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WSM ALL TIME RANKINGS 1999
World's Strongest Man competition has long been the best known way to find
out who's the strongest of strong men. The competitors go trough a variety
of events, which all have an equal weight on total competition points.
These events are chosen with care to test maximum strength, ability to
move and carry objects of different shape and weight, explosive speed,
and finally to test endurance in events a normal man can't do for even
one second. It is important to note that these events should not have standard
equipment nor be the same every time, because they are planned to test
general, and not specific strength.
Basicly, if we would use this same method to find out for example who's
currently the best track and field athlete, we'd get decathlon with changing
events, distances and objects. Being the best in one event, as respectable
achievement as it is, does not really make anyone the best on the whole
arena. In the strength field however, the competitors are in a way much
closer to each other, like shot putters and discus throwers in T&F,
which makes this competition much more meaningful and a bit easier to arrange.
As there have been so many men to claim this title, "World's Strongest
Man", with just one or two record lifts under their belt, I must ask:
What would be the one lift, or two, three lifts, which could
grant you the title (well, other than deadlifting 1 ton...)? And did we
just forget grip strength and "crucifix"-type of holding events? You answer
this question - if you can, and then WSM will have only this event or these
events.
By far, there hasn't been a guy in history who has mastered more than just
some maximum lifts, or even kept records in those for at least - say three
years. But there have been 11 competitors since 1977, World's Strongest
Men, who have had the best overall strength at their time. They have at
least some right to call themselves the strongest.
All time rankings? When it's quite impossible to even say who's the
strongest now?! Criteria?
I admit that because we don't really have a solid criteria for even
choosing the strongest today, all time rankings are more or less just for
fun. Actually strongman competitions can't be that serious either - nor
give a final answer. But even though WSM is just a show for somebody, it's
also the only place to prove you're the best! If someone like Anthony Clark
(he holds the bench press record with a couple of good tight shirts) would
want to keep saying on his www-page that he's the strongest man, he must
come to WSM and prove it. Otherwise, it's just a joke. Of course he can
say he's the greatest bench presser ever - which is already much closer
to the truth - how close, that's a different debate.
Naturally because WSM isn't the best paid competition there is and only
few guys make money with it, many great strength athletes choose other
sports.
Why do we need this ranking then, for fun only?
Even many of the competitors today don't really know the history and
great men of this sport. Hope this ranking helps a bit to make it more
clear who won, when, and how much.
POINTS SYSTEM:
-
We give no points for having the best
lift or records in something, the only thing that matters is how a competitor
did in WSM FINALS
-
Winning a competition gives 10 pts
(the number of competitors that year doesn't matter)
-
2nd place gives 5 pts
-
3rd place gives 3 pts
-
Every event win in a competition
gives basicly 1 point. However, since there have been different number
of events in different years (from 8 to 11 events) all competition wins
are normalized to 8 events/competition: This means winning an event in
11 event competition gives only 8/11 point.
-
Competition points are the toughest
to compare. There have been different number of competitors in the finals,
different point systems in use (for example some year the winner got 12
pts, not 10 or 8, and loser might, or might not get points at all). We
could use just the points and not normalize them, but that would not be
fair at all: Some year with 40 pts a competitor could end up being 2nd,
and some other year with 40, he might end up being last. Chris and I have
figured out only one system by far, which is still far from perfect: Percentage
of winning points * 2 pts. For example 63/73*2pts.
-
However, this would not credit those
who's win has been very clear: 2 Bonus points for winning with over
10% (winning points are then greater than 2nd points*1.1)
NOTES:
-
Until 1983 WSM was just "USA Strongest Invitational", but let's not
still take anything away from American pioneers (it wasn't until 1985 this
sport was introduced in Finland)
-
'80 and '82 results are incomplete (for places below 5 or so), but that
doesn't have a big effect on top places. I took the liberty of estimating
those missing points.
-
No points are deducted from not winning while competing in WSM or losing
to some specific competitor. The more you compete, the higher you rank.
|
| YEAR |
Winning PTS |
Winning percentage over 2nd |
'77
'78
'79
'80
'81
'82
'83
'84
'85
'86
'88
'89
'90
'91
'92
'93
'94
'95
'96
'97
'98
'99 |
63.25
64.33
60.3
102.5
96
91
49.5
57.5
50.5
59
56
54.5
48.5
56
63
54
50.5
71
52
61
73
60 |
46.2%
10.9%
32.2%
29.7%
9.1%
16.7%
3.1%
11.7%
3.1%
7.3%
9.8%
10.1%
1.0%
15.5%
1.6%
10.2%
2.0%
13.6%
20.9%
7.0%
9.0%
13.2% |
|
| R |
Competitor |
Country |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
+ |
event
wins |
+ |
competition
points |
+
|
Bonus |
TOTAL |
| 1 |
Jon Pall Sigmarsson |
ICE |
4
('84,'86,'88,'90) |
2('83,'85) |
1('89) |
53 |
3/8+3/8+1/8+4/8
+4/8+1/8+2/8 |
18,00 |
48('83)+57,5('84)+49('85)+59('86)
+56('88)+47('89)+48,5('90) |
13,60 |
2 |
86,605 |
| 2 |
Magnus Ver Magnusson |
ICE |
4
('91,'94,'95,'96) |
2('92,'93) |
|
50 |
3/8+3/8+2/8+2/8
+2/8 |
12,00 |
56('91)+62('92)+49('93)+50,5('94)
+71('95)+52('96) |
11,78 |
6 |
79,783 |
| 3 |
Bill Kazmaier |
USA |
3
('80,'81,'82) |
1('88) |
1 ('79) |
38 |
2/10+6/10+5/11
+4/10+3/8 |
16,24 |
44,9('79)+102,5('80)+96('81)+91('82)
+51('88)+40('89) |
10,78 |
4 |
69,015 |
| 4 |
Geoff Capes |
ENG |
2
('83,'85) |
2('81,'86) |
2('80,'84) |
36 |
1/10+3/11+1/10
+2/8+1/8+4/8+3/8 |
13,78 |
59,5('80)+88('81)+67('82)+49,5('83)
+49('84)+50,5('85)+55('86) |
12,04 |
|
61,817 |
| 5 |
Jouko Ahola |
FIN |
2
('97,'99) |
1('98) |
|
25 |
2/8+3/8+1/7 |
6,14 |
61('97)+67('98)+60('99) |
5,84 |
2 |
38,978 |
| 6 |
Bruce Wilhelm |
USA |
2
('77,'78) |
|
|
20 |
5/10+3/10 |
6,40 |
63,25('77)+64,33('78) |
4,00 |
4 |
34,400 |
| 7 |
Jamie Reeves |
ENG |
1
('89) |
1('92) |
1('88) |
18 |
1/8+4/8 |
5,00 |
47('88)+54,5('89)+62('92) |
5,65 |
2 |
30,647 |
| 8 |
Magnus Samuelsson |
SWE |
1
('98) |
|
1('97) |
13 |
3/8+4/8+1/7 |
8,14 |
19,5('95)+52,5('97)+73('98)+47('99) |
5,84 |
|
26,980 |
| 9 |
Gary Taylor |
WAL |
1
('93) |
|
1('91) |
13 |
1/8+4/8+1/8 |
6,00 |
39('91)+43,5('92)+54('93)+42('95) |
5,96 |
2 |
26,957 |
| 10 |
Don Reinhoudt |
USA |
1
('79) |
1('78) |
|
15 |
4/10+3/10 |
5,60 |
58+('78)+60,3('79)+[10?]('80) |
4,00 |
2 |
26,598 |
| 11 |
Ab Wolders |
NED |
|
2('84,'89) |
1('86) |
13 |
2/8+3/8 |
5,00 |
51,5('84)+37,5('86)+41('88)+49,5('89) |
6,34 |
|
24,343 |
| 12 |
Gerrit Badenhorst |
RSA |
|
1('95) |
1('96) |
8 |
1/8+2/8+2/8+3/8 |
8,00 |
57,5('92)+17,5('93)+38,5('94)
+62,5('95)+41('96) |
7,34 |
|
23,336 |
| 13 |
Riku Kiri |
FIN |
|
1('96) |
2('93,'94) |
11 |
1/8+3/8+2/8 |
6,00 |
48,5('93)+48('94)+43('96)+26('98) |
5,35 |
|
22,355 |
| 14 |
Lars Hedlund |
SWE |
|
2('79,'80) |
1('78) |
13 |
2/10+2/10+1/10 |
4,00 |
38,9('78)+45,6('79)+79('80) |
4,26 |
|
21,263 |
| 15 |
Ted Van Der Parre |
NED |
1
('92) |
|
|
10 |
3/8+ |
3,00 |
35,5('91)+63('92)+7('94) |
3,55 |
|
16,545 |
| 16 |
Henning Thorsen |
DEN |
|
1('91) |
|
5 |
3/8+ |
3,00 |
34('90)+48,5('91)+41('92) |
4,44 |
|
12,436 |
| 17 |
Flemming Rasmussen |
DEN |
|
1('97) |
|
5 |
3/8+ |
3,00 |
42,5('95)+35,5('96)+57('97) |
4,43 |
|
12,431 |
| 18 |
Manfred Höberl |
AUT |
|
1('94) |
|
5 |
2/8+1/8 |
3,00 |
22,5('91)+41,5('93)+49,5('94) |
4,30 |
|
12,301 |
| 19 |
Tom Magee |
CAN |
|
1('82) |
|
5 |
2/10+1/8 |
2,60 |
78('82)+38,5('83)+33('85) |
4,58 |
|
12,177 |
| 20 |
OD Wilson |
USA |
|
1('90) |
|
5 |
3/8+ |
3,00 |
48('90)+30,5('91) |
3,07 |
|
11,069 |
| 21 |
Ilkka Nummisto |
FIN |
|
|
1('90) |
3 |
1/8+ |
1,00 |
19('86)+40('88)+27,5('89)+39('90)
+29('92) |
5,61 |
|
9,611 |
| 22 |
Dave Waddington |
USA |
|
|
1 ('81) |
3 |
2/10+1/8 |
2,60 |
72,5 ('81)+[40?]('82)+34('84) |
3,57 |
|
9,172 |
| 23 |
Svend Karlsen |
NOR |
|
|
1('99) |
3 |
0+2/7+ |
2,29 |
33('97)+52,5('99) |
2,83 |
|
8,118 |
| 24 |
Janne Virtanen |
FIN |
|
1('99) |
|
5 |
1/7+ |
1,14 |
53('99) |
1,77 |
|
7,910 |
| 25 |
Bob Young |
USA |
|
1 ('77) |
|
5 |
1/10+ |
0,80 |
43,25('77)+22,33('79) |
2,11 |
|
7,908 |
| 26 |
John Gamble |
USA |
|
|
1 ('82) |
3 |
1/10+1/8 |
1,80 |
69,5('82)+32,5('83) |
2,84 |
|
7,641 |
| 27 |
Marko Varalahti |
FIN |
|
|
1('95) |
3 |
2/8+ |
2,00 |
48,5('95) |
1,37 |
|
6,366 |
| 28 |
Jon Kolb |
USA |
|
|
|
|
1/10+4/10 |
4,00 |
23,4('78)+41,43('79) |
2,10 |
|
6,102 |
| 29 |
Simon Wulfse |
NED |
|
|
1('83) |
3 |
1/8+ |
1,00 |
47('83) |
1,90 |
|
5,899 |
| 30 |
Cees de Vreugd |
NED |
|
|
1('85) |
3 |
1/8+ |
1,00 |
45,5('85) |
1,80 |
|
5,802 |
| 31 |
Laszlo Fekete |
HUN |
|
|
|
|
1/8+1/7 |
2,14 |
11('88)+32('89)+31('90)+23('99) |
3,61 |
|
5,755 |
| 32 |
Ken Patera |
USA |
|
|
1('77) |
3 |
1/10+ |
0,80 |
34('77) |
1,08 |
|
4,875 |
| 33 |
Wout Ziljstra |
NED |
|
|
1('98) |
3 |
|
|
62('98) |
1,70 |
|
4,699 |
| 34 |
Torfi Olafsson |
ICE |
|
|
|
|
1/8+ |
1,00 |
45,5('97)+19('98)+29.5('99) |
3,00 |
|
3,996 |
| 35 |
Harold Collins |
USA |
|
|
|
|
1/8+1/8 |
2,00 |
24,5('93)+28('97) |
1,83 |
|
3,825 |
| 36 |
Heinz Ollesch |
GER |
|
|
|
|
1/8+ |
1,00 |
46('95)+43,5('97) |
2,72 |
|
3,722 |
| 37 |
Rick "Grizzly" Brown |
USA |
|
|
|
|
1/8+1/8 |
2,00 |
29('85)+14('86) |
1,62 |
|
3,623 |
| 38 |
Gregg Ernst |
CAN |
|
|
|
|
1/8+ |
1,00 |
29,5('91)+38('92) |
2,26 |
|
3,260 |
| 39 |
Jerry Hannan |
USA |
|
|
|
|
1/10+ |
0,80 |
[40?]('80)+68('81) |
2,20 |
|
2,997 |
| 40 |
Hugo Girard |
CAN |
|
|
|
|
1/7+ |
1,14 |
5('98)+49.5('99) |
1,79 |
|
2,930 |
| 41 |
Bishop Dolegiewicz |
CAN |
|
|
|
|
1/10+ |
0,80 |
56('80)+46('81) |
2,05 |
|
2,851 |
| 42 |
Mark Philippi |
USA |
|
|
|
|
1/8+ |
1,00 |
40,5('97)+18('98) |
1,82 |
|
2,821 |
| 43 |
Forbes Cowan |
SCO |
|
|
|
|
|
|
36,5('94)+34('96) |
2,75 |
|
2,753 |
| 44 |
Berend Veneberg |
NED |
|
|
|
|
|
|
26('93)+9('98)+41('99) |
2,58 |
|
2,576 |
| 45 |
Lou Ferrigno |
USA |
|
|
|
|
2/10+ |
1,60 |
27,5('77) |
0,87 |
|
2,470 |
| 46 |
Raimunds Bergmanis |
LAT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
25('96)+44,5('97) |
2,42 |
|
2,421 |
| 47 |
Adrian Smith |
ENG |
|
|
|
|
1/8+ |
1,00 |
33,5('90) |
1,38 |
|
2,381 |
| 48 |
Jean-Pierre Brulois |
FRA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
19,5('85)+31,5('86)+15('88) |
2,38 |
|
2,376 |
| 49 |
Jorma Ojanaho |
FIN |
|
|
|
|
1/8+ |
1,00 |
32,5('96) |
1,25 |
|
2,250 |
| 50 |
Ernie Hackett |
USA |
|
|
|
|
1/10+ |
0,80 |
65,5('82) |
1,44 |
|
2,240 |
| 51 |
Curt Marsh |
USA |
|
|
|
|
1/10+ |
0,80 |
64('82) |
1,41 |
|
2,207 |
| 52 |
Keith Bishop |
USA |
|
|
|
|
1/11+ |
0,73 |
61,5('81) |
1,28 |
|
2,009 |
| 53 |
Durwin Piper |
USA |
|
|
|
|
1/11+ |
0,73 |
58('81) |
1,21 |
|
1,936 |
| 54 |
Rudolph Kuester |
GER |
|
|
|
|
|
|
34('84)+20('89) |
1,92 |
|
1,917 |
| 55 |
Markku Suonenvirta |
FIN |
|
|
|
|
1/8+ |
1,00 |
25,5('91) |
0,91 |
|
1,911 |
| 56 |
Dusko Markovic |
CAN |
|
|
|
|
|
|
34('86)+17,5('89) |
1,79 |
|
1,795 |
| 57 |
Daniel Poulin |
CAN |
|
|
|
|
1/8+ |
1,00 |
22('84) |
0,77 |
|
1,765 |
| 58 |
Joe Zaliezniak |
USA |
|
|
|
|
1/11+ |
0,73 |
48('81) |
1,00 |
|
1,727 |
| 59 |
Cleve Dean |
USA |
|
|
|
|
1/10+ |
0,80 |
14,4('79)+[20?]('80) |
0,87 |
|
1,668 |
| 60 |
George Hechter |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
36('85) |
1,43 |
|
1,426 |
| 61 |
Mike Dayton |
USA |
|
|
|
|
1/10+ |
0,80 |
19,25+ ('77) |
0,61 |
|
1,409 |
| 62 |
Phil Pfister |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
51('98) |
1,40 |
|
1,397 |
| 63 |
Joe Onosai |
SAM |
|
|
|
|
|
|
12,5('94)+29,5('95) |
1,33 |
|
1,326 |
| 64 |
Craig Wolfley |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
63('81) |
1,31 |
|
1,313 |
| 65 |
Pieter de Bruyn |
RSA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
46('98) |
1,26 |
|
1,260 |
| 66 |
Anton Boucher |
NAM |
|
|
|
|
|
|
31,5('94) |
1,25 |
|
1,248 |
| 67 |
Stago Piczko |
NED |
|
|
|
|
|
|
59('81) |
1,23 |
|
1,229 |
| 68 |
Tjalling Van Den Bosch |
NED |
|
|
|
|
|
|
28,5('90) |
1,18 |
|
1,175 |
| 69 |
Brian Oldfield |
USA |
|
|
|
|
1/10+ |
0,80 |
12('78) |
0,37 |
|
1,173 |
| 70 |
Phil Martin |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
40('95) |
1,13 |
|
1,127 |
| 71 |
Wayne Price |
RSA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
38,5('95) |
1,08 |
|
1,085 |
| 72 |
Aap Uspenski |
EST |
|
|
|
|
|
|
25,5('90) |
1,05 |
|
1,052 |
| 73 |
Chris Okonkwo |
NIG |
|
|
|
|
|
|
25,5('83) |
1,03 |
|
1,030 |
| 74 |
Roger Ekström |
FIN |
|
|
|
|
|
|
25,5('85) |
1,01 |
|
1,010 |
| 75 |
Doyle Kenady |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
24('83) |
0,97 |
|
0,970 |
| 76 |
Derek Boyer |
FIJ |
|
|
|
|
|
|
28,5('97) |
0,93 |
|
0,934 |
| 77 |
Regin Vagadal |
FAE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
24('96) |
0,92 |
|
0,923 |
| 78 |
Allen Gallberg |
CAN |
|
|
|
|
|
|
22('83) |
0,89 |
|
0,889 |
| 79 |
Henrik Ravn |
DEN |
|
|
|
|
|
|
23('93) |
0,85 |
|
0,852 |
| 80 |
Joe Quigley |
AUS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
23('88) |
0,82 |
|
0,821 |
| 81 |
James Perry |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
25('92) |
0,79 |
|
0,794 |
| 82 |
Jamie Barr |
SCO |
|
|
|
|
|
|
22.5('99) |
0,75 |
|
0,750 |
| 83 |
Yngve Gustavsson |
SWE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
21,5('84) |
0,75 |
|
0,748 |
| 84 |
Klaus Wallas |
AUT |
|
|
|
|
|
|
22('86) |
0,75 |
|
0,746 |
| 85 |
Franco Columbo |
ITA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
22,25('77) |
0,70 |
|
0,704 |
| 86 |
Larry Kidney |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
[35?]('80) |
0,68 |
|
0,683 |
| 87 |
Jon Cole |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
21,5('77) |
0,68 |
|
0,680 |
| 88 |
Bill Dunn |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
[30?]('82) |
0,66 |
|
0,659 |
| 89 |
Pius Ochieng |
KEN |
|
|
|
|
|
|
18,5('84) |
0,64 |
|
0,643 |
| 90 |
Ilkka Kinnunen |
FIN |
|
|
|
|
|
|
19('92) |
0,60 |
|
0,603 |
| 91 |
Billy Graham |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
[30?]('80) |
0,59 |
|
0,585 |
| 92 |
Gus Rethwisch |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
16,73('78) |
0,52 |
|
0,520 |
| 93 |
Gerard Du Prie |
NED |
|
|
|
|
|
|
[25?]('80) |
0,49 |
|
0,488 |
| 94 |
Boris Djerassi |
ISR |
|
|
|
|
|
|
15,23('78) |
0,47 |
|
0,473 |
| 95 |
Jim Hough |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
[20?]('82) |
0,44 |
|
0,440 |
| 96 |
George Frenn |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
10('77) |
0,32 |
|
0,316 |
| 97 |
Ross Browner |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
[10?]('82) |
0,22 |
|
0,220 |
| 98 |
Ivan Putski |
POL |
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,4('78) |
0,17 |
|
0,168 |
| 99 |
Joe Dube |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,4('79) |
0,15 |
|
0,146 |
| 100 |
John Matuszak |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
4('78) |
0,12 |
|
0,124 |
| 101 |
Dave Johns |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2('79) |
0,07 |
|
0,066 |
| 102 |
Bill Anderson |
SCO |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1,33('79) |
0,04 |
|
0,044 |
| 103 |
Rene Minkwitz |
DEN |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1('99) |
0,03 |
|
0,033 |
| 104 |
Jerry Blackwell |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0('79) |
0,00 |
|
0,000 |
| 105 |
Jack Wright |
USA |
|
|
|
|
|
|
0('78) |
0,00 |
|
0,000 |
| |
|