The World Log Lift Championships (sometimes referred to as World Log Lift Challenge) is an annual competition featuring strength athletes from all over the world, competing exclusively in the log clean and press. Created initially as part of the Strongman Champions League, it has since been part of Giants Live and the championship has been present in both series, Giants Live running one version of the championship and the World Log Lift Federation taking over the Strongman Champions League's variant of the championship.
In its inaugural year, the Strongman Champions League introduced the World Log Lift Championships. The event had been a staple of strongman competitions since the early 1980s. Beginning with the 1980 World's Strongest Man contest, where Bill Kazmaier hoisted 157kg (346lb) to win the event and set a world record. Over eight years Kazmaier increased the record to 170kg (380lb). Jamie Reeves, winner of the 1989 World's Strongest Man contest, managed 177kg (390lb) in 1989, and 180kg (400lb) at the 1992 World Mighty Man contest in Johannesburg, South Africa..
It was ten years before 2001 World's Strongest Man winner Svend Karlsen set a new record of 185kg (408lb) at the Strongman Super Series event in Sweden. In 2003, Hugo Girard set a new record at the Strongman Super Series event in Canada with 186kg (410lb). In 2004, Žydrūnas Savickas set a new record of 188kg (414lb), and Raimunds Bergmanis brought the record up to 190kg (420lb) at the Strongman Super Series event in Moscow.
Savickas began his long reign over the log lift world record starting in 2005, bringing it up to 200kg (400lb) in Hungary, and then again at the 2005 IFSA European Championships in Riga, Latvia with 202.5kg (446.4lb). Savickas set another new record in 2006, bringing it up to 205kg (452lb).
In 2008 Savickas broke the record twice more, with marks of 207.5kg (457.5lb) kg and 210kg (460lb). Savickas set yet another world record of 212.5kg (468.5lb) at the 2009 World Log Lift Championship.
Savickas had a banner year of world records in 2012. He set records of 215kg (474lb) at the 2011 SCL Finals in Sarajevo, Bosnia on 7 February 2012, 216 kg at the 2012 Europe's Strongest Man contest in Leeds, England on 23 June, and yet another world record of 217.5kg (479.5lb) at the SCL Holland event in Zevenaar, Netherlands on 30 June 2012. Savickas' final world record of 2012 was 220kg (490lb), set during the finals of the 2012 World's Strongest Man contest which he eventually won, marking his third WSM title, and his tenth consecutive log lift world record.
In 2013, Savickas set another world record at the 2013 Europe's Strongest Man in Leeds, England with a lift of 221kg (487lb). Savickas' last world record was 228kg (503lb), set in 2015 in Brazil, marking his sixteenth break of the world record.
The current world record is 230 kg (507 lb) set by Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou at the 2023 World Log Lift Championship, part of the Giants Live World Tour Finals in Glasgow, Scotland.
| Champion | Country | Times | Years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 GL, 2018 WLLF | |||
| 4 | 2018 GL, 2019 GL, 2022 GL, 2023 | |||
| 3 | 2015 GL, 2017, 2021 | |||
| 2 | 2015 WLLF, 2016 | |||
| 2 | 2015 GL, 2018 GL | |||
| 2 | 2021, 2022 GL |
| Weight | Competitor | Event | World Record? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 230kg (510lb) | 2023 World Log Lift Championships | Yes | |
| 2 | 229kg (505lb) | 2021 Giants Live World Tour Finals | Yes | |
| 3 | 228kg (503lb) | 2015 Arnold Strongman Classic Brazil | Yes | |
| 4 | 227kg (500lb) | 2014 Giants Live Poland | Yes | |
| 5 | 223kg (492lb) | 2014 Arnold Strongman Classic Brazil | Yes | |
| 6 | 222.5kg (490.5lb) | 2013 World Log Lift Championships | Yes | |
| 7 | 221kg (487lb) | 2013 Europe's Strongest Man | Yes | |
| 2020 WUS Feats of Strength Event 16 | No | |||
| 9 | 220kg (490lb) | 2012 World's Strongest Man | Yes | |
| 2019 World Log Lift Championships | No | |||
| 2020 Europe's Strongest Man | No |
| Weight | Competitor | Year | Record Set | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 230kg (510lb) | 2023 | World Record | |
| 2 | 222.5kg (490.5lb) | 2013 | World Record | |
| 3 | 220kg (490lb) | 2019 | Burkinabé Record | |
| 4 | 218kg (481lb) | 2022 | - | |
| - | ||||
| 6 | 215kg (474lb) | 2018 (WLLF) | - | |
| 9 | 214kg (472lb) | 2019 (GL) | American Record | |
| English Record | ||||
| - | ||||
| 10 | 213kg (470lb) | 2018 (GL) | English Record | |
| Burkinabé Record | ||||
| Icelandic Record |
| Region | Weight | Athlete | Nation | Year set | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | 230kg (510lb) | Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou | Burkina Faso | 2023 | |
| Asia-Pacific | 207.5kg (457.5lb) | Rongo Keene |  Australia | 2019 | |
| Europe | 228kg (503lb) | Žydrūnas Savickas |  Lithuania | 2015 | |
| North, Central America and Caribbean | 217.5kg (479.5lb) | Bobby Thompson 1 |  United States | 2021 | |
| South America | 182.5kg (402.3lb) | Marcos Ferrari |  Brazil | 2016 |
1 Cheick Sanou, who is a Canadian citizen, has the heaviest lift for this region at 230kg (510lb), but is not listed as he has declared for Burkina Faso.
NOTE: When competitors finish on the same weight, the results are sorted by the competitors' body weights with the lightest being given a higher position.
Zydrunas Savickas entered the 2008 Log Lift World Championships as the clear favorite, and intended to set a new record with 212.5kg (468.5lb). Savickas' competitors included Mikhail Koklyaev, Ervin Katona, Sebastian Wenta, Oleksandr Lashyn, Tobias Ide, Agris Kazelniks, Oleksandr Pekanaov, Krzysztof Radzikowski and Saulius Brusokas.[1]
The competition, held in Lithuania, saw each lift judged by three officials similar to Powerlifting and Olympic Weightlifting. The referees were Strongman Champions League founders Ilkka Kinnunen, Marcel Mostert and Latvian weighlifter Viktors Ščerbatihs, who had won the bronze medal in the +105kg (231lb) superheavyweight class at the recent Beijing Olympics. One of the strongest contenders, Oleksandr Pekanov, who had a personal best of 190kg (420lb) missed his opener of 180kg (400lb) three times. However, a number of other athletes came away with personal records, and two National Records were set. Zydrunas Savickas missed his world record attempt of 212.5kg (468.5lb), but won the championships with his lift of 200kg (400lb).[2]
| Name | Log Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Žydrūnas Savickas | 200kg (400lb) |
| 2 |  Mikhail Koklyaev | 195kg (430lb) |
| 2 |  Oleksandr Lashyn | 195kg (430lb) |
| 2 |  Sebastian Wenta | 195kg (430lb) |
| 5 | Krzysztof Radzikowski | 180kg (400lb) |
| 6 | Ervin Katona | 180kg (400lb) |
| 7 | Agris Kazeļņiks | 170kg (380lb) |
| 8 | Saulius Brusokas | 160kg (350lb) |
| 9 | Tobias Ide | 160kg (350lb) |
| Nation | Name | Log Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Russian | Mikhail Koklyaev | 195kg (430lb) |
| Polish | Sebastian Wenta | 195kg (430lb) |
| Serbian | Ervin Katona | 180kg (400lb) |
The championships took place in Kaunas, Lithuania on 21 November 2009.
| Name | Log Weight | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Žydrūnas Savickas | 212.5kg (468.5lb) | |
| 2 | Krzysztof Radzikowski | 195kg (430lb) | |
| 3 | Vidas Blekaitis | 190kg (420lb) | |
| 4 |  Ervin Katona | 180kg (400lb) | |
| 5 | Saulius Brusokas | 170kg (380lb) | |
| 6 | Agris Kazeļņiks | 165kg (364lb) | |
| 7 | Marys Leitis | 165kg (364lb) | |
| 8 | Aleksandr Mantserov | 160kg (350lb) | |
| 9 | Dainis Zageris | 150kg (330lb) |
| Nation | Name | Log Weight |
|---|---|---|
| World | Žydrūnas Savickas | 212.5kg (468.5lb) |
| Lithuanian | Žydrūnas Savickas | 212.5kg (468.5lb) |
| Polish (Equalled) | Krzysztof Radzikowski | 195kg (430lb) |
The Log Lift Championships were not held in 2010, and was moved up to February 2011 to kick off the 2011 season of SCL.[5]
The 2011 World Log Lift Championships were held in Siemens Arena in Vilnius, Lithuania on 12 February 2011 to kick off the 2011 SCL season. Key competitors were reigning champion Zydrunas Savickas, Vidas Blekaitis and Vytautas Lalas who finished in the top 3 places respectively, with Zavickas winning his 3rd straight log lift title. There were 12 athletes in total, 3 athletes failed their opening weight on all 3 attempts.[6] The event was broadcast live on Eurosport.[7]
| Name | Log Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Žydrūnas Savickas | 192.5kg (424.4lb) |
| 2 | Vidas Blekaitis | 190kg (420lb) |
| 3 | Vytautas Lalas | 185kg (408lb) |
| 3 | Patrick Baboumian | 185kg (408lb) |
| 3 | Ervin Katona | 185kg (408lb) |
| 6 | Warrick Brant | 182.5kg (402.3lb) |
| 7 |  Bjørn Andrè Solvang | 175kg (386lb) |
| 8 | Agris Kazeļņiks | 175kg (386lb) |
| 9 | Marshall White | 170kg (380lb) |
| Nation | Name | Log Weight |
|---|---|---|
| German | Patrick Baboumian | 185kg (408lb) |
| Serbian | Ervin Katona | 185kg (408lb) |
| Australian | Warrick Brant | 182.5kg (402.3lb) |
The 2012 World Log Lift Championships were held in Siemens Arena in Vilnius, Lithuania on Sunday 7 October 2012.[8]
| Name | Log Weight | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Žydrūnas Savickas | 210kg (460lb) | |
| 2 | Krzysztof Radzikowski | 207.5kg (457.5lb) | |
| 3 | Vytautas Lalas | 200kg (400lb) | |
| 3 | Vidas Blekaitis | 200kg (400lb) | |
| 3 | Mikhail Koklyaev | 200kg (400lb) (NR) | |
| 6 |  Johannes Årsjö | 185kg (408lb) | |
| 7 |  Jean-François "JF" Caron | 170kg (380lb) | |
| 8 | Ervin Katona | 170kg (380lb) | |
| 9 | Alex Moonen | 170kg (380lb) | |
| 10 |  Juha-Matti Jarvi | 170kg (380lb) | |
| X | Ettiene Smit | No lift | |
The 2013 World Log Lift Championships were held in Siemens Arena in Vilnius, Lithuania on Saturday 19 October 2013. Savickas set a new world record with a lift of 222.5kg (490.5lb).[9]
| Name | Log Weight | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Žydrūnas Savickas | 222.5kg (490.5lb) | |
| 2 | Vidas Blekaitis | 205kg (452lb) | |
| 3 | Krzysztof Radzikowski | 200kg (400lb) | |
| 4 | Dainis Zageris | 185kg (408lb) | |
| 5 | Matt Wanat | 180kg (400lb) |
| Nation | Name | Log Weight |
|---|---|---|
| World | Žydrūnas Savickas | 222.5kg (490.5lb) |
| Lithuanian | Žydrūnas Savickas | 222.5kg (490.5lb) |
The 2015 World Log Lift Championships were held at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, England on 14 February 2015. Savickas attempted to set a new world record with a lift of 228kg (503lb) but narrowly failed.[10]
| Name | Log Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graham Hicks | 211kg (465lb) |
| 1 | Eddie Hall | 211kg (465lb) |
| 1 | Žydrūnas Savickas | 211kg (465lb) |
| 4 | Dimitar Savatinov | 200kg (400lb) |
| 5 | Krzysztof Radzikowski | 180kg (400lb) |
| 6 | Rob Frampton | 180kg (400lb) |
| 7 |  Benedikt Magnússon | 180kg (400lb) |
| 8 | Robert Oberst | 180kg (400lb) |
| 9 | Michael Blumstein | 160kg (350lb) |
| 10 | Brian Irwin | 160kg (350lb) |
| 11 | Nick Best | 160kg (350lb) |
| 12 | Luke Stoltman | 160kg (350lb) |
| X | Adam Bishop | No lift |
| Nation | Name | Log Weight |
|---|---|---|
| English | Graham Hicks | 211kg (465lb) |
| English | Eddie Hall | 211kg (465lb) |
The 2016 World Log Lift Championships were held at the SCL Lithuania event in Vilnius. [11]
| Name | Log Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rob Kearney | 202.5kg (446.4lb) |
| 1 | Vidas Blekaitis | 202.5kg (446.4lb) |
| 3 | Vytautas Lalas | 200kg (400lb) |
| 4 | Dimitar Savatinov | 195kg (430lb) |
| 5 | Graham Hicks | 190kg (420lb) |
| 6 | Dainis Zageris | 190kg (420lb) |
| 7 | Gregorz Szymanski | 190kg (420lb) |
| 8 | Bjørn Andrè Solvang | 185kg (408lb) |
| 9 | Marcos Ferrari | 182.5kg (402.3lb) |
| 10 |  Matjaz Belsak | 180kg (400lb) |
| 11 | Saulius Brusokas | 175kg (386lb) |
| 12 | Patrick Baboumian | 170kg (380lb) |
The 2017 World Log Lift Championships were held at the SCL Lithuania event in Vilnius. [12]
| Name | Log Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Graham Hicks | 192.5kg (424.4lb) |
| 2 | Vidas Blekaitis | 180kg (400lb) |
| 2 | Vytautas Lalas | 180kg (400lb) |
| 4 | Alex Moonen | 170kg (380lb) |
| 5 | Dennis Kohlruss | 170kg (380lb) |
| 6 |  Jiří Vytiska | 170kg (380lb) |
| 7 | Marcin Sendwicki | 170kg (380lb) |
| 8 | Martynas Brusokas | 167kg (368lb) |
| 9 | Jared Leask | 165kg (364lb) |
| 10 |  Ivan Makarov | 160kg (350lb) |
| 11 | Oskars Martuzāns | 160kg (350lb) |
| 12 | Will Baggott | 160kg (350lb) |
The 2018 World Log Lift Championships were held at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England, as the opening event for Europe's Strongest Man. Two strongmen attempted to set a new world record with a lift of | 230kg (510lb) but both failed.
| Name | Log Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eddie Hall | 213kg (470lb) |
| 1 | Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou | 213kg (470lb) |
| 1 | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | 213kg (470lb) |
| 4 | Rob Kearney | 200kg (400lb) |
| 5 | Graham Hicks | 200kg (400lb) |
| 6 | Konstantine Janashia | 200kg (400lb) |
| 7 | Krzysztof Radzikowski | 200kg (400lb) |
| 8 | Žydrūnas Savickas | 200kg (400lb) |
| 9 | Matjaz Belsak | 190kg (420lb) |
| 10 | Robert Oberst | 190kg (420lb) |
| 11 | Mateusz Kieliszkowski | 175kg (386lb) |
| 12 | Vytautas Lalas | 175kg (386lb) |
| X | Terry Hollands | No lift |
| X | Mark Felix | No lift |
| Nation | Name | Log Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Burkinabé | Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou | 213kg (470lb) |
| English | Eddie Hall | 213kg (470lb) |
| Icelandic | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | 213kg (470lb) |
| Georgian | Konstantine Janashia | 200kg (400lb) |
In 2019, there were two World Log Lift Championships, the first of which was held at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England, again, as the opening event for Europe's Strongest Man. Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou attempted to set a new world record with a lift of 229kg (505lb) but narrowly failed.[13] The second championship was run by the World Log Lift Federation in Lithuania
| Name | Log Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou | 220kg (490lb) |
| 2 | Rob Kearney | 214kg (472lb) |
| 2 | Graham Hicks | 214kg (472lb) |
| 2 | Mateusz Kieliszkowski | 214kg (472lb) |
| 5 | Larry "Wheels" Williams | 203kg (448lb) |
| 6 | Konstantine Janashia | 203kg (448lb) |
| 7 | Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson | 203kg (448lb) |
| 8 | Mikhail Shivlyakov | 190kg (420lb) |
| 9 | Tom Stoltman | 190kg (420lb) |
| 10 | Luke Stoltman | 190kg (420lb) |
| 11 | Laurence Shahlaei | 175kg (386lb) |
| X | Adam Bishop | No lift |
| X | Mark Felix | No lift |
| Nation | Name | Log Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Burkinabé | Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou | 220kg (490lb) |
| English | Graham Hicks | 214kg (472lb) |
| American | Rob Kearney | 214kg (472lb) |
| Georgian | Konstantine Janashia | 203kg (448lb) |
| Name | Log Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rongo Keene | 207.5kg (457.5lb) |
| 2 | Vidas Blekaitis | 200kg (400lb) |
| 2 |  František Piros | 200kg (400lb) |
| 2 | Jared Leask | 200kg (400lb) |
| 5 | Joachim Gustafsson | 192.5kg (424.4lb) |
| 6 | Robert Cyrwus | 190kg (420lb) |
| 7 | Didzis Zariņš | 190kg (420lb) |
| 8 | Oleg Pylypiak | 185kg (408lb) |
| 9 | Jiří Vytiska | 180kg (400lb) |
| Nation | Name | Log Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Australian | Rongo Keene | 207.5kg (457.5lb) |
| Slovak | František Piros | 200kg (400lb) |
| South African | Jared Leask | 200kg (400lb) |
| World Junior | Oleg Pylypiak | 185kg (408lb) |
The 2021 World Log Lift Championships were held at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England, as the opening event for Europe's Strongest Man.[14]
| Name | Log Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luke Stoltman | 195kg (430lb) |
| 1 | Graham Hicks | 195kg (430lb) |
| 3 | Oleksii Novikov | 180kg (400lb) |
| X | Marius Lalas | No lift |
| X |  Rauno Heinla | No lift |
| X |  Pa O'Dwyder | No lift |
| X | Adam Bishop | No lift |
| X | Ervin Toots | No lift |
| X | Johnny Hansson | No lift |
| X | Gavin Bilton | No lift |
The 2022 World Log Lift Championships were held at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England, as the opening event for Europe's Strongest Man.
| Name | Log Weight | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou | 218kg (481lb) |
| 1 | Luke Stoltman | 218kg (481lb) |
| 3 | Bobby Thompson | 200kg (400lb) |
| 4 | Pavlo Kordiyaka | 185kg (408lb) |
| 5 | Oleksii Novikov | 185kg (408lb) |
| 6 | Eyþór Ingólfsson Melsteð | 185kg (408lb) |
| 7 | Marius Lalas | 170kg (380lb) |
| 8 | Shane Flowers | 170kg (380lb) |
| 9 | Konstantine Janashia | 170kg (380lb) |
| 10 | Gavin Bilton | 170kg (380lb) |
| X | Rauno Heinla | No lift |
| X | Pa O'Dwyer | No lift |
| X | Aivars Šmaukstelis | No lift |
| X | Kelvin de Ruiter | No lift |
The 2023 World Log Lift Championships were held at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland, as the opening event for the Giants Live World Tour Finals.
| Name | Log Weight | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou | 230kg (510lb) | |
| 2 | Tom Stoltman | 210kg (460lb) | |
| 3 | Pavlo Kordiyaka | 200kg (400lb) | |
| 3 | Tyler Cotton | 200kg (400lb) | |
| 3 | Mitchell Hooper | 200kg (400lb) | |
| 3 | Luke Stoltman | 200kg (400lb) | |
| 7 | Ondřej Fojtů | 186kg (410lb) | |
| 8 |  Mathew Ragg | 186kg (410lb) | |
| 9 |  Evans Aryee | 170kg (380lb) | |
| 10 | Gavin Bilton | 170kg (380lb) | |
| 11 | Eddie Williams | 170kg (380lb) | |
| X | Conor Curran | No lift | |
| X | Pa O'Dwyer | No lift |
| Nation | Name | Log Weight |
|---|---|---|
| World | Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou | 230kg (510lb) |
| Burkinabé | Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou | 230kg (510lb) |
Jared Leask