Just got a text from Dean asking me to post here saying that the comp has been cancelled as it has attracted only 2 entrants. I wouldn't be suprised if that was the last straw for Dean and Dave and I doubt that they'll be organising any more Welsh championships or British Qualifiers in the future (that's my view though and not anything that has been said!). This is a shame as they've organised some decent comps in the past.

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Its a joke they both lost intrest a long time ago!!

I said it all along that not letting people know the events was a bad idea!!

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I think someone more able needs to take over the qualifiers for british and uks-Layne snook had to take over the brits qualifier at short notice and musturd enough entrants to hold the comp where peak could not?There would have been no welsh entrants in the brits and now any welsh wanting to qualify for the uks cant????
Welsh strongmen are going to get shut out of oppoutunities to compete on a national level unless a more able body is asked to run these comps!

ORIGINAL: demon666

There would have been no welsh entrants in the brits and now any welsh wanting to qualify for the uks cant????

As an objective observer, do they deserve to qualify if they can't support Wales Strongest Man? I know there were issues with pre-notification of events, but if I was a strongman and it was that or nothing I'd have entered and taken my chances.

Winners are just dreamers who didn't quit

From an outsider looking in, I don't understand why the strongmen in Wales didn't want to do the comp in the first place. Surely the title of "Wales Strongest Man" should mean something? I feel the same as Golden Oldie and if I was a strongman then I'd have definately entered it, whether I knew the events of not and whether I agreed with it or not. I would have done it because it's the biggest (or more or less the only) competiton available to Welsh lifters in Wales. From what I can gather, only Luke and Martin had put their names forward for the comp and without disrespecting either of them, they were both originally U105 competitors but were still willing to mix it against the bigger boys even though they didn't know the events either.

I'm looking at this from a powerlifting point of view whereby we all support each other for the love of the sport. I've entered a number of comps over the years just to make up numbers or to try and add a bit of weight to a comp to make it look better than it actually was and I did that because I wanted to ensure that future comps will still take place and that people will want to come and watch them - and hopefully attract new blood.

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One main diffrence Rob is you will always know what you have to do in a powerlifting comp as there only 3 lifts!

I have already said that I wouldnt be doing this comp due to my leg not being where I would like it to be at the moment - But at the end of the day not telling people events will deter them from doing the comp!!

Its ok for 1-2 people who dont actually compete in strongman(and this is not directed at you Rob as you know I have a lot of respect for you mate) to critisize and say people should just do it anyway because its strongman!! -

At the end of the day you go in to a strongman comp unprepaired for whats to come and get seriously injured how would you be able to work to support your family or pay the mortgage its not like the sport pays enough for most to survive!!

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I dont know much about this but from what Im hearing. The thing not organised properly or advertised enough. If these 2 key factors are not done correctly you wont get anybody. I know loads of big men who train they hear nothing. Wales have big men who would do this but things need to change fast.

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I'm not defending the way it was structured, just saying that if I was a strongman and it was that or nothing to qualify for the UKs I'd have bitten the bullet and done it. There's nothing to say you won't get injured doing something you were forewarned about. And I don't think you need to be a strongman to have an opinion.

Plus at least the organisers appear to have been trying to put on an event when no one else was. Surely they were entitled to expect more support than they got for that reason alone if no other? Time and time I again and see voluntary organisers being abused by competitors (not talking about the Welsh now) and you just wonder why they (the organisers) bother doing it.

Winners are just dreamers who didn't quit

ORIGINAL: Welshy_Pete

I know loads of big men who train they hear nothing. Wales have big men who would do this but things need to change fast.

Surely if they had a modicum of interest in competing and a bit of gumption they'd go on sites like this and strongman sites to get information, rather than just wait for it to come to them?

Anyway, not my argument so I'll back out now. I hope you guys get something sorted for next year.

Winners are just dreamers who didn't quit

Whilst I would not want to knock anyone who puts on a contest as I am sure its a difficult and thankless task, I really think that athletes need to know events in advance.
It takes away from the proffessionalism of the event if they arn't.
Could you imagine athletes turning up at the olympic decathlon and the organisers going " oh the events are different this year, your all fit guys so we have stuck in a marathon and some Judo"
I think if we want to be looked at as athletes with a proper sport, we have to act like athletes with a proper sport (both organisers and athletes).

ORIGINAL: Welshdragon

One main diffrence Rob is you will always know what you have to do in a powerlifting comp as there only 3 lifts!

I have already said that I wouldnt be doing this comp due to my leg not being where I would like it to be at the moment - But at the end of the day not telling people events will deter them from doing the comp!!

Its ok for 1-2 people who dont actually compete in strongman(and this is not directed at you Rob as you know I have a lot of respect for you mate) to critisize and say people should just do it anyway because its strongman!! -

At the end of the day you go in to a strongman comp unprepaired for whats to come and get seriously injured how would you be able to work to support your family or pay the mortgage its not like the sport pays enough for most to survive!!

WD, why aren't you organising any comps in your recovery year?
You got the experience, kit and contacts.
You have benefited in the past from the efforts of others putting on shows, why not put something back and show'em how it's done?

Thing is rob how can any competitor be sure that certain people havent been told the events???There were to major probs with this comp!!The not announcing the events is dodgy and unfair-competitors want to train the events before competing!!!!The other prob was that it was announced at very short notice??Hence not giving competitors enough time to train up!!!Plus poorly advertised!!Comps should be announced with plenty of notice so athletes can change their training to suit the events and weights!!!How hard would it be to train for a comp that you know nothing about whatsoever???There can be no focus in your prep training because you dont know what the f-ck events you will be doing?Madness!!
I agree with dale rob on your example you got three events in powerlifting-there are loads of events in strongman and you cant possibly cover all ov them in 1 week and get maximum results?
I dont blame welsh strongmen for not wanting to enter this comp-if enough notice was given and events and weights posted i would have done it-so would ross and im sure a few more!!!!!!!!
When you 1st posted that events to be announced on the day you had a very negative responce yet dean- dave chose to ignore peoples opinions hence just 2 entries!!
Send martin and luke to the uks if they were the only 2 entrants!

I have avoided posting on here regarding this as I don't won't get sucked in to the politics.

But, Yes we did not know until last minute about the comp, and I can assure anyone that I did not know any of the events beforehand. Although I train in Peak and I did ask Dean and Dave the events I still was told nothing.

I am disappointed that the comp has been cancelled for the reason that there will be no Wales Strongest Man 2008 title.....

Funny that-i have a wales strongest man 2008 trophy won at the britains qualifier????

There are to titles lady`s!!

Wales strongestman BSM

Wales strongestman UKs

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Rob, If the 'big names' of welsh strongman don't want to get involved the perhaps the organisers could put on a novice comp.

Novice comps are the life blood of strongman and rather than having to pander to the usual suspects, encourage some new blood into the sport.
There are so few competing open level welsh strongmen, you almost have a prima donna scenario.

I dont think undisclosed events is a good idea, but also dont agree with the conspiracy theory either.

You only need to look at how the welsh rugby gets so close to destroying itself from within.

WD, you might of missed my suggestion above about putting on a comp. yourself, even a small novice open to the english.

Rather than pulling yourselves apart, front up and show us how it's done ..... the atlas ball's, in your court!

Neither Dean nor Dave from Peak Physique will be organising any more strongman competitions as they both feel let down by the reaction to both of this year's competitions. There were just 4 or 5 confirmed entrants lined up for the BSM qualifier and just 2 for the UKSC.

By all accounts, only 1 person got in touch to ask about the events and everyone else just discussed it amongst themselves on discussion forums. I'm not saying it would have made a difference but I'm sure that if enough people got in touch and questioned why the events were going to remain a secret then "perhaps" things would have changed (that's just my view from knowing Dean and Dave quite well).

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I think the most that we have ever had compete in a welsh comp is 8 competitors so if you take away 1-2 due to injury wear does Dean and Dave think they are going to get competitors from?? - Not knowing the events was the Icing on the cake for most!

I have already been talking to my 1 of sponsers about running a comp or 2 next season - But I really dont think its fair for myself to run a comp like the welsh next year when I would be competing!

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I think the main problem you have is population numbers.
There are 17 english men to every one welsh men.

If you extrapolate those numbers to say the recent BSM qualifiers.
Across the 3 regional qualifiers in england you had maybe 45-50 guys compete.
Based on a 17:1 ratio that equates to less than 3 welshmen at their qualifiers!

I propose a bit of a radical solution

Open up the welsh qualifier to anyone that hasn't qualified in their regional england/scotland qualifier.
Guarantee at that comp. the top Welsh competitor qualifiers.
Make the remaining place(s) up for grabs
It might mean you get a few guys from the south/north/midlands/scotland competing with the welsh for the remaining qualifying place.
It should bump up the numbers and make it worthwhile for the promoters.
At least one welshman goes through and others if they are good enough.

ORIGINAL: Welshdragon

I think the most that we have ever had compete in a welsh comp is 8 competitors so if you take away 1-2 due to injury wear does Dean and Dave think they are going to get competitors from?? - Not knowing the events was the Icing on the cake for most!

Very good point.

If you take just 8 healthy welsh guys at their qualifier
It would be equivalent of over 45 english men turning up to each of the english qualifiers.
The english couldn't do that for a fact!