The "World Strongman" International Union of associations and clubs (old name World Strongman Federation - "WSF") ("WSM") is a worldwide organization within strength athletics, founded by Vlad Redkin, a prominent figure in the history of the International Federation of Strength Athletes and World Strongman Cup Federation. The WSF has organised a number of grand prix events and national championships featuring some of the world's leading strength athletes including 5 time World's Strongest Man winner Mariusz Pudzianowski, Brian Shaw, Mikhail Koklyaev, Krzysztof Radzikowski, Tarmo Mitt, Kevin Nee, Stefan Solvi Petursson, Laurence Shahlaei and Mark Felix. The WSF's flagship programme is the World Strongman Relays.
History The WSF was set up in 2003 by Vlad Redkin following a financial dispute with the World Strongman Cup Federation. Following Vlad's departure, the WSCF ceased to promote events and effectively disappeared from the strength athletics landscape. In September 2007 an event in Khanty-Mansijsk formerly affiliated to WSCF and featuring its athletes was promoted by Vlad Redkin. This event had its name changed at short notice from WSCF to the Grand Prix of Khanty-Mansijsk (Russia) and in effect was the first WSF event. The reason given after the competition by Redkin was that a combination of financial reasons as well as concerns over WSCF's stated aim of forming closer ties with the International Federation of Strength Athletes led him to part company with WSCF. He initially planned to cooperate closely with Strongman Super Series in 2008, but in fact set up a new federation called the World Strongman Federation.
In 2008 the WSF organised a World Cup, it featured Mariusz Pudzianowski amongst others. However, the inaugural season failed to attract as many top tier names as planned and the WSF World Cup season was reduced in scale. By the end of 2008 the new federation was organising one off grand prix events largely based in the countries of the former Soviet Union, featuring fields of athletes confined to those countries.
In 2011 the WSF began to exert its presence globally once more and a WSF Asian World Cup event was organised, with Tarmo Mitt winning the event and also featuring the comeback event for Kevin Nee who finished third.Tarmo Mitt Wins Asian World Cup Strongman by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. | ©2011 IronMind
In August 2011 Redkin stated that WSF had an agreement between 8 countries in that time and more were being approached in order to once again stage a WSF World Cup. This materialised and in August 2011 the 2011/12 World Cup was begun.World Strongman Federation: 5-Stage Tour Planned by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. | ©2011 IronMind
In August 2022 by the decision of the ExCo WSF organization has been rebranded to the "World Strongman" International Union of associations and clubs.
In September 2023, Mr. Vladimir Burdun (UAE) was legally elected by ExCo President of the International Union "World Strongman"
In August 2025, the WSM Executive Committee announced a leadership transition. Following an extraordinary session held on 5–6 August 2025, the Executive Committee stated that Vladimir Burdun had ceased to perform the duties of President. The committee decided to remove him from office and terminate his membership in the organisation, citing violations of the WSM Constitution and governance procedures. Vladislavs Redjkins, Secretary General of WSM, was appointed Acting President until new elections.
World Cup
2008 LocationChampionRunner-up3rd placeDateWSF World Cup Irkutsk Irkutsk, Russia Mariusz Pudzianowski Elbrus Nigmatullin Stojan Todorchev Feb. 22, 2008WSF World Cup Irkutsk 2008 | World Strongmen FederationIrkutsk Russian Strongman Cup Irkutsk, Russia Elbrus Nigmatullin Dmitry Kononets Michael Sidorychev July 27, 2008Irkutsk Russian Strongman Cup | World Strongmen Federation
2010 LocationChampionRunner-up3rd placeDateWSF BelAZ Strongman Cup Zhodzina, Belarus Tarmo Mitt Atanas Abrutus Alexander Lapirov Sept. 24, 2010Clone of BELAZ STRONGMAN CUP 2010 | World Strongmen Federation
2011
World Cup LocationChampionRunner-up3rd placeDateWSF Asian World Cup Uzbekistan Tarmo Mitt Alexander Lapirov Kevin Nee March 26, 2011WSF World Cup stage I Riga, Latvia Atanas Abrutus Tarmo Mitt Jarno Jokinen Aug. 20, 2011WSF World Cup 1st stage! | World Strongmen FederationWSF World Cup stage II Batumi, Georgia Zviad Kajaia Nikolai Hansen Konstantine Janashia Sept. 4, 2011WSF World Cup 2nd stage! | World Strongmen FederationWSF World Cup stage III Minsk, Belarus Tarmo Mitt Atanas Abrutus Oleksandr Lashyn Sept. 10, 2011WSF World Cup 3rd stage | World Strongmen FederationWSF BelAZ Strongman Cup Zhodzina, Belarus Tarmo Mitt Atanas Abrutus Alexander Lapirov Sept. 24, 2011BELAZ STRONGMAN CUP 2011 | World Strongmen Federation
World Team Cup LocationChampionRunner-up3rd placeDateWSF World Team Cup: Stage I UkraineOleksandr LashynSergey Konyushok EstoniaMeelis PungitsPeil UkraineStahurskyTishecky July 2, 2011WSF World Team Cup 1 st. | World Strongmen FederationWSF World Team Cup: Stage II EstoniaTarmo MittEvgeny Shcherbakov BelarusSergy VachinshkyAlexander Lapirov UzbekistanSergey TrubitsinHamza Primov July 9, 2011WSF World Team Cup 2 st. | World Strongmen Federation
Other competitions LocationChampionRunner-up3rd placeDateUkraine's Strongest Man 2011 Kiev, Ukraine Oleksandr Lashyn Victor Yurchenko Oleksander Pekanov October 14, 2011Hungary's Strongest Man 2011 Pusztaottlaka, Hungary Zolt Szabó Ákos Nagy István Sárai October 15, 2011Hungary’s Strongest Man 2011 | World Strongmen Federation
2012
World Cup LocationChampionRunner-up3rd placeDateWSF World Cup stage IV Tashkent, Uzbekistan Krzysztof Radzikowski Sergey Trubitsin Mark Felix March 30, 2012WSF World Cup stage V Hoofddorp, Netherlands Richard van der Linden Sebastian Davidsson Konstantinie Janashia June 10, 2012Holland’s Got Power! | World Strongmen FederationWSF World Cup stage VI Lviv, Ukraine Oleksandr Lashyn Viktor Yurchenko Ari Gunarsson July 14, 2012WSF World Cup stage VII Lahti, Finland Nikolai Hansen Antanas Abrutus Jarno Jokinen Sept. 9, 2012WSF World Cup stage VIII Denizli, Turkey Rolands Gulbis Bartalomei Bak Tarmo Mitt Oct. 16, 2012
Other competitions LocationChampionRunner-up3rd placeDateBrazilian Strongman Open Championships Brazil Eduardo Visciglia Rodrigo Gigante Rafael Crestani Feb. 26, 2012Brazilian Strongman Open Championship | World Strongmen FederationAzerbaijan Strongmen Championships Baku, Azerbaijan Vusal Mardanov Mehman Faradzov Hazrjad Magammedov March 4, 2012Azerbaijan Strongmen Championship | World Strongmen FederationRussian Strongman Championships Krasnoyarsk, Russia Alexej Zolotuhin Vladimir Kalinichenko Alexander Lysenko April 4, 2012Russian Strongmen Championship - Krasnoyarsk 2012! | World Strongmen FederationWSF Russian Strongman Cup Vologda, Russia Alexander Lapirov Pavel Sprutsko Denis Naigibin June 30, 2012Elite Strongman: Moscow Moscow, Russia Krzysztof Radzikowski Stojan Todorchev Mikhail Koklyaev Aug. 1, 2012
World Team Cup/Team Championships LocationChampionRunner-up3rd placeDateWSF CIS/Baltic Team Championships Team RussiaElbrus NigmatullinVladimir Muravlov Team UkraineOleksandr LashynIvanov Baltic Team Tarmo Mitt Antanas Abrutis June 30, 2012
2013
World Cup LocationChampionRunner-up3rd placeDateWSF World Cup Stage I Tashkent, Uzbekistan Sergey Trubitsin Rafal Kobylarz Oleksandr Lashyn April 14, 2013WSF World Cup Stage II Aktau, Kazakhstan April TBA, 2013WSF World Cup Stage III Hungary May TBA, 2013WSF World Cup Stage IV Russia May TBA, 2013WSF World Cup Stage V Netherlands June TBA, 2013WSF World Cup Stage VI June TBA, 2013WFS World Cup Stage VII Portugal July TBA, 2013WSF World Cup Stage VIII Ukraine Aug. TBA, 2013WSF World Cup Stage IX Turkey Sept. TBA, 2013WSF World Cup Stage X Russia Oct. TBA, 2013WSF World Cup Finals United Arab Emirates Dec. TBA, 2013
World Team Cup LocationChampionRunner-up3rd placeDateWSF World Team Cup Poland Aug. TBA, 2013
Other competitions LocationChampionRunner-up3rd placeDateElite Strongman: Moscow Moscow, Russia July TBA, 2013
WSF World Strongmen Championships
2012 The first ever WSF World Strongmen Championship was held February 12–14, 2012 in Abu Dhabi under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Hamdan Al Nahyan. The contest consisted of 25 athletes, after day 1 the field was cut down to 15 athletes, and down to 8 athletes after day 2. The scores were reset to zero after each day of competition, and the finals were held on Feb. 14, 2012.Abu Dhabi WSF World Strongmen Championship 2012 | World Strongmen Federation
Athletes Tarmo Mitt (Estonia) Mark Felix (UK) Laurence Shahlaei (UK) Josh Thigpen (USA) Richard van der Linden (Netherlands) Nikolai Hansen (Denmark) Elbrus Nigmatullin (Russia) Antanas Abrutis (Lithuania) Oleksandr Lashyn (Ukraina) Aleksandr Lapyrov (Belarus) Kevin Nee (USA) Juanjo Diaz Garcia (Spain) Sergey Trubitsin (Uzbekistan) Rolands Gulbis (Latvia) Krzysztof Radzikowski (Poland) Vusal Mardanov (Azerbaijan) Adam Darasz (Hungary) Vladimir Rizov (Bulgaria) Stefan Solvi Petursson (Iceland) Farzad Mousakhani (Iran) Mika Jaakola (Finland) Alexander Mantserov (Russia) Marc Wells (Australia) Gregor Stegnar (Slovenia) Ricardo Nortt (Brazil)
Day 1 results Date: 12 February 2012 Dubai, UAE PositionNameCountryPoints1 Krzysztof Radzikowski 962 Farzad Mousakhani 943 Laurence Shahlaei 844 Elbrus Nigmatulin 835 Alexander Mantserov 826 Oleksander Lashyn 817 Josh Thigpen 798 Mark Felix 769 Nikolai Hansen 759 Stefan Solvi Petursson 7511 Tarmo Mitt 7311 Vladimir Rizov 7313 Antanas Abrutis 7114 Rolands Gulbis 6615 Kevin Nee 65
Day 2 results Date: 13 February 2012 Dubai, UAE PositionNameCountryPoints1 Josh Thigpen 52.52 Stefan Solvi Petursson 51.53 Laurence Shahlaei 47.54 Krzysztof Radzikowski 475 Mark Felix 456 Farzad Mousakhani 42.57 Nikolai Hansen 42.58 Antanas Abrutis 38
Day 3/Final placings Date: 14 February 2012 Dubai, UAE PositionNameCountryPoints1 Krzysztof Radzikowski 352 Laurence Shahlaei 333 Josh Thigpen 274 Stefan Solvi Petursson 225 Nikolai Hansen 186 Kevin Nee 157 Mark Felix 128 Antanas Abrutis 0
2013 The 2013 WSF World Championships are scheduled to be held in December, and will also be the finals for the 2013 WSF World Cup. The contest is scheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates.
Grand Prix of Khanty-Mansijsk Originally, another event in Khanty-Mansijsk in September 2007 was affiliated to WSMC and featured its athletes. However, the promoter of the event, Vlad Redkin, changed the name from WSMC to the Grand Prix of Khanty-Mansijsk (Russia). The reason given was that after the competition Redkin was parting company with WSMC due to his concerns over WSMC wanting closer ties with the International Federation of Strength Athletes. He also cited that he had lost money with WSMC. He initially planned to cooperate closely with the World Strongman Super Series in 2008, but in fact set up a new federation called the World Strongman Federation.
Date: 8 September 2007
PositionNameCountryPoints 1. Stojan Todorchev 49 2. Tarmo Mitt 47,5 3. Elbrus Nigmatullin 42 4. Raivis Vidzis 36,5 5. René Minkwitz 33 6. Brian Shaw 30,5 7. Christian Savoie 24 8. Glenn Ross 20 9. Mojtaba Maleki 17 10. Karim Taleshi 17 11. Igor Torlak 9,5
2014
2015
The new President of WSF Pradeep Baba Madhok quotes “Our distinct target audience, apart from strength enthusiasts, that we aim to give utmost priority to is children and the youth, making them well informed on the importance of nutrition and fitness at a very young age. WSF solely stands by the principal of strength and with that in mind, we hope to inspire the forthcoming generations to reach their dreams.”
2016
2024 Dubai World Strongman Championship
2025 Dubai World Strongman Championship
See also World's Strongest Man
References