The Giants Live Strongman Tour is a series of strength athletics competitions featuring the world’s top strongmen. Founded in 2005, Giants Live has become one of the premier strongman events, hosting contests across Europe and around the world. Here is an overview of what the Giants Live tour is all about.
History of Giants Live
Giants Live was founded in 2005 by British strongman Eddie Hall and promoter Mo Chaudry. They envisioned creating a professional strongman competition circuit to showcase the sport’s top athletes. The first Giants Live event was held in Warwickshire, England in 2005.
Over the years, Giants Live has expanded into an annual tour with multiple competitions held across the United Kingdom and Europe. In 2011, the first international Giants Live event was held in Australia. Since then, the tour has visited Africa, North America, Asia, and the Middle East.
Today, Giants Live hosts over a dozen events each year attracting thousands of spectators. It is broadcast globally, bringing strongman competitions to a wider audience. Giants Live has been instrumental in the growth and popularity of professional strength athletics.
Notable achievements
- Over 250 events held since 2005
- Events held in over 20 countries
- Broadcast to millions worldwide
Competitions
The Giants Live tour consists of standalone competitions as well as the annual Giants Live Championship series. The competitions feature different lineups of top strongmen athletes depending on the location and logistics.
Some of the staple competitions on the Giants Live calendar include:
- Giants Live Leeds – Held annually in Leeds, England
- Giants Live Manchester – Also held annually in Manchester, England
- Giants Live North America – Rotates between cities in the USA and Canada
- Giants Live South Africa – Hosted annually in Cape Town, South Africa
- World Deadlift Championships – Part of the Giants Live series focused just on the deadlift
- Giants Live World Tour Finals – The championship finale held at the end of the year
The competitions feature different events designed to test all aspects of strength such as overhead pressing, lifting Atlas Stones, pulling trucks, squatting, and the signature Giants Live Log Lift.
Notable events
Event | Description |
---|---|
Log lift | Lifting a long log overhead |
Atlas stones | Lifting heavy spheres onto platforms |
Deadlift | Lifting a loaded barbell off the floor |
Truck pull | Pulling a heavy truck over a set distance |
Strongman Athletes
The Giants Live tour attracts the best strongman athletes in the world. To qualify, athletes must receive invites based on their performance and rankings at other premier strongman contests globally.
Some of the notable strongmen who have competed on the Giants Live tour include:
- Eddie Hall – The founder of Giants Live and 2017 World’s Strongest Man winner
- Hafthor Bjornsson – 2018 World’s Strongest Man and starred in Game of Thrones
- Brian Shaw – 4-time World’s Strongest Man (2011, 2013, 2015, 2016)
- Zydrunas Savickas – 4-time World’s Strongest Man (2009, 2010, 2012, 2014)
- Mikhail Shivlyakov – 2-time World’s Strongest Man (2005, 2007)
- Laurence Shahlaei – Britain’s Strongest Man (2011, 2012, 2014)
The roster of athletes changes from competition to competition. But attendees are guaranteed to see many of strongman’s biggest stars clash at Giants Live events.
Notable strongman athletes
Athlete | Accomplishments |
---|---|
Eddie Hall | 1st place World’s Strongest Man 2017 Giants Live founder |
Hafthor Bjornsson | 1st place World’s Strongest Man 2018 Starred as The Mountain in Game of Thrones |
Brian Shaw | 4x World’s Strongest Man winner |
Laurence Shahlaei | 2x Britain’s Strongest Man winner |
Where is Giants Live held?
Giants Live competitions take place in venues across the globe. The strongman tour visits a different roster of cities and countries each year. Some of the most common hosts include:
- United Kingdom – England cities like Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield
- Europe – Poland, Ukraine, Finland, Spain
- North America – USA and Canada
- Africa – South Africa
- Middle East – Dubai, Qatar
- Asia Pacific – Australia, China
The competitions are held in large arenas and stadiums capable of accommodating both the strongman events as well as thousands of spectators. The Giants Live World Tour Finals often takes place at the Manchester Arena in England which can hold over 20,000 fans.
Select cities host Giants Live as an annual tradition. But the tour also frequently brings the action to new countries and markets to grow the fanbase.
Notable Giants Live venues
Venue | Location | Capacity |
---|---|---|
Manchester Arena | Manchester, UK | 21,000 |
First Direct Arena | Leeds, UK | 13,500 |
Denny Sanford Premier Center | Sioux Falls, USA | 12,000 |
Ticketpro Dome | Johannesburg, South Africa | 20,000 |
Conclusion
The Giants Live Strongman Tour brings the spectacle of professional strength athletics to fans across the globe. Since starting in 2005, it has grown into one of the most prestigious strongman competitions.
The tour sees the world’s strongest athletes lift mind-boggling weights and battle for national pride. Giants Live has played a key role in popularizing strongman competitions as a professional sport.
For anyone who loves watching displays of raw power and human strength, attending a Giants Live competition promises to be an unforgettable experience.