THUNDER BAY – Sports – On July 6 & 7th, Thunder Bay strongman Luke Skaarup was in action at the Strongman Champions League Canada- North American Strongman Challenge in Warwick, Quebec. The two day competition featured six of the top strength athletes from Canada vs. USA in a nation vs. Nation battle. The competition featured top pro strongmen such as Michael Burke, Jason Bergman, Karl Gillingham, Louis-Phillipe Jean, Christian Savoie, Scott Cummine, Luke Skaarup, Paul Vaillancourt and more.
The competitors competed in eight tests of strength over the weekend including the transport truck pull, farmer’s walk, log press medley, atlas stones, fingal fingers, yoke, Hercules hold, and the medley. In the end it was the current America’s Strongest Man, Michael Burke, who came out on top, just edging former Canada’s Strongest Man and defending Warwick North American Champion, Louis Phillipe Jean, for the win. They were closely followed by Christian Savoie, Jason Bergmann, Karl Gillingham and Thunder Bay’s Luke Skaarup. The team of Canadian Pro Strongmen beat their US rivals by a score of 320 to 299.
Prior to the competition Skaarup said “The event I’m looking forward to the most is the Yoke and the event that I’m looking forward to the least is the atlas stones since the heat and humidity will make the stones hot and slippery”. Turns out he did well in both events by finishing the 940lbs yoke carry in 34s and by loading four atlas stones in 28s.
This is the best placing by a Thunder Bay athlete ever at the North America’s Strongest Man competition. Previously, Kyle Rayner had placed 11th in 2012 and Luke Skaarup had placed 12th in 2009.
The competition will be broadcast on D channel on French television later this year.
Final Results
1 Michael Burke Jr. 89
2 Louis-Philippe Jean 87
3 Christian Savoie 73
4 Jason Bergmann 67
5 Karl Gillighan 54
6 Luke Skaarup 53
7 Paul Vaillancourt 44
8 Steve Schmidt 41
9 Maxime Boudreault 35
10 Joel Dircks 31
11 Scott Cummine 28
12 Dale Schumaker 17
You can catch top local strongmen Luke Skaarup, Kyle Rayner, and Dallas Hogan in action this weekend on Saturday July 13th from 2 to 6pm at Paulucci’s Bar & Grill at 1019 Gore St W in Thunder Bay as they compete in the 3rd annual Thunder Bay’s Strongest Man and Arm-Wrestling Contest.
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