After withdrawing from the 2024 strongman season due to sciatica in his right leg, Martins Licis has turned his recovery into an opportunity for adventure, traveling the globe to showcase feats of strength.
The 2019 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) and 2022 Arnold Strongman Classic champion took on mud and sumo wrestling in Pakistan and Japan, lifted the legendary Svaneti Bell in the Georgian highlands, and studied Arnis, a nearly forgotten traditional Filipino martial art.
Licis journeyed through Burkina Faso in Africa, traveling by bus, air, and water, embarking for Norway for his most recent, seemingly impossible task: moving a 16-ton burned-down Viking ship.
At the Viking Center in Sagastad, Oslo, Licis attempted to pull the Myklebust, a reconstruction of the largest Viking ship ever discovered, measuring six meters wide, 30 meters long, and weighing 16 tons.
“This full-scale reconstruction of the Myklebust ship stands as the largest Viking ship ever discovered,” Licis divulged. “More precisely, the largest one we have found remains of and remade.”
Pulling the 16-Ton Viking Ship Myklebust
When the day came for Licis to pull the massive ship, an unexpectedly large crowd gathered to watch, accompanied by extensive media coverage. Licis was taken aback by the sheer size of the vessel, which was far larger than he had anticipated.
“When facing a Goliath, we forget we’re YouTubers and pull out our metaphorical slingshot to take on the impossible. Contest mode activated,” Licis described.
Licis suited up, applied lifting chalk to enhance his grip, and prepared for the monumental task of pulling the Myklebust from the warehouse. He was secured to the Viking ship with a harness, a sturdy rope for additional anchoring support.
He started the pull by positioning on his toes, leaning forward at nearly a 45-degree angle to generate maximum tension. Slowly but steadily, the massive Viking ship inched forward.
The crowd erupted in cheers, fueling Licis’ determination as he dragged the Myklebust several meters. When the ship was halfway out of the warehouse, Licis released the rope, standing tall and triumphant.
Rowing the Myklebust
Licis spent several weeks in Norway, immersing in its landscapes and tranquil beauty. During his stay, he embarked on a voyage aboard the Viking ship he once pulled, joining fellow Vikings to row across the open sea. Licis was entrusted to row the boat alone in a moment of great honor.
A few days ago, I pulled the Myklebust out of the museum, and now I’m on it…really special.
—Martins Licis
“To succeed out here, to do this pull has opened many doors and possibilities as a strongman ambassador,” Licis shared.
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Featured image: @martinslicis on Instagram
