Nickel City Strongman and World Gym in the Elm Place Mall teamed up on Nov. 25 for a strongman competition aimed at attracting newcomers to what they say is a growing sport in the region.
The event drew about 25 competitors. Larger local events can attract around 100 people. The event was organized by Nickel City Strongman in conjunction with Strongman Canada Corp. (SCC). One of the founders of SCC, Simon Lafontant of Calgary, was on hand for the event.
He describes the strongman community as one of the most tight-knit athletic communities around.
“It’s the most encouraging community you’ll ever find and people are just seeing what their bodies can actually do when they’re pushing their limits,” Lafontant, a graduate of Collège Boréal and Laurentian University said. “Get out and try it. It’s such a beautiful community to be a part of, everybody is is incredibly supportive and I bet you will surprise yourself.”
Competitors tested their skills at three events on Saturday: the max buffalo bar squat, the max axel press and sandbag to shoulder for reps.
Jennifer Bushy from World Gym also helped organize the event. She said when she noticed the growing popularity of the sport, she reached out to Nickel City Strongman to partner on events at the gym. It’s a good fit, she said.
“It’s such a positive environment,” she said. “The sportsmanship is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”
Another of the people who helped organize the event was Pat Boileau. He echoed the sentiments about the welcoming nature of the strongman community. He said anyone who thinks they’d like to try out the sport should reach out to the Nickel City Strongman Facebook page.
“The sport offers people with different body shapes the chance to express something that they’re good at,” Boileau said. “You see all shapes and sizes here. It offers an opportunity for everyone to compete.”
One of the competitors who was on hand was Kari Thibeault, the world’s strongest adaptive woman. Sudbury.com featured the Markstay-Warren resident in a story back in October after she earned her title.
On Saturday, Thibeault set a personal best by performing a 590-pound deadlift, a feat that shocked even her.
“I was shocked. I told Emmanuel (her trainer and partner) to pick the weights and don’t tell me,” she said laughing.
Her 590-pound lift is not far off the 630-pound adaptive deadlift that a U.K. competitor is set to perform in a Guinness World Record attempt, Thibeault said.
“I’m going to try” to best that if the British competitor sets the record Thibeault said.
If you’re interested in strongman competitions and have questions, the organizers encourage you to contact Nickel City Strongman through their Facebook page.
Mark Gentili is the editor of Sudbury.com.
