The 2025 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Finals are here. The top 10 athletes from the two-day Qualifying stage — the winners and runners-up from each of the five groups — will compete through five more events to crown a champion.
For the first time, the Qualifying Stage impacted the WSM Finals in a way other than roster determination. Athletes were ranked against the entire field during Qualifying and given one event’s worth of points for that ranking.
Mitchell Hooper ranked first overall in the field at the end of Qualifying. Hence, he enters the WSM Finals with 10 points and the “Leader’s Advantage,” meaning he will get to run last in the KNAACK Carry & Hoist event alongside defending WSM champion Tom Stoltman.
Each strongman was tasked to Zercher carry 250 kilograms for 20 meters before arm-over-arm hoisting 200 kilograms up eight meters. The hype has unilaterally surrounded the matchup of Hooper versus Stoltman, treating them like they are the only athletes in contention for the WSM title. However, it was Rayno Nel who turned heads, winning the event with just under four seconds to spare.
[Stay Tuned: 2025 World’s Strongest Man Live Results & Leaderboard]
2025 WSM KNAACK Carry & Hoist Results
- Rayno Nel (RSA) — 30.58 seconds
Tom Stoltman (UK) — 34.49 seconds - Mitchell Hooper (CAN) — 35.41 seconds
- Paddy Haynes (UK) — 36.97 seconds
- Pavlo Kordiyaka (UKR) — 37.42 seconds
- Eddie Williams (AUS) — 38.11 seconds
- Ondrej Fojtů (CZE) — 40.95 seconds
- Luke Stoltman (UK) — 45.58 seconds
- Trey Mitchell (USA) — 49.38 seconds
- Shane Flowers (UK) — 8.6 meters
2025 WSM KNAACK Carry & Hoist Recap
Eddie Williams vs. Pablo Kordiyaka
Williams and Kordiyaka enter for the first of five heats. As the two bottom seeds after the Qualifying Stage, they were saddled with the challenge of setting the initial pace to beat.
Kordiyaka was faster through the initial length, but Williams caught up after the 10-meter drop and reset. A sprint to the hoist saw Williams land first, but Kordiyaka’s cycle speed was too much for Williams to keep up with.
Ondrej Fojtů vs. Shane Flowers
Fojtů and Flowers knew the initial pace to beat, but it was still unclear if Kordiyaka’s time was toward the fastest end of the spectrum.
They lifted both implements simultaneously, but disaster struck as Flowers dropped his apparatus in the first leg and collapsed to the ground. Medical personnel rushed to the stage, and Fojtů had to ignore the commotion to continue his run. Flowers’ face was purplish as he writhed momentarily on the ground.
Fortunately, Flowers was revived by the time Fojtů completed the heat. It was unclear how much of an impact Flowers’ fall had on Fojtů‘s run, but Kordiyaka’s pace remained in the lead.
Paddy Haynes vs. Luke Stoltman
Haynes entered the arena with a spring in his step. Stoltman followed like a lion entering his den. They ran the Zercher in tandem before flinging off their weight belts during the cross-course sprint.
Haynes never let off the gas and won the heat. Stoltman congratulated him with a smile after understanding the challenging final pulls of the hoist.
Trey Mitchell vs. Rayno Nel
This style of event was Nel’s bread and butter, and he entered with swagger. The even-keeled Mitchell followed, not known for his agility but for the immense power to compensate.
Nel’s pace was a lap ahead of Mitchell and never relented. Nel darted down the course — who knew running would be such a determinant during the search for the WSM — and hoisted the tool case just as quickly. The new mark to beat was just over half a minute.
Tom Stoltman vs Mitchell Hooper
Both athletes long-strided through the Zercher and traded the lead pull for pull on the hoist. Blink and you missed this heat; they scorched the platform with the crowd’s roar behind them.
It was clear to the naked eye that Stoltman received the down command first during the hoist, but the four-member judge staff reviewed the tape to ensure the accuracy of the times.
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2025 World’s Strongest Man Finals
There are two more events on Day Three:
- 18” Max Deadlift — 1 p.m. PST
- Hercules Hold — 4 p.m. PST
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- Exclusive Interview: Martins Licis on the 2025 Santa Monica Classic and His Return to Competitive Strongman
Featured image courtesy of World’s Strongest Man/Rich Storry
