Grahoļskis wins in Riga season-opening strongman competition
Published: 24.05.2016
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Last weekend, Latvia’s strongmen met at the “Būvniecības ABC Strongman Record Day” competition to symbolically open the new season. Ivars Grahoļskis took the victory, with strongman Aivars Šmaukstelis finishing second, while last year’s newcomer Otomārs Skreija of Stelpe stepped onto the podium for the first time competing in the elite group.
The “Būvniecības ABC Strongman Record Day” began with pulling a “Latvijas Nafta” heavy truck. Aivars Šmaukstelis, a trainee of strongman Agris Kazeļņiks, proved strongest in the contest with the 11.5-tonne petrol tanker, pulling it 15 metres in 13.84 seconds. Ivars Grahoļskis recorded the second-best time, 14.25 seconds, although he was not satisfied with his performance. Otomārs Skreija finished third (14.60 seconds).
The competition continued with the “Būvniecības ABC” log press while lying down. This exercise is a new addition to strongman competitions in Latvia and was organised for the first time. Aivars Šmaukstelis took first place with 12 repetitions and a new national record.
The third discipline at the opening event of the new strongman season was the “Gyproc” deadlift. Jānis Ilgavižs won this exercise with nine repetitions, followed by Ivars Grahoļskis in second place (7 repetitions) and Magnuss Vucāns in third (4 repetitions).
This was followed by the “Sadolin” crucifix, in which the strongmen had to hold a 12.5-kilogramme paint bucket out to the side in each hand. Ivars Grahoļskis won with a time of 39.37 seconds, but the young and powerful Otomārs Skreija was rapidly closing in on him; he fell just 26 hundredths of a second short of his first victory in one of the exercises in the strongman elite group.
In the 400-kilogramme “Fibo” wheelbarrow push, Aivars Šmaukstelis was again the strongest (13.09 seconds), followed by Talsi native Magnuss Vucāns with a time of 13.88 seconds, while Ivars Grahoļskis was third (15.31 seconds). In the 400-kilogramme “Fibo” wheelbarrow push, Aivars Šmaukstelis was again the strongest (13.09 seconds), followed by Talsi native Magnuss
Vucāns with a time of 13.88 seconds, while Ivars Grahoļskis was third (15.31 seconds).
In the overall standings of the “Būvniecības ABC Strongman Record Day”, Ivars Grahoļskis took first place with 43 points, while Aivars Šmaukstelis finished just 2 points behind him and received the silver medal. Meanwhile, last year’s newcomer stepped onto the podium for the first time: Otomārs Skreija of Stelpe. He took third place this time with 29.5 points.
The next strongman competition, which will also be the first round of the “Triobet Latvian Strongman Championship 2016”, is scheduled for 5 June in Daugavpils. On 9 July, Latvia’s strongest athletes will visit Viļaka for the first time, where they will compete in the second round. Pair competitions are scheduled for 15 July in Krāslava and 17 July in Kuldīga; the championship’s third round will take place in Līvāni on 23 July, the fourth in Ventspils on 6 August, in Valmiera on 13 August and in Preiļi on 19 August, while the final competition will be held in Riga on 17 September.
The main partner of the 2016 strongman season is “RERE Grupa”. General sponsor: “Triobet”; supported by “Škoda”, Latvijas Nafta and “Fiskars”. Information partners: “Rīga TV24” and sportacentrs.com.
The “Būvniecības ABC Strongman Record Day” began with pulling a “Latvijas Nafta” heavy truck. Aivars Šmaukstelis, a trainee of strongman Agris Kazeļņiks, proved strongest in the contest with the 11.5-tonne petrol tanker, pulling it 15 metres in 13.84 seconds. Ivars Grahoļskis recorded the second-best time, 14.25 seconds, although he was not satisfied with his performance. Otomārs Skreija finished third (14.60 seconds).
The competition continued with the “Būvniecības ABC” log press while lying down. This exercise is a new addition to strongman competitions in Latvia and was organised for the first time. Aivars Šmaukstelis took first place with 12 repetitions and a new national record.
The third discipline at the opening event of the new strongman season was the “Gyproc” deadlift. Jānis Ilgavižs won this exercise with nine repetitions, followed by Ivars Grahoļskis in second place (7 repetitions) and Magnuss Vucāns in third (4 repetitions).
This was followed by the “Sadolin” crucifix, in which the strongmen had to hold a 12.5-kilogramme paint bucket out to the side in each hand. Ivars Grahoļskis won with a time of 39.37 seconds, but the young and powerful Otomārs Skreija was rapidly closing in on him; he fell just 26 hundredths of a second short of his first victory in one of the exercises in the strongman elite group.
In the 400-kilogramme “Fibo” wheelbarrow push, Aivars Šmaukstelis was again the strongest (13.09 seconds), followed by Talsi native Magnuss Vucāns with a time of 13.88 seconds, while Ivars Grahoļskis was third (15.31 seconds). In the 400-kilogramme “Fibo” wheelbarrow push, Aivars Šmaukstelis was again the strongest (13.09 seconds), followed by Talsi native Magnuss
Vucāns with a time of 13.88 seconds, while Ivars Grahoļskis was third (15.31 seconds).
In the overall standings of the “Būvniecības ABC Strongman Record Day”, Ivars Grahoļskis took first place with 43 points, while Aivars Šmaukstelis finished just 2 points behind him and received the silver medal. Meanwhile, last year’s newcomer stepped onto the podium for the first time: Otomārs Skreija of Stelpe. He took third place this time with 29.5 points.
The next strongman competition, which will also be the first round of the “Triobet Latvian Strongman Championship 2016”, is scheduled for 5 June in Daugavpils. On 9 July, Latvia’s strongest athletes will visit Viļaka for the first time, where they will compete in the second round. Pair competitions are scheduled for 15 July in Krāslava and 17 July in Kuldīga; the championship’s third round will take place in Līvāni on 23 July, the fourth in Ventspils on 6 August, in Valmiera on 13 August and in Preiļi on 19 August, while the final competition will be held in Riga on 17 September.
The main partner of the 2016 strongman season is “RERE Grupa”. General sponsor: “Triobet”; supported by “Škoda”, Latvijas Nafta and “Fiskars”. Information partners: “Rīga TV24” and sportacentrs.com.
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