Stars and Strength Forever Competition 2023 at Wissahickon Brewing Company

***THE BEST Beer-Themed Strongman Competition held ON-SITE at an operational brewery returns again!***

Join us at Wissahickon Brewing Company for the second annual event of lifting heavy things, eating excellent food, and drinking local craft beer— all while raising money for veteran’s charities.

We're bringing some crowd favorites from BOTH The Highland Games and Scandinavia in this year's competition!

There will be 3 weight classes for both Men’s and Women’s divisions. All weights [competitor weight divisions and listed lifting weight(s)] are subject to change as FFE deems fit.

Women’s weight classes (in lbs):

Light-weight: <100>

Middle-weight: 141 - 175

Heavy-weight: 176+

Men’s weight classes (in lbs):

Light-weight: <130>

Middle-weight: 171 - 210

Heavy-weight: 211+

**Important Update 1: No competitor will be allowed to compete in a lighter weight class than what they qualify for during weigh-ins. Should any competitor want to compete in a heavier weight class (even though they qualify for a lower weight class), they may choose to transfer to compete within the desired heavier weight-class of their choosing. Once a competitor has weighed-in and has confirmed their decision with our staff to compete in a heavier weight class, they will not be allowed to transfer back to their original qualifying lighter weight class.**

**Important Update 2: Based on the amount of competitors within the Men's Heavy-weight Class, a Super Heavy-weight Class may be added for the Men's Division. Should that occur, the event weight's for the for the Super Heavy-weight Class will have very minimal increases. Also, the competitor cutoff weights will then be 211lbs - 250lbs for the Men's Heavy-weight Class, and anyone 251lbs+ will be in the new Men's Super Heavy-weight Class.**

Weighing in with a judge will be required either the day or morning prior to competing. Weigh-ins and shirt pick-up for the competition can be done during either of the following timeframes:

Friday, Oct. 6th, at Fire for Effect Athletics, from 9:30am to 7:30pm

Saturday, Oct. 7th, at Wissahickon Brewing Company, from 7:45am to 8:15am

Weigh-ins are mandatory for all athletes prior to competition.

Competitor Equipment Information:

Lifting Belts and/or support belts, wrist wraps, non-grip aiding gloves, non-grip aiding arm sleeves, elbow sleeves, knee sleeves, chalk (non-tacky liquid chalk, chalk blocks, or powder chalk), KT tape, etc. are all approved for this competition. 

NO tacky of any kind (i.e.- tacky putty/paste, liquid tacky, tacky towels, tacky chalk, etc.), strength/lifting suits, grip shirts, grip aiding gloves (i.e.- football receiving gloves, etc.), grip aiding arm sleeves (i.e.- arm sleeves/bracers with tacky, double sided tape, etc.), or lifting straps are allowed during any event of this competition.

For further competition equipment guidelines, please reach out via email at james@fireforeffectath.com.

COMPETITION SCHEDULE:

7:45 am - Athlete Check-in/Last Minute Weigh-ins

8:15 am - Athlete instruction/Event rules overview

8:45 am - Judge's meeting

9 am - Opening Ceremony

9:15 am - Events Begin

* Each weight-class will be given their order of competition events during weigh-ins. For weight-class athlete starting orders, they're actively listed in the Iron Podium Scoreboard. The sooner you sign-up, the later in weight-class order you compete for a given event. 

3:30-4 pm - Awards & Closing Comments

EVENT DESCRIPTIONS:

Stone Load Medley over Hitching Post (for reps and time): The competitor will load a series of 3 atlas stones over a hitching post for time. To begin, the competitor will be standing at AND touching the designated starting end of the hitching post, facing towards the atlas stones. When given the start command by the event judge, the competitor will approach the first stone and begin. The competitor can use any front loading technique to move the atlas stones over the hitching post. Each atlas stone must make it over the hitching post and land on the opposing side of the hitching post from the competitor for each load to be successfully completed. Once the previous stone passes over to the other side of the hitching post, the competitor will be able to move to the next atlas stone and load that atlas stone over the hitching post. Each subsequent atlas stone will be heavier than the last. The time it takes to load all 3 atlas stones over the hitching post will be recorded as the competitor's score. There will be a 90 second time cap per competitor to complete this event. To reiterate our competition equipment guidelines, no tacky of any kind will be approved for this event (i.e.- tacky putty/paste, liquid tacky, tacky towels, tacky chalk, etc). See above for approved competitor equipment details. 

Women's Weight Class Atlas Stone Weights (lbs):

Lightweight: 65, 95, 115 

Middleweight: 95, 115, 130

Heavyweight: 115, 130, 145

Men's Weight Class Atlas Stone Weights (lbs):

Lightweight: 130, 145, 160

Middleweight: 145, 160, 175

Heavyweight: 175, 215, 250

Húsafell Stone (Keg) Clock Face Carry (for distance): Time to go Icelandic on y'all! While front carrying the Húsafell Stone, the competitor will complete as many revolutions as possible around the designated clock face area in 60 seconds. Each competitor may carry the Húsafell Stone in either a clockwise or counterclockwise orientation to complete this event. To begin, the Húsafell Stone will be resting upright on the start position, the competitor will be standing behind the Húsafell Stone at said designated starting position, and the competitor will be touching the top of the Húsafell Stone with both hands. When given the start command by the event judge, the competitor will then lift the Húsafell Stone into the front carry position. The competitor can use any front carry technique to lift and move the Húsafell Stone around the clock face area, as long as they're not holding the Húsafell Stone by its base. The competitor may lap the stone during the initial starting lift to reposition their arms to carry the Húsafell Stone, but no additional lapping of the stone will be permitted once the competitor starts carrying the stone. Once the Húsafell Stone is either dropped, lapped, placed down, and/or the allotted 60 second time cap is reached, the distance the Húsafell Stone was carried by the competitor will be recorded as their score. For safety, competitors should demonstrate control over the Húsafell Stone at all times--there will not be any penalty for accidental drops though. Should any of the following actions (but not limited to) be conducted during this event, the competitor will be disqualified from the event and their score be recorded as null (zero feet, zero inches): ignoring/excessive steps taken after the event time cap is call by the event judge, throwing of the Húsafell Stone for additional distance, carelessly dropping the Húsafell Stone, etc. See above for approved competitor equipment details. 

Women's Weight Class Húsafell Stone Weights (lbs):

Lightweight: 80 lb Keg in Bear Hug/Front Hold position

Middleweight: 100

Heavyweight: 120

Men's Weight Class Húsafell Stone Weights (lbs):

Lightweight: 100

Middleweight: 140

Heavyweight: 180

Overhead Log Press (for reps): The competitor will complete as many overhead log presses as possible in 60 seconds. To start, the competitor will be position behind and NOT touching the the log bar. Upon the event judge's start command, the competitor will then lift the log bar from the ground to their shoulders, where they will then start their overhead presses from the front rack position. The log bar must be in the front rack position before it goes overhead--no viper presses are allowed for this event! The competitor can use either strict press, push press, or push jerk techniques to lift the log bar overhead--for safety, no split jerks are allowed for this event. The log bar must touch the competitor's upper torso (i.e.- upper chest/shoulders) and come to a complete controlled stop overhead for each movement to be successfully completed. For an individual repetition to be considered successfully completed, the following must be conducted by each competitor: the competitor must be standing completely upright, arms fully extended in the overhead position, with the weight being directly over the midline of the competitor, and control demonstrated at the top of the lift before returning to the front rack position (i.e.- the competitor's upper torso); which a successfully completed repetition will be noted by the event judge giving the competitor the down command. Competitors are allowed to drop the log bar from any position of the lift, if possible in a controlled bail forward of the competitor's midline; the competitor may then ground-to-shoulder lift the log bar back into the front rack position to conduct additional reps within the remaining allotted time for the event. The max number of successfully completed reps within the allotted time cap will serve as the competitor's score. See above for approved competitor equipment details. 

Women's Weight Class Log Weights (lbs, including Rogue brand 50lb log bar weight):

Lightweight: 50 

Middleweight: 75 

Heavyweight: 100

Men's Weight Class Log Weights (lbs, including Rogue brand 75lb log bar weight):

Lightweight: 75

Middleweight: 100

Heavyweight: 125

Harness Truck Pull (for distance and time): The competitor will be fitted into a pull harness, connected via a tow rope to the specific vehicle of their respective weight class. The competitor will then pull the harnessed tow rope taught prior to event start. Once given the start command by the event judge, the competitor will use only their body and the harnessed tow rope to pull their designated vehicle 50ft as fast as possible. There will not be an additional tow rope for the competitor to pull with their arms to complete this event--pure leg power baby! Any harness pull technique is approved for this event (i.e.- walking or crawling). The distance and time completed by the competitor will then be recorded as the competitor's score. There will be a 60 second time cap per competitor to complete this event. See above for approved competitor equipment details. 

Women's Weight Class Vehicles:

Lightweight: Ford F-150 Super Crew

Middleweight: Wissahickon Brewing Co. Van

Heavyweight: Wissahickon Brewing Co. Van

Men's Weight Class Vehicles: 

Lightweight: Ford F-150 Super Crew

Middleweight: Wissahickon Brewing Co. Van

Heavyweight: Wissahickon Brewing Co. Van

Shot Put Throw (for distance): Making a nod to highland games roots--Slàinte! To begin, the competitor will pick up the designated shot put for their given weight class. When given the start command by the judge, the competitor will throw the shot put from the designated throwing area into the designated landing area as far as they can. The distance the competitor had thrown the shot put and where it initially strikes the landing area will then be recorded as their score. The competitor may throw the shot put with either the "punch", "glide", or "shuffle" throwing techniques--the shot put cannot be thrown any other way for this event (i.e.- no "granny", overhead, behind-the-back, or spin throws). Should the shot put be thrown and land anywhere outside of the designated landing area, that shot put throw will be recorded as null (zero feet, zero inches). Each competitor will have 3 shot put throw attempts for this event; which will be conducted in a round robin (aka waterfall) order for respective weight class. The best thrown distance will then be recorded as the competitor's score. No practice throws will be given to any competitor during the competition. See above for approved competitor equipment details. 

Women's Weight Class Shot Put Weights (lbs):

Lightweight: 8

Middleweight: 8

Heavyweight: 8

Men's Weight Class Shot Put Weights (lbs):

Lightweight: 12

Middleweight: 12

Heavyweight: 16

**All weights (Athlete weight divisions and listed lifting weight) are subject to change as FFE deems fit. **

200 Participant cap: Waitlist options are available. No refunds 1-month prior to the event.

We will NOT be requiring any strongman organization membership to participate, this competition will NOT be a sanctioned event.

Volunteer registration is open y'all! Email james@fireforeffectath.com if you are interested in volunteering as a judge, setup/breakdown crew, or administration assistant.

We are accepting Vendors and Sponsors. Please email james@fireforeffectath.com to claim your spot for hosting a table at the competition, to donate a prize, and/or get on to this year's competition shirt!

Questions? Email james@fireforeffectath.com