Brian Shaw is one of the greatest Strongman athletes of all time, having made the sport reach the next level during his lengthy career. However, having reached the age of 41-years-old, Brian has decided to bring his career to an end, and what better place to do it, then at his own competition. So, his final ever professional Strongman appearance will be at the 2023 Shaw Classic, which will take place on August 19-20. With a few months still left to go, Brian decided to announce the events for the fourth edition of the Shaw Classic on his YouTube channel.
The benefits of revealing the events this early can be significant, as the athletes have more time to prepare, which would make for a more competitive lineup as well. Brian Shaw has also revealed that the only goal is “finding the strongest man on earth”. So, after some long discussions, testing, and deliberation, he has decided to pick the following eight events.
2023 Shaw Classic Events
- Log Medley
- Max Hummer Tire Deadlift
- Wheelbarrow & Arm Over Arm Medley
- Bag Toss
- Car Leg Press
- Atlas Stones
- Bench Press
- Fingal Fingers & Power Stairs Medley
Related: 2022 Shaw Classic Results and Recap — Trey Mitchell Defends His Title
Log Medley
The first event of the 2023 Shaw Classic will be the Log Medley, which will feature an option of three progressively heavier different logs. The goal is to perform as many reps as possible, but if someone completes even one rep with a heavier log, he will place ahead of others who completed any number of reps with the lighter log.
“With this, we are rewarding maximum strength.”
Max Hummer Tire Deadlift
The Max Hummer Tire Deadlift is becoming an iconic event of the Shaw Classic. So, Brian could not leave it out this year as well. At the inaugural edition of the Shaw Classic, we saw JF Caron set a new World Record in this event. However, Oleksii Novikov managed to break it at the 2022 Shaw Classic edition with a lift of 1,210 pounds. In addition, Oleksii has already announced another World Record attempt this year as well.
Wheelbarrow & Arm Over Arm Medley
The third event of the 2023 Shaw Classic will push the participants to their limits, as both strength and endurance will be crucial for a solid placement. They will first have to load some implements into a wheelbarrow and then move it for a set distance. Following that, they will go into an arm over arm pull and aim to complete the event in the quickest time possible.
“You are going to have to move quickly. You are going to have to have big grip strength for this event.”
Bag Toss
The fourth on the list of 2023 Shaw Classic events is the bag toss, and it is a true test of explosiveness and coordination. The athletes will face a series of progressively heavier bags, with the final one weighing 65 pounds. The event will be timed, so the goal is to complete the event as quickly as possible.
Car Leg Press
Finding its way back in the list of events for the 2023 Shaw Classic will be the Car Leg Press. It was specifically made for the previous edition of the show and was quite a sight to see. Now, Brian and his team have taken the feedback and worked to improve the event even further. The fact that this event has not been witnessed elsewhere is what makes it a truly distinctive characteristic of Brian Shaw’s competition.
Atlas Stones
The Atlas Stones usually conclude Strongman competitions, but that will not be the case at the 2023 Shaw Classic. Instead, they are the sixth event, meaning two more remain after. Shaw has revealed that it will be a five-stone series and that it will start heavy and finish heavy.
Bench Press
The penultimate event of the 2023 Shaw Classic is the Bench Press, which is definitely surprising to see. While the bench press is one of the greatest tests of strength for people all around the world, it is not often seen in the Strongman scene. However, there is still a twist, as Brian has ordered a custom piece of equipment, enabling the athletes to complete the bench press in a standing upright position “so you can see their body and see what is happening”.
Fingal Fingers & Power Stairs Medley
The final event is another unique and original test finding its place at the 2023 Shaw Classic. It will feature Fingal Fingers and Power Stairs, which will be performed as a medley. The weights and number of implements are not yet decided, as they still need to perform more testing in order to find the optimal mixture.
Watch the video here:
Related: Trifecta Nutrition CEO Says It Costs Over $60,000 A Year to Feed Strongman Brian Shaw
2023 Shaw Classic Lineup
- Trey Mitchell
- Mitchell Hooper
- Oleksii Novikov
- Maxime Boudreault
- Kevin Faires
- Aivars Šmaukstelis
- Evan Singleton
- Bobby Thompson
- Luke Stoltman
- Tom Stoltman
- Adam Bishop
- Graham Hicks
- Pavlo Nakonechnyy
- Thomas Evans
- Brian Shaw
Considering that the 2023 Shaw Classic will mark Brian Shaw’s departure from the sport, he has extra
motivation to make it one of the best Strongman competitions in the world. He wants to make his final moments as great as possible, which is why some new events have found their place in the competition. So, everything insinuates that it will be an exciting show for viewers around the world.
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