Inaugural Natural Strongman event takes over Carleton County
More than a dozen strongmen and strongwomen gathered in Florenceville’s EastSide Gym Saturday to compete for the chance to represent Canada at the Natural World’s Strongest Man and Women competition in Scotland in August.
The competition spanned five events, with 15 competitors from five provinces attending.
The event was sponsored by McCain’s and Langdon Law. Luke Edwards, an articling student who will be called to the bar this month, organized the event.
“We haven’t had any natural drug-tested competitions in the area and so I decided to try to fill that gap and bring something fun to Carleton County,” he said before the event began.
Edwards describes the sport as a visual experience.
“It’s just a spectacle. I think it’s something that you have to come out and see. Strongman historically is rooted in 19th century circus Strongman so it’s always been sort of an exhibition, something crazy, something shocking to see,” he said.
Ashley Telford, an open woman competitor, shared her personal approach to the day.
“This was the first competition where I was my own competitor. I let the reins loose a bit and had some fun,” she said.
As the only competitor in her class, Telford earned the opportunity to participate at Natural Strongman Worlds.
“I do inten on competing at Worlds,” she said. “It’s looking more and more likely every day.”
Mark Totten, a 105kg and open competitor, recalled the event as a great opportunity.
“It was a really positive experience. It’s the first time we’ve had the natural world qualifier opportunity in this part of Canada,” he said. “We had quite a few representatives from the strongman community, which is always great to see.”
Edwards believes the event was a big success and hopes to make it an annual event.
“This is the third competition that’s going to be a regular annual natural strongman qualifier in the entire country.”
