A lot of weight was hoisted in Williams Lake during the Cariboo Strongest Man 2023 competition on Saturday, July 29.
Thirty-three people competed.
Organizer Kyle Evanoff said there were competitors from all over B.C., some from Alberta and even Saskatchewan.
Local strongman competitor and trainer Tyson Delay was happy with the competition.
“It went great thanks to my fantastic co-organizer Kyle Evanoff and an amazing group of volunteers who showed up for me on the day,” Delay said. “I am so grateful for their help.”
Delay added they were able to give the competitors some nice prizes which made him very happy.
“It was an especially large strongman show, one of the biggest ever held in B.C.”
“The record breaker hummer tire deadlift was also a crowd favourite and we saw new records in every represented weight class. It was a great day overall. Thank you to all who came out to support our incredible competitors.”
Williams Lake competitor Kyle Cook got second place overall.
He said he started training five years ago when he met Delay one of the community’s avid athletes in the sport.
Saturday’s competition went well for him, Cook said.
“I honestly had so much fun and pushed myself on so many events.”
Explaining the stone event, which he placed second, he said there are four stones lined up in order from lightest to heaviest.
“When you pick them up, you put them in your lap and put them over a bar as fast as you can. In the end, the last stone was 320 pounds. Whoever has the fastest time wins that event.”
Cook said the Strongman community has some of the nicest people.
“It’s such a great time hanging out doing something that we all enjoy and have passion for.”
Next up Cook will compete in another Cariboo Strongest Man competition on Saturday, Aug. 12 at the Williams Lake Stampede Grounds.
He also gave a shout-out to Delay and Evanoff for organizing the event and making sure things ran smoothly.
Christina Kalvza-Hughes came all the way from Regina for the competition.
Her husband David Hughes grew up in Williams Lake so they were able to connect with some of his friends who he has kept close ties with.
His wife’s story is fairly unique.
She had congestive heart failure after the birth of their third son and had a defibrillator installed a year later in 2011.
It was after that she ventured into the sport.
“Christina has won several national matches and in 2019 came second at the world women’s strongest in the master’s level,” Hughes said.
While at the competition in Williams Lake, she won first place.
Trevor Bigg, a Williams Lake area realtor, started training with Delay last year and competed in the Cariboo Strongman competition last year as well.
“I continued training throughout the winter preparing for this year’s competition,” he said. “My goal was third and I got first in my weight class.”
The highlight of his day was the deadlift where he was able to lift 535 pounds.
Bigg said he likes the people involved with Strongman and noted other competitors were even giving him tips.
“It’s a very inclusive sport,” he said.
READ MORE: Williams Lake strongman Tyson Delay preparing for provincials
READ MORE: Strongman captures world record lifting 1,008 pounds at King of the Throne competition
monica.lamb-yorski@wltribune.com
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Christina Kalvza-Hughes of Regina emerged the winner of her level during the Strongman competition held in Williams Lake on Saturday, July 29. Her husband Dave Hughes grew up in Williams Lake. (Monica Lamb-Yorski photo - Williams Lake Tribune)
