The 2023 Giants Live Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM) competition is in the history books. Ukraine’s Pavlo Kordiyaka is the new champion. Kordiyaka was dominant throughout most of the competition, winning three out of the five events in the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England.
This is Kordiyaka’s first ESM title. His next contest will be the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) competition, taking place April 19-23, 2023, in Myrtle Beach, SC. The 2023 ESM competition was streamed live on the Official Strongman website, and the final points standings are below:
2023 Europe’s Strongest Man Results
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — 57.5 points
- Oleksii Novikov — 53.5 points
- Aivars Smaulstelis — 51.5 points
- Eythor Melsted — 45.5 points
- Adam Bishop — 41.5 points
- Shane Flowers — 37 points
- Pa O’Dwyer — 36.5 points
- Konstantine Janashia — 30.5 points
- Dennis Kohlruss — 26 points
- Paul Smith — 25.5 points
- Gavin Bilton — 17.5 points
- Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf — 16.5 points
- Graham Hicks — Eight points
2020 WSM Oleksii Novikov was the defending champion heading into this contest. He finished as the runner-up, and Aivars Šmaukstelis of Latvia joined him on the podium as the third-place finisher.
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Event One — Log Lift Ladder
The single-day competition kicked off with the Log Lift Ladder. The five logs weighed in a range of 120 to 180 kilograms (264 to 396 pounds). The strongman who lifted all five logs to the shoulders and up to a lockout, as approved by a judge, in the fastest time would be the winner. There was a time cap of 60 seconds:
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — Five in 52.55 seconds
- Oleksii Novikov — Four in 38.35 seconds
- Eythor Melsted — Four in 40.98 seconds
- Aivars Šmaukstelis — Four in 43.58 seconds
- Paul Smith — Three in 27.83 seconds
- Graham Hicks — Three in 29.09 seconds
- Dennis Kohlruss — Three in 30.66 seconds
- Gavin Bilton — Three in 33.51 seconds
- Konstantine Janashia — Three in 33.54 seconds
- Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf — Three in 37.27 seconds
- Shane Flowers — Two in 12.2 seconds
- Pa O’Dwyer — Two in 14.41 seconds
- Adam Bishop — Two in 17.01 seconds
It isn’t a surprise that a Ukrainian won this event, but it was not Novikov. Kordiyaka was the only strongman to complete all five logs. He got the job done in a little over 52 seconds. Novikov came in second, and rounding out the top three was Eythor Melsted.
Event Two — Loading Race
This event, called the “Load and Push,” consisted of three implements to be carried and pushed — an anvil, a sandbag, and a tire placed at various points of a course.
The competitors faced off in pairs. They had one minute to run to each object, carry them back to a large wheelbarrow, and then push the wheelbarrow to the other end of the course. The fastest time garnered first-place points:
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — 44.14 seconds
- Oleksii Novikov — 46.07 seconds
- Adam Bishop — 49.8 seconds
- Aivars Šmaukstelis — 50.26 seconds
- Shane Flowers — 50.94 seconds
- Gavin Bilton — 51.75 seconds
- Pa O’Dwyer — 52.19 seconds
- Paul Smith — 52.69 seconds
- Konstantine Janashia — 54.36 seconds
- Eythor Halsted — 54.89 seconds
- Jean-Stepher Coraboeuf — 55.39 seconds
- Dennis Kohlruss — 62.54 seconds
- Graham Hicks — Withdrawn
Before the event began, Graham Hicks withdrew due to illness. Kordiyaka took the event win, only needing 44 seconds to complete the course. Novikov was behind by almost two seconds, but he still took the silver spot in this event. 2023 Britain’s Strongest Man winner Adam Bishop came in third.
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Event Three — Deadlift for Reps
The deadlift bars were loaded with 350 kilograms (771 pounds), and the athletes had one minute to perform the deadlift to a lockout, get the judge’s approval, and lower the bar under control to prepare for the next rep. The most reps determined the winner.
- Adam Bishop — Nine reps (T-first)
- Oleksii Novikov — Nine reps (T-first)
- Aivars Šmaukstelis — Seven reps (T-third)
- Pa O’Dwyer — Seven reps (T-third)
- Shane Flowers — Six reps (T-fifth)
- Eythor Halsted — Six reps (T-fifth)
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — Three reps (T-seventh)
- Konstantine Janashia — Three reps (T-seventh)
- Dennis Kohlruss — Two reps (T-ninth)
- Gavin Bilton — Two reps (T-ninth)
- Jean-Stepher Coraboeuf — One rep (T-11th)
- Paul Smith — One rep (T-11th)
- Graham Hicks — Withdrawn
Bishop and Novikov tied for first place with nine reps each. So, they split first and second-place total points evenly. Šmaukstelis and O’Dwyer managed seven reps each, so they also split points for third and fourth combined. Kordiyaka didn’t fare as well in this event but still tied with Konstantine Janashia for seventh place with three reps.
Event Four — Conan’s Wheel
The athletes each took their respective turns walking with the handle of the massive wheel that was loaded with an all-terrain vehicle around in a circle for the longest distance possible. They were scored based on the degrees that each managed to push the wheel. A complete rotation was 360 degrees.
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — 1,009°
- Oleksii Novikov — 897°
- Eythor Halsted — 760°
- Pa O’Dwyer — 733°
- Adam Bishop — 731°
- Aivars Šmaukstelis — 710°
- Dennis Kohlruss — 640° (T-seventh)
- Shane Flowers — 640° (T-seventh)
- Paul Smith — 582°
- Konstantine Janashia — 363°
- Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf — 173°
- Gavin Bilton — withdrawn
- Graham Hicks — withdrawn
Before this event, Gavin Bilton withdrew from the competition. Kordiyaka rebounded from his finish in the Deadlift for Reps event well and took his third event win of the day. He completed two complete rotations and almost made a third for a total of 1,009 degrees.
This was the third time that Kordiyaka and Novikov finished one and two, respectively. The third-place finisher in this event was Eythor Halsted. Thanks to Novikov’s consistency, he was in the lead by three points going into the final event.
Event Five — Atlas Stones
The five Atlas Stones weighed in a range of 100 to 180 kilograms (220 to 396 pounds). Each stone had to be placed on its respective platforms in order. The quickest time won the event, and the title was on the line.
- Aivars Šmaukstelis — Five in 20.47 seconds
- Pavlo Kordiyaka — Five in 21.76 seconds
- Eythor Melsted — Five in 22.1 seconds
- Shane Flowers — Five in 22.73 seconds
- Konstantine Janashia — Five in 23.69 seconds
- Adam Bishop — Five in 26.32 seconds
- Pa O’Dwyer — Five in 30.6 seconds
- Dennis Kohlruss — Five in 40.5 seconds
- Oleksii Novikov — Four in 18 seconds
- Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf — Four in 31.15 seconds
- Paul Smith — Two in 15.7 seconds
Šmaukstelis clinched his spot on the podium by winning this event in a little over 20 seconds. Novikov struggled, unable to complete all five stones. This left the door open for Kordiyaka, who finished the event in second place with a time of 21.76 seconds. Thanks to that effort and Novikov’s ninth-place result, Kordiyaka was crowned the champion.
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Featured Image: @pavlo_kordiyaka on Instagram
