Do multiple championships count more for longevity? Is the competition better now than it was? Are the events easier now than they were 20 years ago? No matter what your criteria you are bound to have an opinion – this is the place to have your say and vote for who you think is the best ever. Everyone is encouraged to leave a comment with who they picked, but more importantly why.
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The Capester!
There are others out there with bigger arms, faster times and more impressive feats to their name, but I have a real soft spot for Geoff Capes. He’s a UK institution.
His battles with Jón Páll Sigmarsson are some of my earliest and greatest memories of World’s Strongest Man. His bar bending skills are second to none, not even the mighty Bill Kazmaier could match him in that event.
I would definitely vote for Magnus Samuelsson. He was my favorite every time I saw him competing. His introduction into WSM (1995) was also very impressive. These man-on-man contests can be quite harmful sometimes. 😉
I was watching the 1995 World’s Strongest Man last week and I was amazed at how young Magnus looked! He’s competed in more World’s Strongest Man finals than any other competitor in the history of the competition – add in his huge personality and entertaining style and we have a real comtendor.
Who is the greatest? That’s a tough one. Kind of a vague question. Who is the strongest is another. Jon Pall is the Arnold of the sport, Mariusz the Coleman. And as far as longevity Capes has to be mentioned. Kaz was Jon Pall hero and held a bench record that lasted 19 years I believe. All have built on the success of the those before, and the sport has changed a lot. Having interviewed Poundstone myself, he said Kaz would be at the top even today. And we’ll never know how many he could have won if given the chance. Jon Pall’s personality and positive thinking an stature are the most admirable I’ve seen in the sport. Guy was pure fun to watch.
What led to you interviewing Derek Poundstone and is the interview available online?
It’s a shame Kaz never competed in the 83-86 competitions, it would have been interesting to see him against Capes and Sigmarsson, all at their peak together.
Do you think Kaz would still have been top today with the high level of athelticsm that guys like Pudzianowski possess? That said, I do think Kaz was far more mobile than people have always made out when comparing him to today’s competitors.
Same interview. It was horrible as I am no interviewer but off camera there werre other talks with other athletes. Kaz played briefly for the NFL so he was an athlete to be sure. Capes says flat out in the Pure Strength vids that he believes Kaz is the strongest of all time. Baring injury I’ve judged the contests from 83-87 and given points accordingly. When ifelt there was a tie I gave the nod to either Capes or Jon Pall and even then Kaz wins a minimum of 7. The 88 contest Kaz was out of form and lost simply due to failed technique. as far as strength and power he outclassed every one there period. Had he stayed in WSM all those years he just would have got stronger.
I’ll say Savickas is the stronggest today in my opinion and similar to Kaz. The nutrition and the roids these guys do today would have lifted Kaz and the rest into the same arena. It would be foolish to think that every finalist in wsm is stronger than kas as they all can press 400+ lbs overhed. Even the Big Z says in a youtube intervies that he gives Kaz the nod. Personally they are all the greatest in their own right. Capes i believe is a superior athlete to Mariusz, just not as strong. And the heart of a lion!
You have it all wrong. Kaz didn’t compete for 5 years. He did compete against capes before wsm banned kaz for 5 years. I think he competed against capes 2 or 3 wsm and destroyed capes every time. I would think that if kaz wasn’t banned for 5 years he would have had 3 or 4 more titles. The 2 titles Capes won would have been kaz titles. Kaz won three years in a row and spoke his mind. In 83 wsm went over seas and kaz refuse to compete that year. They didn’t invite him back because of that and nobody could beat him at his prime so they felt the sport wasn’t growing if he came back and continued his dominance. For that reason a lot of people think they didn’t let kaz compete and banned him for 5 years. I think he was out for 6 years though. When he finally came back to wsm after all those years he was now much older and not in his prime but still did very well. Capes himself said few years ago in an interview that kaz in his prime was the best strongman ever.
As I said, it would have been nice to have seen Capes v Kaz v Sigmarsson ALL in their prime competing against each other in WSM, but that never happened.
Žydrūnas Savickas? Doesn’t he hold around 48 records?
Probably not my choice, but the commentators, I think Colin Bryce, were pretty emphatic that he was.
My problem with calling Savickas the greatest is that a lot of his achievements have bee outside of WSM, and I think to be the greatest hell have to win more WSM titles, which after this year it looks he very well may do!
I think I need to change this poll to add Savickas into the choices – when I did it he had only won once and I was only including people who’d won twice or more, which of course he now has done.
Like i said on a different post.. big z will prob beat most WSM records… the bloke is a beast and keeps comming back stronger and faster! he is obvioulsy as determined as marius! but marius has gotta be the best ever to take part and make history in WSM!!! I just cannot wait tho to see a nooby first time come to WSM and destroy all the events and perhaps break all the records and win every time.. it has happened before!!! back in the day.. but there is always another day! this would be great 🙂
THE DOMINATOR ALL THE WAY!
The closest we had a to a new guy winning was Poundstone in 2008, and if he hadn’t drop that 5th Atlas Stone then he’d have won in his first ever WSM appearance. I think Brian Shaw will win next year. As strong as Big Z is I think Shaw, with an extra year of experience, will be unbeatable – he seems made for Strongman competitions and cam so close this year.
The Kaz is the greatest strongman ever, won three times in a row and would have continued winning, but was left out for six years in his prime. When they finally invited him back in 88, he was screwed out of the Championship on technicalitys. I just watched the 88 final, and never have I seen so much animosity towards a competitor as there was towards kaz, and favoritism shown towards reeves. but then the same thing happened when capes competed. the brits wanted their man to win, and did what ever it took to make it happen. Kaz was not invited back so Geoff Capes could win, and he did twice.
I don’t think it’s quite the conspiracy you’re implying – I’ve read the interview where Kaz says he wasn’t invited but then I’ve also heard from other more neutral sources that the event went abroad and Kaz refused to go, so he ruined his own chances of gaining more titles really. IMG, the company who organise WSM are an American company so it’s not a case of a British company wanting a Brit to win. There’s no doubt he’s one of the strongest ever but the world was not against him.
Regarding Bill Kazmaier’s wsm years….my opinion and understanding of it is that, at the time,the promoter(s) were in business with Jon Pall in various capacities,one of which being a Yoghurt Manufacturer which used the title of “Worlds Strongest Man” with Jon Palls mugshot on the pot to help to flog them.This makes it obvious that there was always a vested interest in having JPS win this title,as the events Organisers and Promoters were the same people that owned the various Business interests which JPS was involved in…..use your brains people! lol
Retain your cynicism and you’ll come to the correct conclusion on why it was made very hard for Kaz to win events that he’d never seen before and was never told were going to be included upcoming events,whereas JPS was given full information of them and given time to practice them.
However,JPS was always a lot younger and was very talented,so the advantage of the “Favourable Treatment” was enough to give him the slight edge he needed to beat Kaz when they faced each other towards the end of Kaz’s career.Also,to clear up this fallacy about Kaz not wanting to attend…..in days gone by,the entrants were chosen on an “invite” basis,there was never any qualifying rounds etc,on the years Kaz didnt compete it was because he WAS’NT INVITED!…..he was simply ignored and was kept out of the loop.
Hope this has cleared this all up,Kaz is King as the evnts were a sham in the old days.
Jon Pall was and is greatest of all time, he won 71% of events where he and kaz were involved. Jon Pall beat kaz also in pure strength 87, where he won 8 out of 10 events and made 6 world records. Jon Pall beat kaz at log lift and deadlift where kaz was supposed to be better. In the end jon pall was even lighter than kaz. Jon Pall was better than magnus ver who is also one of the best strongmans ever.
JPS at same age, same experience, newest training methods, newest supplements would beat any strongmen. Jon pall is best strongman ever lived.
Champions come and go, but legends never die.
@Jouko1:In your last post you are referring to the “Pure Strength” event that was televised in 87 where,as my last post informed you,Jon Pall was given full use of the equipment that was used at Huntley Castle (the events location) to train and practice on.Bill was not even informed as to what events TO TRAIN FOR,instead he was just told vague descriptions of the events…i.e. ‘There’ll be overhead lifting event,carrying event,pulling event etc etc’.The overhead event was held on a narrow bridge (knowing that Bill disliked heights) and the Deadlift was using an axle that suited big hands (bill was renowned for small,thick hands,whereas Jon Pall had very big hands)
In other words he was put at a disadvantage from the offset,this was done deliberately to put the odds in Jon Palls favour as he was part of the event promoters ‘stable’ of strongmen who were used as advertising P.R. men by said promoter.And,like i mentioned earlier,Bill was,in all honesty,’over- the- hill’ in that contest (87 pure strength) you base your opinions on and,given the above mentioned ruse by the promoter its not hard to see how Jon Pall was victorious.
In actual fact the ONLY TIME BILL LOST TO JON PALL AT OVERHEAD PRESSING AND DEADLIFT was at the Pure Strength 87 .
Lastly,i have experienced this type of chicanery myself at strongman contests,for instance,in a Yoke race,we had to race with several girls sat on each side of the yoke.I am of short stature and without altering the height of the seats,the yoke would scrape across the ground and would obviously leave me at a severe disadvantage in comparison to a taller competitor.When i asked if i could alter the height of the seats (they WERE able to be altered) i was told “no,its the same for everyone”….this is how easy it is to influence the results of Strongman events.
To put it simply,it is easy to structure Strongman events in favour of the athletes the promoters want to win,its simply a case of catering for their strengths and putting in lots of events that the ‘unfavoured’ are poor at.
Only the very naive and those who’ve no experience in contests think differently.
John Pall is dead.
JPS all the way, top comments from Jouko
Rick Grizzly Bear Brown was the greatest
Od wilson Was unreal in the final against Jon pall. Best ever
I believe Kaz would have the most titles if he was invited.
It is like comparing Maradona, Messi and Pele – Kaz is a legend with his heavy weight lifting capacity being long ahead of his time despite todays giants like Thor may even be larger and stronger, Magnus Ver was the most consistent alongside with Mariusz that is only man that won five times, Big Z probably won most competitions including at the Arnold Classic and last but not least Jón Páll Sigmarsson while he lived had an unmatched spirit probably making him the greatest strongman of all times if any and yes he usually won even against Kaz.
I definitely want to say that I think Kazmaier and Jon Pall Sigmarsson are the best… these guys now don’t have the physique or stamina and the old events were more interesting to watch and more of a strength needing events
Well, we all have our thoughts and perspectives on this – Kaz and Big Z had the most pure statutory power – that can only be matched now by giants like Hafthor – while Mariusz and Magnus Ver were the best athletes for sure. But to me Jon Páll Sigmarsson was the greatest strongman of all times – also due to his unique personality and competitive spirit being a guiding light for all that followed. For everyone that knew Jon Pall we know that he would always have prevailed. Also in the past it was this silent respect – just watch Kaz talking about Sigmarsson in the great film Larger than Life – and Jon talking about Kaz – they both knew Kaz had more Physical strength – but he also knew it would still be almost impossible to overcome Jon Pall – that unique spirit was more than just physical power.