2023 Shaw Classic Results — Brian Shaw Is the Strongest Man on Earth

Brian Shaw ended his competitive strongman career as the Strongest Man on Earth®. Shaw was both promoter and competitor in the 2023 Shaw Classic, which took place on Aug. 19-20, 2023 in Loveland, CO. He scored the overall win by a single point to become a two-time Shaw Classic champion (having previously won the inaugural Shaw Classic in 2020.

2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM) and 2023 Arnold Strongman Classic (ASC) champion Mitchell Hooper ranked as the runner-up and two-time WSM Tom Stoltman landed the bronze. The final standings are below:

2023 Shaw Classic Results 

1. Brian Shaw — 96 points
2. Mitchell Hooper — 89 points
3. Tom Stoltman — 82 points
4. Evan Singleton — 77.5 points
5. Trey Mitchell — 73 points
6. Thomas Evans — 64 points
7. Bobby Thompson — 62 points
8. Maxime Boudreault — 57 points
9. Kevin Faires — 49 points
10. Oleksii Novikov — 44 points
11. Gavin Bilton — 43 points
12. Aivars Šmaukstelis — 41 points
13. Luke Stoltman — 32.5 points
14. Adam Bishop — Eight points (withdrew)

[Related: 2023 Germany’s Strongest Man Results — Dennis Kohlruss Triumphant]

[Related: 2023 Official Strongman Games European Championships Results]

Event One Results — Log Medley

The competition kicked off on Aug. 19, 2023 with an overhead log press medley. Athletes could choose which log to lift and perform as many reps possible within the time limit. However, one rep with a heavier log was more valuable than any number of reps with the lighter log. The weights of those logs were as follows.

• Log One: 172 kilograms (380 pounds)
• Log Two: 186 kilograms (410 pounds)
• Log Three: 200 kilograms (440 pounds)

Two-time and defending Shaw Classic champion Trey Mitchell won the event with two reps in a faster time than Thompson and Hooper. The fastest times with the same log determined the placing. 

1. Trey Mitchell — Two reps (200 kilograms)
2. Bobby Thompson — Two reps (200 kilograms)
3. Mitchell Hooper — Two reps (200 kilograms)
4. Brian Shaw — Two reps (186 kilograms)
5. Thomas Evans — Two reps (186 kilograms)
6. Evan Singleton — One rep (186 kilograms)
7. Maxime Boudreault — One rep (186 kilograms)
8. Kevin Faires —Two reps (172 kilograms)
9. Oleksii Novikov — One rep (172 kilograms)
10. Aivars Šmaukstelis — no lift
11. Tom Stoltman — no lift
12. Luke Stoltman — no lift
13. Gavin Bilton — no lift
14. Adam Bishop — no lift

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[Related: 2023 Strongman Champions League England Results — Shane Flowers Wins on Home Soil]

Event Two Result —Wheelbarrow and Arm Over Arm Medley

A strongman superset was the second event of the opening day. The athletes lifted three sandbags, weighing 136, 147.3, and 158.7 kilograms (300, 325, and 350 pounds) into a wheelbarrow that was then pushed to a marked distance.

The second task was a 317.5-kilogram (700-pound) arm-over-arm pull. The strongman who performed both tasks the fasted won. Boudreault cleared the course in barely over one minute. Hooper and Singleton rounded out the top three.

Those who didn’t finish were scored on how far they made it. However, the distances that were scored were never revealed. The rankings below are what was shared by the organizers:

1. Maxime Boudreault — 60.55 seconds
2. Mitchell Hooper — 62.29 seconds
3. Evan Singleton — 68 seconds
4. Brian Shaw — 70.99 seconds
5. Tom Stoltman — 88 seconds
6. Thomas Evans — 89 seconds
7. Oleksii Novikov — Did Not Finish (DNF) Pull
8. Kevin Faires — DNF Pull
9. Trey Mitchell — DNF Pull
10. Gavin Bilton — DNF Pull
11. Bobby Thompson — DNF Pull
12. Aivars Šmaukstelis — DNF Pull
13. Adam Bishop — DNF Pull
14. Luke Stoltman —DNF Wheelbarrow Push

[Related: 2023 Strongman Champions League Portugal Results — Evans Aryee Conquers]

Event Three — Car Leg Press

This event was a hit in the 2022 Shaw Classic, and Shaw brought it back for 2023. Whoever performed the most reps leg pressing the 840-kilogram (1,850) car frame won. As much as the event is a spectacle for the fans, it’s a great challenge for the contenders because of the setup and weight distribution.

Shaw took his first event win via 14 reps. Mitchell and Hooper tied for second with 13 reps each. They split the combined points for second and third. All 14 athletes completed at least one rep.

1. Brian Shaw — 14 reps
2. Trey Mitchell — 13 reps (T-second)
3. Mitchell Hooper — 13 reps (T-second)
4. Evan Singleton — 12 reps
5. Bobby Thompson — 11 reps
6. Tom Stoltman — 10 reps
7. Kevin Faires — Nine reps
8. Oleksii Novikov — Eight reps
9. Gavin Bilton — Seven reps
10. Thomas Evans — Five reps (T-10th)
11. Aivars Šmaukstelis — Five reps (T-10th)
12. Adam Bishop — Five reps (T-10th
13. Luke Stoltman — Four reps
14. Maxime Boudreault — One rep

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Event Four — Atlas Stones

Most strongman competitions end with the Atlas Stones, but at the Shaw Classic, it concluded day one. The five stones ranged from 158 to 204 kilograms (350 to 450 pounds). The athletes had to load all five stones onto their respective podiums in the quickest time.

Shaw and Tom Stoltman, known as “King of the Stones,” ranked as the the top two with the latter taking the gold. Hooper ranked third for the second consecutive event. 

1. Tom Stoltman — Five in 23 seconds
2. Brian Shaw — Five in 26 seconds
3. Mitchell Hooper — Five in 27.3 seconds
4. Trey Mitchell — Five in 29 seconds
5. Aivars Šmaukstelis — Five in 31.5 seconds
6. Gavin Bilton — Five in 53 stones
7. Luke Stoltman — Five in 53 seconds
8. Maxime Boudreault — Five in 57 seconds
9. Thomas Evans — Four stones
10. Oleksii Novikov — Four stones
11. Evan Singleton — Three stones
12. Kevin Faires — Three stones
13. Adam Bishop — Three stones
14. Bobby Thompson — no lift

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Event Five — Hummer Tire Max Deadlift

Before the start of the second day of competition, Adam Bishop withdrew due to injury, leaving 13 athletes to compete on the final day. Event five was the Hummer Tire Deadlift. This was a max lift event.

Tom Stoltman won this event with a massive pull of 499 kilograms (1,100 pounds). Hooper, Mitchell, Shaw, world record holder Novikov, and Thompson all tied for second with 476 kilograms (1,049.58 pounds), spliting the combined points for second through sixth place evenly.

Seventh through ninth-place points were combined and split between Singleton and Evans, both of whom lifted 431 kilograms (950 pounds). Three athletes — Luke Stoltman, Šmaukstelis, and Faires — tied with 408 kilograms (899.6 pounds), and Boudreault failed to score a lift.

1. Tom Stoltman — 499 kilograms
2. Mitchell Hooper — 476 kilograms (T-second)
3. Trey Mitchell — 476 kilograms (T-second)
4. Oleksii Novikov — 476 kilograms (T-second
5. Brian Shaw — 476 kilograms (T-second)
6. Bobby Thompson — 476 kilograms (T-second)
7. Evan Singleton — 431 kilograms (T-seventh)
8. Tom Evans — 431 kilograms (T-seventh)
9. Gavin Bilton — 431 kilograms (T-seventh)
10. Luke Stoltman — 408 kilograms (T-10th)
11. Aivars Šmaukstelis — 408 kilograms (T-10th)
12. Kevin Faires — 408 kilograms (T-10th)
13. Maxime Boudreault — no lift

[Related: Mitchell Hooper’s 3 Priorities When Programming for Strength]

Event Six — Standing Chest Press

Even sixreceived much attention when Shaw revealed it on his social media with a demonstration by strongman legend Nick Best. The strongmen stood with their backs against a pad and pressed the handles as if performing a standing bench press.

With each rep, a keg was added to the machine before the next rep. The eight total reps ranged from 177 to 261 kilograms (390 to 575 pounds). If an athlete completed all eight weights, they continued at the max weight for reps until time expired.

Shaw took his second event win of the contest via nine reps — he was the only athlete who performed an extra rep with the top weight. Evans finished in  second as the only other athlete to scoreall eight weights. Hooper, Singleton, Thompson, and Faires tied for third with seven reps.

1. Brian Shaw — Nine reps
2. Tom Evans — Eight reps
3. Mitchell Hooper — Seven reps (T-third)
4. Evan Singleton — Seven reps (T-third)
5. Bobby Thompson — Seven reps (T-third)
6. Kevin Faires —Seven reps (T-third)
7. Trey Mitchell — Six reps (T-seventh)
8. Tom Stoltman — Six reps (T-seventh)
9. Luke Stoltman — Six reps (T-seventh)
10. Aivars Šmaukstelis — Five reps
11. Oleksii Novikov — Four reps (T-11th)
12. Maxime Boudreault — Four reps (T-11th)
13. Gavin Bilton — Four reps (T-11th)

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Event Seven — Bag Over Bar

The seventh event was a Bag Over Bar. The strongmen tossed eight sandbags over a 15-foot bar in the quickest time possible. The weights were as follows:

• Two of 22 kilograms (50 pounds)
• Two of 25 kilograms (55 pounds)
• Two of 27 kilograms (60 pounds)
• Two of 29 kilograms (65 pounds)

Tom Stoltman, Boudreault, and Shaw finished all eight bags, but Stoltman was the fastest. The final times weren’t revealed. This was the first event that Hooper finished outside the top three.

1. Tom Stoltman — Eight bags
2. Maxime Boudreault — Eight bags
3. Brian Shaw — Eight bags
4. Evan Singleton — Seven bags
5. Gavin Bilton — Seven bags
6. Mitchell Hooper — Six bags
7. Bobby Thompson — Six bags
8. Thomas Evans — Six bags
9. Trey Mitchell — Six bags
10. Luke Stoltman — Six bags
11. Kevin Faires — Four bags
12. Aivars Šmaukstelis — Four bags
13. Oleksii Novikov — Four bags

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Event Eight — Fingal Fingers & Power Stairs Medley

The final event of the Shaw Classic was a second medley. Two Fingal Fingers, weighing 136 and 147 kilograms (300 and 325 pounds), respectively, followed by Power Stairs comprised of two implements weighing 250 and 272 kilograms (550 and 600 pounds) to be carried up five 15-inch steps.

Tom Stoltman wonby completing the medley in 46 seconds. Singleton finished second at 49 seconds. Šmaukstelis and Boudreault were the only other strongmen to finish in under one minute.

In what many fans felt was a symbolic passing of the torch, Shaw faced off with Hooper in the final pairing to determine the champion. Shaw didn’t win the event, but had enough of a lead to hold off Hooper. Shaw completed all 10 steps to Hooper’s eight. Following their finish, Hooper held up Shaw’s arm in victory as the veteran ended his career as the Strongest Man on Earth®.

Featured Image: @theshawclassic on Instagram

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