After being cancelled in 2020 and again in 2021 due to the pandemic, one of Paul Mouser's most wild imaginations has been resurrected. A strongman & strongwoman competition like no other returns to Elkins, West Virginia and the Mountain State Forest Festival for the SECOND year in a row. It is with great honor that we present to you all, The 2023 Mountain State Forest Festivals Strongest Team in the Forest!!!

Strongman Corporation Membership is required for all competitors - https://bit.ly/3Ga2xDk

• Open & Masters Competitors - $87.50 for new members, $77 membership renewal for current members only- valid for one year
• Teen Competitors - $52 for new members, $42 membership renewal for current members only- valid for one year
• Novice memberships are not allowed for this competition due to all classes being open classes and offering a spot at strongman corporation nationals!

Weigh-ins 

8-10am at Elkins High. Weigh-in information TBD closer to time of competition.

Rules/Safety Briefing

This meeting is mandatory. We will meet on the football field at 11am to start!

Divisions

Due to this being a team competition, there are no divisions and everyone will compete in the "open" division. As hinted above under the memberships section, no novice memberships are allowed, as there are nationals invitations on the line. 

Teams

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: Teams MUST consist of 4 members. This is changed from last years rules due to some teams having unfair advantages by having more people. This year we will even the playing field! Your team MUST have at least one female competitor of any class (Classes for female competitors are under 160 and over 160), one men's <200>

Awards

Custom Forest Festival maple leaf trophies!

Registration 

Due to our conjunction with the forest festival, there are no refunds at any time for any reason. 

Here's how this is going to work

• Teams may represent their state, their gym, their city, their place of work, a group of friends, or nothing in particular. This is your choice. Each team must have a NAME though… a family friendly name
  • Teams may create and wear their own shirts, but the forest festival will require to wear their shirts for pictures at some points throughout the competition
• Teams must be completely assembled before registering! No refunds will be given however, even if your teammates bail on you. Be careful who you accept verbal commitments from. I am not responsible for helping you find replacements… but I will help if I can.
• Every team must have a captain. This captain is responsible for communications with the officials (to help maintain order amongst the chaos!), no other team member will be responsible for decision making, you may "huddle up" and discuss amongst each other, but ultimately, decisions are up to the captain.
• Female competitors below 160 will have their own weights and female competitors 160 and above will all have the same weights. All men will have set weights per weight class (200-265 will all use the same weights regardless if you weigh more or less than 231lbs).

The Events

Clean and press for reps

For this event, one whole team will go at once. Teams are given the choice of which implement they would like to press. The options will be as follows: log(10" for women, 12" for men), axle, circus dumbbell (women will do a singular CDB clean and press, men will do a double CDB clean and press!) and mouser block (women will use a mini block, men will use a big block). Team captains will strategically pick which member they would like to press which implement. As stated above, these decisions must be finalized by the team captain. All teams must have their decisions finalized and given to the judges PRIOR the start of the event so that the implements can be loaded to the appropriate weights for the competitors. Once the decisions are finalized and given to the judges, no changes will be allowed. For example, On a team is Jane, Todd, Mark and Henry. Jane is the captain, so she chooses to do the CDB since that is her best event, Todd hates Axle so he gets stuck with the mouser block, Mark hold the Iowa state log press record so he gets put on the log, and that leaves Henry with the axle!

Teams have 60 seconds to produce as many reps as possible, most reps wins! Every implement must touch the floor between each rep, each competitor must receive a down command by locking out their elbows and showing control of the implement.

Not allowed: grip shirts or anything tacky/sticky, elbow wraps or sleeves with straps/buckles.

*Note: in the weight matrix the order is log, axle, circus dumbbell, and mouser block. 

Max axle deadlift team total

Everyone on the team will work up to a max axle deadlift in 3 attempts using Wessels rule (rising bar format). The bar only goes up in weight, so that means if your first and second attempts are lower than the next persons first attempt, you will follow yourself. This also means that if you miss an attempt you are out. Each attempt you will be given 30 seconds to produce a successful lift. The team with the highest total wins. We will have two axle lanes set up. In lane 1 we will start with the women, and in lane 2 we will start with the 201-265 men. Once both groups are done the <200>

Allowed: non-rigid neoprene warming pants, chalk, baby powder, straps, knee sleeves, hitching/ramping

Not allowed: sumo stance deadlifts (hands inside legs), deadlift suits or briefs, baby oil or any lubricant to help the bar slide on your legs, straps that are so long your fingers do not make contact with the bar, or any grip "hooks"

Sandbag carry and load to wheelbarrow 

Teams will have 120 seconds. Athletes will all start behind a line 5' away from their sandbags. Starting with the woman, she will pick up, carry and load a sandbag into a wheelbarrow 30' away. Once she loads the bag she will run back 30', tag the hand of her <200>

Allowed: non-rigid neoprene warming pants, tape for the forearms (with sticky side down), chalk, knee sleeves

Not allowed: ANYTHING REMOTELY STICKY OR TACKY (including grip shirts, tacky towels, tacky tape, tacky spray or tacky)

Sandbag Masters

Team captain will assign 2 team members to the 2 sandbag hug stations, and 2 members to the 2 sandbag for points stations. In short, the time limit for sandbag lifter at station 1 to get points is determined by his/her buddy at sandbag hug station 1. The time limit for sandbag lifter at station 2 to get points is determined by his/her buddy at stone hugger station 2. One entire team will go at once 

On the judge’s command, a 90 second timer will start and the bear huggers will lift the bags from the floor. Once they are to the bear hug position, the athletes at the points stations may begin lifting. The points lifters have the option to get the sandbag to their shoulder for 5 points, or press the bag overhead for 20 points– total combined points wins… but here’s the catch… the points lifters may only continue lifting while their bag hugger remains huggin'. Bear huggers are allowed to set the bag to their lap and regain their grip, but while the bag is lapped, the sandbag lifter for points must stop. Once the hugger is back to hugging, the lifter can begin lifting again and getting points. If the bag hugger drops the bag to the ground, they are done and their partnered lifter for points must stop lifting. 

This event will be the most strategic out of all of the events (which is why this comp is so fun right???)! A good hugger may be able to make up for a mistake made by the points lifter by holding on long enough to allow extra reps. A great points lifter may be able to compensate for a not-so-good hugger by busting out many reps quickly before the hug goes. Having a combination of tough people with a high pain tolerance to be the huggers and stout sandbag wrestlers is the optimal combination! 

Allowed: non-rigid neoprene warming pants, tape for the forearms (with sticky side down), chalk, knee sleeves

Not allowed: ANYTHING REMOTELY STICKY OR TACKY (including grip shirts, tacky towels, tacky tape, tacky spray or tacky)

Mystery Event

To be announced on the day of the competition!

Tie Breakers

Any tie for a spot on the podium will be determined by a head to head tug of war match-up