Compete for glory against the best in the River City at the River City Strongman Games - November 8th 2025, 9AM at RVA Iron Gym

The next day, November 9th 2025, learn from the BEST at the River City Strongman Seminar led by Nick Best and John Haack at 10am!

**The Competition and Seminar are two SEPARATE events with different sign-up links. An athlete competing in the River City Strongman Games who also wishes to attend the seminar must sign up for both (and vice versa). **

Seminar Link: https://ironpodium.com/browse/event/river-city-strongman-games-strongman-seminar 

Strongman Clinic Signup Form:     https://forms.gle/uX3sJ2adArDaAZBm9

Volunteer Signup Form: https://forms.gle/Z1qfbGmK94c63Jpj7 

IG @ therivercitystrongmangames

Pre-register for a $50 athlete photo package by emailing jgaller627@gmail.com (subject line: River City Strongman Games).

IV services will be available during check-ins on November 7th and during the competition on November 8th thanks to StrongIV. Pre-book here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdBmNlrLXeHh1SrpZsCoZCtf8qdq4JVg7hMR91w4zef2pSw1A/viewform?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaeQ91Ve-Yl1ZTwtt63GD3NwiG3IwMHysSbzC5ZSkcQ_Z5sSKGMgcVcQHgtGtw_aem_Rfg-Vtg6e4b0m0qMWxEPAA 

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Athlete Check-in/Weigh-in: 

Friday, November 7th – Morning 8:00am-11am | Afternoon/Evening 2- 6pm 

Saturday, November 8th – Morning 8:00am-8:30am  

***All athletes must show Strongman Corporation proof of membership at time of check-in.

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

There are NO CONVERSIONS for the weight classes. They are either in pounds or in kilograms. If a competition has classes listed in pounds, the weigh-in will be in pounds. If a competition has classes listed in kilograms, the weigh-in will be in kilograms. There is no math, no rounding, and no conversions. This competition is weighing all athletes in using kg to adhere to the upcoming long term weight changes that Strongman Corporation is making. 

If an athlete misses weight, we will allow you to jump up a class, however keep in mind that larger shows (Pro/Am, Nationals, the Arnold etc.) will almost always not allow this to happen, they'd send you away and you're unlikely to receive a refund.

Who qualifies as a novice athlete?

The Novice class is open to all first-time competitors in Strongman Corporation, regardless of prior experience in other sports or strength disciplines. If you’ve competed Novice before, podium or not, then it is still time to go Open. 

Do I have to compete in the novice division if it is my first contest?

No. No one is obligated to compete in Novice. If you're looking for a 2026 Nationals bid, go open as that cannot be earned in a Novice Class (teens being the only exception).

*** Feel free to email or text me if you're unsure what class to sign up for!

Interested in competing as an Adapted Athlete?

We’d love to have you! Email the promoter so that events can be specified to your adaptive needs (weights and event mechanics). The promoter can then publish a specific adaptive class for you to sign-up under. 

Interested in competing as a Teen (12-19 yrs of age)?

We’d love to have you! Email the promoter so that events can be specified to your age group or help you decide what weight class you’d safely fit in with. 

Interested in volunteering?

Please contact Nancy:) Form will come out soon. Volunteers will receive an event t-shirt, lunch, and maybe some swag ;). 

Interested in sponsorship?

This could be in the form of sponsoring an event, items in the athlete goodie bags, or trophies/items for podium finishers. All sponsors would be featured on the event T-Shirt and receive recognition during the event. Let's chat!

Open Invites

At a Local competition, the number of qualifying athletes depends on the number of athletes competing ON THE DAY OF COMPETITION and follows these standards:

1 athlete in a class: the promoter may merge the class with another class; if the athlete competes alone they will earn an invite by completing (i.e. not “zeroing”) at least 4 of the 5 events to the standards originally set forth by the promoter. 

2-4 athletes in a class: 1st place qualifies for 2026 Nationals

5-9 athletes in a class: 1st and 2nd place qualify for 2026 Nationals

10+ athletes in a class: 1st-3rd place qualify for 2026 Nationals

*This refers to open categories, novice categories do not qualify for nationals. 

Teen & Masters Invite 

Teens qualify for America's Strongest Teen 2026 by competing in a licensed show period. 

Masters qualify for America's Strongest Master by placing top 3 in a Masters class (which the system sees and captures correcting when competing in a masters class) or by placing top 5 in an Open class (see more below).

At the moment if a Teen or Masters athlete compete in Open or Novice categories instead of teen or masters (more power to ya), our current system does not have a way to capture that they are age group athletes and eligible for bids to America's Strongest Teen or Masters Nationals. If you are of masters or teen age but compete open please give Nancy a heads up so she can annotate that you may qualify for more outside of the open class you compete in that day.  

Example: 55 yr. o. woman competes Open W u64kg where the class has 10+ women, and she places 3rd in that class, she has now earned a u64kg invite to Open Nationals AND an invite to Masters Nationals. 

Let's say she took 5th in the same class, she wouldn't receive an Open Nationals invite but she would still receive the Masters invite!

Competition Shirts 

The competition shirt will be worn on all events unless the athlete is shirtless or wearing a grip shirt (SC, Evo, Cerb, etc). Athletes may only be shirtless for natural stone events. 

Registrations made after Oct. 1 are not guaranteed a competition shirt in your exact size, but we will have one for you. 

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Event Rules

For all events:

No tacky or sticky substance of any kind allowed.  ***Update, a tacky towel is now allowed for natural stone events (event 3 and event 5, but in event 5 you will only touch it before carrying your natural stone and not be permitted to touch it again before carrying your sandbag or pulling the vehicle).***

If the implement leaves the platform/ crash pads then the athlete will retrieve it themselves while time is still running to continue. 

Any weight thrown towards/at a judge will be a no rep.

Any implement clearly dropped from the top will result in a no rep decision. 

Athletes must be at full lockout with a down call from their judge before time is called to receive the last rep. 

Athletes who skip the judges down call will not receive the rep. The judges' decision is ultimately what will be trusted but any athlete who would like to dispute a call, timing mistake, scoring mistake, etc. must find Nancy with a video of said event. 

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Event 1: Wagon Wheel Axle C&P for reps

Athletes will start hovering over their axle bar, they will then clean (every rep) and press an axle with wagon wheels for as many reps as possible in 60 seconds. 

60 sec time limit. No Split times taken. Scored in total of reps completed before time is called. 

Good Lift: feet together, feet not moving, arms locked out overhead, & athlete demonstrating full control. 

Allowed: belt cleans, (non -uss) grip shirt, compression shorts, knee sleeves, elbow sleeves, wrist wraps, belts, chalk

Not allowed: pressing off of head, dropping weight front overhead (follow down w/ your hands at least past chest height), lifting straps

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Event 2: Deadlift Medley 

Athletes will start behind the platform and can start on whichever bar they choose, they will deadlift a single rep on one bar and move onto the opposite bar after receiving a down call from the judge, alternating on both bars until 60 seconds is called. 

Deadlift Bar -> Trap Bar. The lighter weight ;listed for your class is the deadlift bar and the heavier weight listed is the trap bar. 

60 sec time limit. No Split times taken. Scored in total of reps completed before time is called (regardless of what bar the athlete begins on). 

Good Lift: feet together, feet not moving, hands fully wrapped around the bar (thumb included), & athlete demonstrating full control. 

Allowed: hitching, DL straps (on your own time), compression shorts, knee sleeves, elbow sleeves, wrist wraps, belts, chalk

Not allowed: DL suits, briefs, sumo stance, dropping bars from waist (follow down w/ your hands to at least past your knees)

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Event 3: Natty Stone

Athletes start hovering over their natural stone, the athlete will have the choice to shoulder their stone for 1 point OR overhead press the stone for 3 points. Athletes can build points during their time limit doing both the shoulder and the press or they can stick to just shoulder/ just pressing. Every rep will be returned to the ground/crash pads before beginning the next rep whether it be to shoulder or overhead. 

60 sec time limit. No Split times taken. Scored in total points acquired during their time limit. 

Good Lift for shouldering: feet together, feet not moving, one arm holding/securing stone on top of the shoulder & athlete demonstrating full control while the opposite arm is completely off/away from stone. 

Good Lift for overhead pressing: feet together, feet not moving, arms locked out overhead & athlete demonstrating full control.

Allowed: (non -uss) grip shirt, compression shorts, knee sleeves, elbow sleeves, wrist wraps, belts, chalk

Not allowed: pressing off of head, anything sticky 

***Update, a tacky towel is now allowed for natural stone events (event 3 and event 5, but in event 5 you will only touch it before carrying your natural stone and not be permitted to touch it again before carrying your sandbag or pulling the vehicle).***

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Event 4: Sandbag toss for max Ht.

Athletes will take every attempt until they miss or decide to call it, 20-30 sec. per attempt, no more than 2 throws in a single attempt, miss and you’re out, ascending 2ft each round. 

Women start at ___ height. 

Men start at ___ height. 

Scored by final successful height cleared (if the bag gets stuck on top for 10 sec we’ll declare that a successful height cleared). 

Allowed: compression shorts, knee sleeves, elbow sleeves, wrist wraps, belts, chalk

Not allowed: anything sticky 

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Event 5: Load, Load, Pull. 

Load, Load, Pull. 50ft course, all items start on same end, athlete will carry the same stone they used for event 3 (per category) down a 50ft course and load it over a bar 48”, sprint back and get a sandbag, carry that 50ft and load over same bar, sprint back and get in position to arm over arm pull a vehicle down the 50ft course. (athletes will sit w/ feet braced against sandbags or a tire and be handed their rope to begin pulling). 

Athletes will start hovering over their first implement.  A staff member will help with the road so that it does not impede their ability to continually pull. 

75 sec time limit. Only event with split times, split times when first 2 objects hit the ground and when the front of the vehicle tires cross a certain line will be taken. (vehicle may be 30ft pull not 50ft). ** working with Richmond Raceway to hopefully secure a test racecar or pacer car covered in their logos for this event. 

Natural Stone and Sandbag must cross over the bar to progress onto vehicle pull. 

Allowed: compression shorts, knee sleeves, elbow sleeves, wrist wraps, belts, chalk

Not allowed: anything sticky, using the straps of the sandbags in anyway to rotated, pick, carry or move the sandbag. (You will be using Bells of Steel sandbags, pretend as if the handles are non-existent)

***Update, a tacky towel is now allowed for natural stone events (event 3 and event 5, but in event 5 you will only touch it before carrying your natural stone and not be permitted to touch it again before carrying your sandbag or pulling the vehicle).***

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Tie Breaker …. It’s on the need to know