The World Log Lift Championships

The World Log Lift Championships (sometimes referred to as World Log Lift Challenge) is an annual competition featuring strength athletes from all over the world, competing exclusively in the log clean and press. Created initially as part of the Strongman Champions League, it has since been part of Giants Live and the championship has been present in both series, Giants Live running one version of the championship and the World Log Lift Federation taking over the Strongman Champions League's variant of the championship.

In its inaugural year 2008, the Strongman Champions League introduced the World Log Lift Championships. The event however had been a staple of strongman competitions since the early 1980s. Beginning with the 1980 World's Strongest Man contest, where Bill Kazmaier hoisted 157 kg (346 lb) to win the event and set a world record. Kazmaier then increased the record to 163 kg (359 lb) in 1981 World's Strongest Man. During 1987 Pure Strength, Jón Páll Sigmarsson lifted 163.5 kg (360 lb) and Kazmaier regained the record with 170 kg (375 lb) in 1988 World's Strongest Man. During 1989 Kraftur championships Jamie Reeves took the record upto 172.5 kg (380 lb). During 1992 World Mighty Man in Johannesburg, Manfred Hoeberl surpassed it with 175 kg (386 lb) until Reeves regained it with 180 kg (397 lb) on the same competition.

At 2002 Strongman Super Series in Sweden Svend Karlsen increased the record to 185 kg (408 lb) and at 2003 Strongman Super Series in Canada Hugo Girard took it to 186 kg (410 lb). At 2004 IFSA Ukraine Grand Prix, Žydrūnas Savickas set a new record with 188 kg (414 lb), and Raimunds Bergmanis brought it up to 190 kg (419 lb) at 2004 Strongman Super Series in Moscow.

Savickas began his long reign over the log lift world record starting in 2005, bringing it up to 200 kg (441 lb) at 2005 IFSA Hungary Grand Prix, and then to 202.5 kg (446 lb) at 2005 IFSA European Championships in Riga. At 2006 IFSA Russia Grand Prix, Savickas raised it to 205 kg (452 lb). In 2008 Savickas broke the record with 207.5 kg (457 lb) at 2008 SCL Holland and in 2009 with 212.5 kg (468 lb) at World Log Lift Championships. At 2012 Europe's Strongest Man Savickas renewed the record to 216 kg (476 lb) and then up to 217.5 kg (480 lb) at 2012 SCL Holland.

At 2012 World's Strongest Man Savickas brought the world record to 220 kg (485 lb) making it his tenth consecutive log lift world record. At 2013 Europe's Strongest Man, Savickas lifted 221 kg (487 lb) for another world record, followed by 222.5 kg (491 lb) at 2013 SCL World Log Lift Championships. At 2014 Arnold Brazil Savickas took the record to 223 kg (492 lb). 8 days later, at 2014 Giants Live Poland, Savickas took the world record to 227 kg (500 lb) and his final world record was 228 kg (503 lb), set at 2015 Arnold Brazil, marking it his sixteenth time breaking the world record.

At 2021 Giants Live world tour finals Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou broke Savickas's final world record with 229 kg (505 lb), then at 2023 World Log Lift Championships in Glasgow with 230 kg (507 lb) and again at 2024 World Log Lift Championships in Birmingham, taking the log lift world record to 231 kg (509 lb) where it stands today.

At 2010 World's Strongest Man, the organizers came up with a more challenging longer log where Savickas established a new world record with 210 kg (463 lb).^[1]

At 2014 SCL FIBO, Strongman Champions League introduced a log which was thicker than any log which has been used before. Savickas took the record to 205 kg (452 lb) with this new giant log until it was broken by Krzysztof Radzikowski with 206 kg (454 lb) at 2015 SCL FIBO, and then by Graham Hicks with 207 kg (456 lb) at 2017 SCL FIBO.

Note: During Savickas's log lift world record reign of 16 occasions, the first six were with the standard log, seventh was with WSM giant log, eighth to twelfth were with the standard log, thirteenth was with SCL giant log and fourteenth to sixteenth were with the standard log.

¹ Cheick Sanou, who is a Canadian citizen, has the heaviest lift for this region at 231 kg (509 lb), but is not listed as he has declared for Burkina Faso.

Zydrunas Savickas entered the 2008 Log Lift World Championships as the clear favorite, and intended to set a new record with 212.5 kg (468 lb).^[2] Savickas' competitors included Mikhail Koklyaev, Ervin Katona, Sebastian Wenta, Oleksandr Lashyn, Tobias Ide, Agris Kazelniks, Oleksandr Pekanaov, Krzysztof Radzikowski and Saulius Brusokas.^[2]

The competition, held in Lithuania, saw each lift judged by three officials similar to Powerlifting and Olympic Weightlifting. The referees were Strongman Champions League founders Ilkka Kinnunen, Marcel Mostert and Latvian weighlifter Viktors Ščerbatihs, who had won the bronze medal in the +105 kg (231 lb) superheavyweight class at the recent Beijing Olympics. One of the strongest contenders, Oleksandr Pekanov, who had a personal best of 190 kg (420 lb) missed his opener of 180 kg (400 lb) three times. However, a number of other athletes came away with personal records, and two National Records were set. Zydrunas Savickas missed his world record attempt of 212.5 kg (468 lb), but won the championships with his lift of 200 kg (440 lb).^[3]

• Source of results:^[4]

The championships took place in Kaunas, Lithuania on 21 November 2009.

• Source of results:^[5]

The Log Lift Championships were not held in 2010, and was moved up to February 2011 to kick off the 2011 season of SCL.^[6]

The 2011 World Log Lift Championships were held in Siemens Arena in Vilnius, Lithuania on 12 February 2011 to kick off the 2011 SCL season.^[6] Key competitors were reigning champion Zydrunas Savickas, Vidas Blekaitis and Vytautas Lalas who finished in the top 3 places respectively, with Zavickas winning his 3rd straight log lift title. There were 12 athletes in total, 3 athletes failed their opening weight on all 3 attempts.^[7] The event was broadcast live on Eurosport.^[8]

The 2012 World Log Lift Championships were held in Siemens Arena in Vilnius, Lithuania on Sunday 7 October 2012.^[9]

The 2013 World Log Lift Championships were held in Siemens Arena in Vilnius, Lithuania on Saturday 19 October 2013. Savickas set a new world record with a lift of 222.5 kg (491 lb).^[10]

The 2015 World Log Lift Championships were held at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster, England on 14 February 2015. Savickas attempted to set a new world record with a lift of 228 kg (503 lb) but narrowly failed.^[11]

The 2016 World Log Lift Championships were held at the SCL Lithuania event in Vilnius. ^[12]

The 2017 World Log Lift Championships were held at the SCL Lithuania event in Vilnius. ^[13]

The 2018 World Log Lift Championships were held at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England, as the opening event for Europe's Strongest Man. Two strongmen attempted to set a new world record with a lift of | 230 kg (510 lb) but both failed.

In 2019, there were two World Log Lift Championships, the first of which was held at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England, again, as the opening event for Europe's Strongest Man. Cheick "Iron Biby" Sanou attempted to set a new world record with a lift of 229 kg (505 lb) but narrowly failed.^[14] The second championship was run by the World Log Lift Federation in Lithuania

The 2021 World Log Lift Championships were held at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England, as the opening event for Europe's Strongest Man.^[15]

The 2022 World Log Lift Championships were held at the First Direct Arena in Leeds, England, as the opening event for Europe's Strongest Man.

The 2023 World Log Lift Championships were held at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, Scotland, as the opening event for the Giants Live World Tour Finals.

The 2024 World Log Lift Championships were held at the Utilita Arena Birmingham, as the opening event for the Giants Live World Open.

• Europe's Strongest Man
• Giants Live
• Strongman Champions League
• Žydrūnas Savickas
• The World Deadlift Championships

• Official Site of Strongman Champions League
• Official Site of Giants Live