The 2023 Europe’s Strongest Man (ESM) contest will occur on April 1, 2023, at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England. On Feb. 10, 2023, the full roster, including a reserve athlete, was announced on the Giants Live Instagram page. The lineup is a who’s who of elite strongman native to the continent, including 2020 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) champion Oleksii Novikov, who will attempt to defend his ESM crown claimed in 2022.
Thirteen athletes were tapped to compete in Leeds for the 2023 ESM title. Paul Smith was selected as the reserve and will only compete if one of the athletes withdraws before the competition. Check out the full roster below:
2023 Europe’s Strongest Man Roster
- Oleksii Novikov (Ukraine) — Defending ESM Champion
- Gavin Bilton (UK)
- Jean-Stephen Coraboeuf (France)
- Adam Bishop (UK)
- Konstantine Janashia (Georgia)
- Pa O’Dwyer (Ireland)
- Aivars Šmaukstelis (Latvia)
- Dennis Kohlruss (Germany)
- Eythór Ingólfsson Melsted (Iceland)
- Graham Hicks (UK)
- Pavlo Kordiyaka (Ukraine)
- Paul Smith (UK)
- Rauno Heinla (Estonia) — withdrawn
- Pavlo Nakonechnyy (Ukraine) — withdrawn
The most represented countries are UK and Ukraine, each with three athletes on the main roster — though the UK has four when including Smith. Coraboeuf has represented Australia in other Giants Live contests, but it is presumed that he will represent France in this contest.
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Podium Contenders
Novikov stood atop the podium of the 2022 ESM with 2021 ESM champion Luke Stoltman to his right in second place and Georgia’s Konstantine Janashia to his left in third place. Novikov scored four more points than Stoltman after the six events, which included the Log Lift, Deadlift Ladder, Carry and Drag, Power Stairs, and Atlas Stones.
Bishop has momentum entering this 2023 ESM as he recently won the 2023 Britain’s Strongest Man contest on Jan. 27, 2023. He last competed at the ESM in 2021, when he ranked 10th. He will certainly aim to improve upon that result this April Fool’s Day.
Hicks has been plagued by injury in recent years but knows what it feels like standing on the podium at the ESM contest. He ranked third behind Stoltman and Novikov in 2021.
Notable Absences
2022 ESM runner-up and 2021 ESM champion Luke Stoltman will not compete in Leeds. His next scheduled strongman contest at the time of this article’s publication is the 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC) in Columbus, OH, on March 2-5, 2023. Likewise, his brother and two-time reigning WSM champion Tom Stoltman will compete at the 2023 ASC but will forego the 2023 ESM.
Featured image: @giantslivestrongman on Instagram
