The 2023 Shaw Classic will determine “The Strongest Man on Earth”

The incentive to win the Shaw Classic is now much spicier.

Written by Roberto Zeglinski Last updated on July 17, 2023

The winner of the 2023 Shaw Classic (SC) will now officially earn the title of “The Strongest Man on Earth.”

In a video interview posted to YouTube on July 17, 2023, Brian Shaw, four-time World’s Strongest Man (WSM) Champion (2011, 2013, 2015-2016) and organizer of the annual SC, announced that he had acquired the “ The strongest man in the world” trademark of Paul Ohl. The title had previously been awarded to the winners of Fortissimus, a strongman contest Ohl hosted between 2008 and 2009. Shaw and Ohl discussed what the transfer of the title would mean for the future of the SC in their conversation.

After trying to gain traction in 2008, an eventual lack of sponsorships led to the indefinite closure of the Fortissimus competition in 2009. The competition did not return, but Ohl and the organizers still owned the “World’s Strongest Man” trademark. As the winner of the 2009 edition, a four-time WSM champion (2009-2010, 2012, 2014), Žydrūnas Savickas is technically the final and defending champion of the contest.

Shaw maintained that he approached Ohl for this name transition because he believes it adds legitimacy to the SC’s growth as a strongman competition, which only has three iterations at the time of writing (2020-2022).

It’s surely something the current roster of elite competitors may come to appreciate as another part of their potential prize pool. Here’s an overview of the field at SC 2023:

Shaw Classic 2023 Roster

Here is a summary of the expected events at SC 2023:

Shaw Classic 2023 Events

Note: Atlas Stones appears to not be the closing event of the 2023 SC, as it often is with other strongman contests.