The 2023 Strongman Champions League (SCL) World’s Strongest Viking (WSV) contest occurred on Aug. 18, 2023, in Hämeenlinna, Finland. It featured 12 elite strongmen representing 10 different countries competing through five events: Hammer Deadlift for Reps, Super Yoke, Viking Press for Reps, Forward Hold, and Natural Stones.
After the final event, Kane Francis of the UK stood atop the podium, scoring 53.5 of a possible 60 points. Ervin Toots of Estonia and Sigfus Fossdal of Iceland rounded out the podium. Check out the full results below:
2023 World’s Strongest Viking Results
- Kane Francis (UK) — 53.5 points
- Ervin Toots (Estonia) — 46 points
- Sigfus Fossdal (Iceland) — 44.5 points
- Andrea Invernizzi (Italy) — 43.5 points
- Dennis Kohlruss (Germany) — 40.5 points
- Gianluca Ardenghi (Argentina) — 31 points
- Alex Lungu (Romania) — 27 points
- Kalle Ahola (Finland) — 22.5 points
- Valtter Kortelainen (Finland) — 20 points
- Jesper Hansson (Sweden) — 16 points
- Jarkko Malinen (Finland) — 12.5 points
- Sean O’Hagan (Ireland) — Six points
[Related: 2023 Shaw Classic Results — Brian Shaw Is the Strongest Man on Earth]
[Related: 2023 Official Strongman Games European Championships Results]
2023 World’s Strongest Viking Event Results
Below are the results of each of the five events contested in Hämeenlinna:
Hammer Deadlift for Reps
Each strongman had 60 seconds to deadlift 350 kilograms as many times as possible.
- Andrea Invernizzi — Eight reps
- Kane Francis — Five reps
- Ervin Toots — Four reps
- Sigfus Fossdal — Three reps (T-fourth)
- Gianluca Ardenghi — Three reps (T-fourth)
- Jesper Hansson — Three reps (T-fourth)
- Dennis Kohlruss — no lift
- Alex Lungu — no lift
- Kalle Ahola — no lift
- Valtter Kortelainen — no lift
- Jarkko Malinen — no lift
- Sean O’Hagan — no lift
Super Yoke
Moving a 400-kilogram yoke, each strongman traversed a 15-meter course with a drop and turn after the first 15 meters. Athletes who did not finish the course in 75 seconds were scored by distance.
- Kane Francis — 21.91 seconds
- Sigfus Fossdal — 27.25 seconds
- Ervin Toots — 28.44 seconds
- Gianluca Ardenghi — 29.63 seconds
- Andrea Invernizzi — 46.12 seconds
- Dennis Kohlruss — 43.38 seconds
- Alex Lungu — 60.38 seconds
- Kalle Ahola — 27.7 meters
- Jarkko Malinen — 21.8 meters
- Valtter Kortelainen — 21.5 meters
- Jesper Hansson — no lift
- Sean O’Hagan — no lift
Viking Press for Reps
Strongmen locked out 160 kilograms overhead as many times as they could in the 60-second time cap.
- Dennis Kohlruss — 16 reps (T-first)
- Sigfus Fossdal — 16 reps (T-first)
- Alex Lungu — 15 reps
- Kane Francis — 13 reps (T-fourth)
- Andrea Invernizzi — 13 reps (T-fourth)
- Ervin Toots — 12 reps
- Kalle Ahola — Nine reps (T-seventh)
- Jarkko Malinen — Nine reps (T-seventh)
- Valtter Kortelainen — Eight reps
- Gianluca Ardenghi — Six reps
- Jesper Hansson — no lift
- Sean O’Hagan — no lift
Forward Hold
For max time, each strongman held 25 kilograms in front of their torsos with arms extended.
- Andrea Invernizzi — 36.72 seconds
- Dennis Kohlruss — 35.72 seconds
- Kane Francis — 33.57 seconds
- Gianluca Ardenghi — 32.5 seconds
- Ervin Toots — 31.1 seconds
- Valtter Kortelainen — 30.6 seconds
- Alex Lungu — 28.44 seconds
- Sigfus Fossdal — 25.15 seconds
- Kalle Ahola — 22 seconds
- Sean O’Hagan — 21.97 seconds
- Jarkko Malinen — 21.63 seconds
- Jesper Hansson — 15.19 seconds
[Related: Mitchell Hooper’s 3 Priorities When Programming for Strength]
Natural Stones
The five stones each strongman attempted to load in the fastest possible time weighed 100, 110, 120, 130, and 140 kilograms.
- Kane Francis — Five in 50.62 seconds
- Ervin Toots — Five in 53.59 seconds
- Dennis Kohlruss — Five in 62.75 seconds
- Sigfus Fossdal — Five in 71.37 seconds
- Kalle Ahola — Five in 73 seconds
- Jesper Hansson — Five in 75 seconds
- Valtter Kortelainen — Four in 75 seconds
- Alex Lungu — Three in 35.76 seconds
- Andrea Invernizzi — Three in 47.29 seconds
- Sean O’Hagan — Three in 49.11 seconds
- Gianluca Ardenghi — Two in 28.83 seconds
- Jarkko Malinen — One in 12.32 seconds
More Strongman Contest
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Featured image: @kanefrancis_ on Instagram
