A loading race or medley is an event in World's Strongest Man and other similar strongman competitions which requires competitors to carry, drag and load several heavy and irregular objects onto a platform over a course usually ranging from 10 to 30 meters. The competitor to move and load all objects in the fastest time is the winner.
Implements Some of the frequently used objects for the events are anchors and chains, anvils, sandbags, sacks, safes, beer kegs, wine barrels and natural stones. They usually weigh between to but occasionally can be heavier than that.
Physical demands Contrary to popular belief, the weight of the objects is not the defining factor in these events. The overall shape of the objects, their dimensions, and the terrain (which can range from rubble to sand to snow) makes these events challenging and requires physical strength, athleticism and speed equally and also different skills are required for different irregular objects.
Notable Strongmen Below table summarizes the most successful loading medley winners in international Strongman competitions. No. of total career loading medley's against the no. of wins (entry criteria: a minimum of 5 wins and a >10% winning ratio, open category). With 15 total wins at over 2 wins per every 3 loading medleys he undertook, Iceland's Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson is the greatest loading medley winner in strongman history.
# Name Nationality Events Wins Win % 1Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson Iceland 22 15 68.18% 2Tom Stoltman Scotland 11 8 72.72% 3JF Caron Canada 22 8 36.36% 4Vytautas Lalas Lithuania 8 6 75.00% 5Pavlo Kordiyaka Ukraine 10 6 60.00% 6Aivars Šmaukstelis Latvia 26 6 23.08% 7Žydrūnas Savickas Lithuania 27 6 22.22% 8Dainis Zageris Latvia 32 6 18.75% 9Mike Burke United States 8 5 62.50% 10Matjaz Belsak Slovenia 13 5 38.5%
- As at 1 July 2025
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