Sebastian Tarmo celebrate after the Atlas Stones (World's Strongest Man™, IMG Media Ltd.)
On the third and final day of the 29th edition of the World's Strongest Man, Mariusz Pudzianowski was in his familiar place at the top of the leaderboard but Phil Pfister was lurking just a point and a half behind. Two events, the Car Walk and the Atlas Stones, remained to crown a winner. Either Mariusz Pudzianowski would become only the third man to win a total of four World's Strongest Man titles or Phil Pfister would become the first winner from the United States since 1982.
The Car Walk required the athletes to travel 25 meters with a 926 pound car strapped to their shoulders. It was a positively mammoth test of strength and will. Only 5 of the 10 finalists were able to carry the car over the full 25 meters. Mariusz Pudzianowski recorded a time of 27.40 to take the lead and set the stage for the big American. Unbelievably, Phil Pfister responded with a time of 26.88. Pudzianowski, obviously stunned to beaten for the fourth consecutive event by Pfister, now possessed a lead of just one-half point. Pfister screams, in a rare display of emotion, definitely signalled to all in attendance that the American was confident that the World's Strongest Man title within reach.
The Atlas Stones, traditionally the deciding event at the World's Strongest Man Final, would once again determine the champion. Five stones, ranging in weight from 220 to 353 pounds, were required to be lifted from the ground and placed on platforms. To make things more difficult, weather had become a factor with a steady drizzle falling on Sanya. The stage was set for a remarkable finish.
But first, the battle for third place and a position on the podium needed to be resolved. Both Don Pope and Mark Felix sped through the first four stones before stalling on the fifth. After numerous starts and stops, it was Pope who managed to raise the 353 pound stone to the platform. And Pope, in his second trip to the World's Strongest Man Final, had guaranteed himself third place.
Phil Pfister victorious after the Atlas Stones (World's Strongest Man™, IMG Media Ltd.)
Now everyone's attention shifted to the fifth and final heat of the Atlas Stones. With the lead just a one-half point, it was simple, the winner in the Pudzianowski and Pfister head-to-head duel would be the 2006 World's Strongest Man champion.
From the whistle, both men started at a phenomenal pace. They remained virtually even through the third stone but Pudzianowski had a slight advantage as they reached the fifth. It seemed certain that Pudzianowski would be the man to stop the clock and retain his crown but the slightest of hesitations by the defending champion allowed Pfister to raise his stone and place it on the platform to stop the clock. While Pudzianowski's hopes of fourth title rolled away with the stone that he never did manage to place on the platform, Pfister let out a roar to celebrate his victory.
In the aftermath, Mariusz Pudzianowski seemed shocked to have lost his title, while Phil Pfister looked entirely comfortable as he took his place on the top of the podium. After 23 years of European domination, the World's Strongest Man once again resided in the United States.
(For full results from each day, please check the results section.)
