The Shaw Classic is a strongman competition run and hosted by four-time World's Strongest Man Brian Shaw, who won the inaugural competition in 2020.[1] The second edition of the contest had 16 athletes with backgrounds from Europe and North America.[2] The total prize pool in 2020 was $53,900.[3] In 2021 the prize pool increased to $100,000 and in 2022 the prize pool increased to $150,000.[4] In 2023 the prize pool was $251,932 followed by $263,200 in 2024.[5]
Since 2023, the Shaw Classic's invitational event has been branded as Strongest Man on Earth, formerly used by the Fortissimus strongman competition held in 2008 and 2009.[6]
History
The first Shaw Classic was held in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. With many major events for the year canceled or modified, Shaw invited ten athletes to compete in a closed competition in his private gym in Colorado.[7] This was filmed and released shortly after. Shaw won the inaugural contest.
The 2021 contest allowed live spectators. Trey Mitchell won this edition. 2022 added an open men's and women's competition in addition to the invitational, which remained men's only and Trey Mitchell repeated as champion.[7]
In 2023, the show's invitational was branded "Strongest Man On Earth," a title used earlier by the Fortissimus contests. Shaw won the title for a second time in his last career competition. Mitchell Hooper won in 2024 after placing second to Shaw the prior year.
Shaw announced a new formal qualification system for 2025: The previous year's top-5 finishers at Strongest Man on Earth and the podium finishers from World's Strongest Man, Arnold Strongman Classic, and Rogue Invitational. Next, the winner of North America's Strongest Man and winner of the Shaw Classic Men's Open would all receive automatic invites, with at-large invitations for athletes that performed well at other elite competitions like the Magnus ver Magnusson Strongman Classic to bring the field to a complete sixteen competitors. (Although it is theoretically possible for all sixteen athletes to be drawn from these qualifiers, there is in practice always overlap between these qualifying groups.)[8]
Podium Breakdown
Pro Men
(From 2023 onwards, the competition is known as 'Strongest Man on Earth')
Open Men
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
| 2022 | Thomas Evans | Joey Lavallée | Wesley Derwinsky |
| 2023 | Austin Andrade | Wesley Derwinsky | Joey Lavallée |
| 2024 | Joshua Spurgeon | Nicholas Guardione | Tim Buck |
| 2025 | Ben Glasscock | Zachary Price | Frederick Johansson |
Open Women
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
| 2022 | Victoria Long | Olga Liashchuk | Cori Butler |
| 2023 | Olga Liashchuk | Samantha Belliveau | Melissa Peacock |
| 2024 | Melissa Peacock | Nicole Genrich | Nadia Stowers |
| 2025 | Jennifer Lyle | Jackie Osczevski | Jackie Rhodes |
Lightweight Men
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
| 2024 | Alec Soukup | Matthew McQuiston | John Alimo |
| 2025 | Tyler Pruitt | Jordan Wychulis | Sean Mullican |
Lightweight Women
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
| 2024 | Kira Wrixon | Taylor Woods | Holly McRae |
| 2025 | Megan Davis | Camilla Fogagnolo | Taylor Woods |
Classic Results
2020 Shaw Classic
2021 Shaw Classic
2022 Shaw Classic
2023 Shaw Classic - Strongest Man on Earth
2024 Shaw Classic - Strongest Man on Earth
2025 Shaw Classic - Strongest Man on Earth
Open Results
2022
2023
2024
2025
References
- ^ Lockridge, Roger (15 December 2020). "Brian Shaw Wins 2020 Shaw Classic — Recap And Results". BarBend. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
- ^ "Update: Oleksii Novikov and Robert Oberst Out of 2021 Shaw Classic". BarBend. 9 July 2021. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
- ^ "Brian Shaw Wins 2020 Shaw Classic — Recap and Results". BarBend. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
- ^ a b Lockridge, Roger (28 August 2021). "Trey Mitchell Wins 2021 Shaw Classic — Results, Event Recaps & Prize Money". BarBend. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ "MY THOUGHTS ON MY LAST COMPETITION EVER". YouTube. 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
- ^ Blechamn, Phil (17 August 2023). "The 2023 Shaw Classic Will Officially Crown "The Strongest Man on Earth"". BarBend. Retrieved 20 August 2023.
- ^ a b "Shaw Classic History". The Strongest Man on Earth. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ Blechman, Phil (13 January 2025). "2025 Shaw Classic Schedule and Strongest Man On Earth Competitor Invites Revealed". Barbend. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ Lockridge, Roger (12 December 2020). "Brian Shaw Wins 2020 Shaw Classic — Recap and Results". BarBend. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ Lockridge, Roger (14 August 2022). "2022 Shaw Classic Results — Trey Mitchell Defends His Title". BarBend. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ Tabakovic, Vedad (20 August 2023). "2023 Shaw Classic Results — Brian Shaw Is The Strongest Man On Earth". Fitness Volt. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ Lockridge, Roger (21 August 2023). "2023 Shaw Classic Results — Brian Shaw Is the Strongest Man on Earth". Bar Bend. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ Blechman, Phil (18 August 2024). "2024 Strongest Man on Earth Results". BarBend. Retrieved 8 May 2025.
- ^ "2022 Shaw Classic Open Results". Strongman Archives.
- ^ "2022 Shaw Classic Open (Women) Results". Strongman Archives.
- ^ "2023 Shaw Classic Open Results". Strongman Archives.
- ^ "2023 Shaw Classic Open (Women) Results". Strongman Archives.
- ^ "2024 Shaw Classic Open (Men) Results". Strongman Archives.
- ^ "2024 Shaw Classic Open (Women) Results". Strongman Archives.
- ^ "2024 Shaw Classic Open (LW Men) Results". Strongman Archives.
- ^ "2024 Shaw Classic Open (LW Women) Results". Strongman Archives.