shaw, who came 2nd. Russia's Mikhail Shivlyakov secured 3rd place.
To qualify for the Arnold Strongman Classic, athletes have to either win a sanctioned event on the Arnold Classic Tour (for example: Arnold Europe, Arnold Australia, Arnold Africa, and Arnold South America) or gain enough points to be invited through a wildcard system.[3] Athletes that qualified (in alphabetical order/ surname) are as follows:[4]
Matjaz Belsak (Slovenia), Hafthor Björnsson (Iceland), Jean-Francois Caron (Canada), Rauno Heinla (Estonia), Mateusz Kieliszkowski (Poland), Mateusz Ostazsewski (Poland), Jerry Pritchett (USA), Dimitar Savatinov (Bulgaria), Brian Shaw (USA) and Mikhael Shivlyakov (Russia).
Reserve: Vytautas Lalas (Lithuania)[5]
Contestants have to throw heavy sandbags from 'a duck walk to an overhead position' over a high bar.
| Name | Nationality | Final Weight | Event Pts | Overall Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | Iceland | 95 lb (43 kg) | 10 | 10 | |
| 2 | Brian Shaw | United States | 90 lb (41 kg) | 9 | 9 | |
| 3 | Mikhail Shivlyakov | 80 lb (36 kg) | 8 | 8 | ||
| 4 | JF Caron |  Canada | 75 lb (34 kg) | 7 | 7 | |
| 5 | Mateusz Kieliszkowski |  Poland | 70 lb (32 kg) | 5.5 | 5.5 | |
| 5 | Matjaz Belsak |  Slovenia | 70 lb (32 kg) | 5.5 | 5.5 | |
| 7 | Rauno Heinla |  Estonia | 65 lb (29 kg) | 4 | 4 | |
| 8 | Jerry Pritchett | United States | 60 lb (27 kg) | 3 | 3 | |
| 9 | Dimitar Savatinov |  Bulgaria | 55 lb (25 kg) | 1.5 | 1.5 | |
| 9 | Mateusz Ostaszewski | Poland | 55 lb (25 kg) | 1.5 | 1.5 |
Contestants have to hoist the legendary Odd Haugen's Tombstone to their shoulder for many reps as possible.
| Name | Nationality | Points | Event Pts | Overall Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mateusz Kieliszkowski | Poland | 20 | 10 | 15.5 | |
| 2 | Mikhail Shivlyakov | 9 | 9 | 17 | ||
| 3 | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | Iceland | 6 | 8 | 18 | |
| 4 | Brian Shaw | United States | 4 | 6.5 | 15.5 | |
| 4 | Matjaz Belsak | Slovenia | 4 | 6.5 | 12 | |
| 6 | JF Caron | Canada | 3 | 4.5 | 11.5 | |
| 6 | Rauno Heinla | Estonia | 3 | 4.5 | 8.5 | |
| 8 | Dimitar Savatinov | Bulgaria | 2 | 3 | 4.5 | |
| 9 | Mateusz Ostaszewski | Poland | 1 | 1.5 | 3 | |
| 9 | Jerry Pritchett | United States | 1 | 1.5 | 4.5 |
Also known as the Frame Carry, contestants have to lift heavy barn timbers bolted together and travel up an inclined ramp.
| Name | Nationality | Time or Distance | Event Pts | Overall Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jerry Pritchett | United States | 9.58 secs | 10 | 14.5 | |
| 2 | Brian Shaw | United States | 10.03 secs | 9 | 24.5 | |
| 3 | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | Iceland | 11.80 secs | 8 | 26 | |
| 4 | Mateusz Kieliszkowski | Poland | 33' 2" | 7 | 22.5 | |
| 5 | Mikhail Shivlyakov | 24' 5" | 6 | 23 | ||
| 6 | JF Caron | Canada | 18' 10" | 5 | 16.5 | |
| 7 | Dimitar Savatinov | Bulgaria | 15' 6" | 4 | 8.5 | |
| 8 | Mateusz Ostaszewski | Poland | 14' 6" | 3 | 6 | |
| 9 | Matjaz Belsak | Slovenia | 13' 7" | 2 | 14 | |
| 10 | Rauno Heinla | Estonia | 1' 2" | 1 | 9.5 |
Contestants are required to lift a specially designed extra whipping long bar with Arnold Schwarzenegger inscribed weight plates from a standard 9" height. The apparatus was designed and manufactured by Rogue Fitness.
| Name | Nationality | Final Weight | Event Pts | Overall Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | Iceland | 472 kg (1,041 lb) | 10 | 36 | |
| 2 | JF Caron | Canada | 463 kg (1,021 lb) | 9 | 25.5 | |
| 3 | Brian Shaw | United States | 460 kg (1,014 lb) | 8 | 32.5 | |
| 4 | Jerry Pritchett | United States | 444 kg (979 lb) | 7 | 21.5 | |
| 5 | Mikhail Shivlyakov | 426 kg (939 lb) | 6 | 29 | ||
| 6 | Rauno Heinla | Estonia | 424 kg (935 lb) | 5 | 14.5 | |
| 7 | Dimitar Savatinov | Bulgaria | 422 kg (931 lb) | 4 | 12.5 | |
| 8 | Matjaz Belsak | Slovenia | 401 kg (884 lb) | 3 | 17 | |
| 9 | Mateusz Kieliszkowski | Poland | 370 kg (816 lb) | 2 | 24.5 | |
| 10 | Mateusz Ostaszewski | Poland | DNF | 1 | 7 |
A unique barbell made famous by the traditional strongman Louis 'Apollon' Uni, reproduced by Ivanko Barbell Company, the Axle is a replica of the original with the same bar thickness.
| Name | Nationality | Repetitions | Event Pts | Overall Pts | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | Iceland | 4 reps | 10 | 46 | |
| 2 | Brian Shaw | United States | 3 reps + 1 clean | 9 | 41.5 | |
| 3 | Rauno Heinla | Estonia | 2 reps + 1 clean | 8 | 22.5 | |
| 4 | Matjaz Belsak | Slovenia | 1 rep + 1 clean | 7 | 24 | |
| 5 | Dimitar Savatinov | Bulgaria | 1 rep | 6 | 18.5 | |
| 6 | Mateusz Kieliszkowski | Poland | 0 reps + 2 cleans | 4.5 | 29 | |
| 6 | Mateusz Ostaszewski | Poland | 0 reps + 2 cleans | 4.5 | 11.5 | |
| 8 | Jerry Pritchett | United States | 0 reps + 1 clean | 2.5 | 24 | |
| 8 | JF Caron | Canada | 0 reps + 1 clean | 2.5 | 28 | |
| 10 | Mikhail Shivlyakov | No lift | 1 | 30 |
| Name | Nationality | Points | Prize money | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | Iceland | 46 | $72,000[7] | |
| 2 | Brian Shaw | United States | 41.5 | $22,000 | |
| 3 | Mikhail Shivlyakov | 30 | $17,000 | ||
| 4 | Mateusz Kieliszkowski | Poland | 29 | $12,000 | |
| 5 | JF Caron | Canada | 28 | $10,000 | |
| 6 | Jerry Pritchett | United States | 24 | $6,500 | |
| 6 | Matjaz Belsak | Slovenia | 24 | $6,500 | |
| 8 | Rauno Heinla | Estonia | 22.5 | $4,000 | |
| 9 | Dimitar Savatinov | Bulgaria | 18.5 | $3,000 | |
| 10 | Mateusz Ostaszewski | Poland | 11.5 | $2,000 |