UK Strength Council

Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English The United Kingdom Strength Council was founded by Glenn Ross, the famed strongman and also founder and promoter of the Irish Strength Association. The UKSC, as it is commonly termed, was promoted by Bob Daglish's Elite Strongman Promotions until March 2010.

Beginnings

Part of the reason for the foundation was that Glenn Ross is a champion of the idea that strongman is about lifting and moving heavy objects. He has been quoted as saying that strongmen should be more akin to strongman of old, "fighting for every step, not running."

Ross's philosophy is represented in the contests the UKSC organise. There is little running with weights or like events, but rather lifting heavier weights as the main test and then struggling forward with them. Ross has said that, in relation to competing with other recognised events, such as Britain's Strongest Man, "when there is competition, it is good for everyone: competition in strongman creates an opportunity for the athletes, the fans and the sponsors to end up with a better product, and the reality is a free-market situation anyway."

"Big, strong men are like bears. As long as you keep feeding them honey, they will stay in their caves and stick with certain organizations, but when the honey pot runs out, they must go into the forest to look for more honey." - Glenn Ross

Bob Daglish's Elite strongman promotions was inextricably associated with the UKSC until it was announced in March 2010 that "In view of recent events and also some personal differences, Elite Strongman Promotions are hereby separating all affiliations with Big G promotions, the UK Strength Council and the UK strongest man competition." Elite Strongman promotions continued to run a version of the England’s strongest man final, whilst a separate competition run by UKSC was also run in 2010.

Competitions

The UKSC is famed for its blue ribbon event, UK's Strongest Man. There are also a number of regional and national qualifiers.

They made history in 2024, becoming the first promoters to broadcast a live strongman event on British television when Channel 5 carried coverage of the UK's Strongest Man. Paul Smith successfully retained his title, winning three of the five events in the final.

UK's Strongest Man

Year	Champion	Runner-Up	3rd Place	Location	Promoter
2025	Template:Flagicon Andrew Flynn	Template:Flagicon Chris Beetham	Template:Flagicon Paul Smith	Template:Flagicon Nottingham	Ultimate Strongman
2024	Template:Flagicon Paul Smith (3)	Template:Flagicon Louis Jack	Template:Flagicon Andrew Flynn	Template:Flagicon Cardiff	Ultimate Strongman
2023	Template:Flagicon Paul Smith (2)	Template:Flagicon Matt Dimond	Template:Flagicon Callum Crozier	Template:Flagicon Doncaster	Ultimate Strongman
2022	Template:Flagicon Paul Smith	Template:Flagicon Louis Jack	Template:Flagicon Gavin Bilton	Template:Flagicon Milton Keynes	Ultimate Strongman
2021	Template:Flagicon Gavin Bilton	Template:Flagicon Paul Smith	Template:Flagicon Andy Black	Template:Flagicon Milton Keynes	Ultimate Strongman
2020	Template:Flagicon Gavin Bilton	Template:Flagicon Mark Felix	Template:Flagicon Mark Jeanes	Template:Flagicon Belfast	Ultimate Strongman
2019	Template:Flagicon Paul Benton	Template:Flagicon Graham Hicks	Template:Flagicon Pa O'Dwyer	Template:Flagicon St Albans	Ultimate Strongman
2018	Template:Flagicon Pa O'Dwyer	Template:Flagicon Phil Roberts	Template:Flagicon Laurence Shahlaei	Template:Flagicon St Albans	Ultimate Strongman
2017	Template:Flagicon Laurence Shahlaei	Template:Flagicon Tom Stoltman	Template:Flagicon Pa O'Dwyer	Template:Flagicon Belfast	Ultimate Strongman
2016	Template:Flagicon Eddie Hall	Template:Flagicon Jonathan Kelly	Template:Flagicon Aaron Page	Template:Flagicon Belfast	Ultimate Strongman
2015	Template:Flagicon Eddie Hall	Template:Flagicon Chris Gearing	Template:Flagicon Tom Stoltman	Template:Flagicon Belfast	Ultimate Strongman
2014	Template:Flagicon Eddie Hall	Template:Flagicon Adam Bishop	Template:Flagicon Luke Stoltman	Template:Flagicon Belfast	CNP
2013	Template:Flagicon Eddie Hall	Template:Flagicon Ben Kelsey	Template:Flagicon Jonathan Kelly	Template:Flagicon Belfast	UKSC (UK Strength Council)
2012	Template:Flagicon Eddie Hall	Template:Flagicon Lloyd Renals	Template:Flagicon Chris Gearing	Template:Flagicon Belfast	UKSC (UK Strength Council)
2011	Template:Flagicon Eddie Hall	Template:Flagicon Ken Nowicki	Template:Flagicon Richard Smith	Template:Flagicon Belfast	UKSC (UK Strength Council)
2010	Template:Flagicon Glenn Ross	Template:Flagicon Gary Gardener	Template:Flagicon Rob Frampton	Template:Flagicon Belfast	UKSC (UK Strength Council)
2009	Template:Flagicon Jimmy Marku	Template:Flagicon Glenn Ross	Template:Flagicon Mark Westaby	Template:Flagicon Belfast	UKSC
2008	Template:Flagicon Glenn Ross	Template:Flagicon Dave Warner	Template:Flagicon Jimmy Marku	Template:Flagicon Belfast	UKSC
2007	Template:Flagicon Glenn Ross	Template:Flagicon Jimmy Marku	Template:Flagicon Simon Flint	Template:Flagicon Belfast	UKSC
2006	Template:Flagicon Glenn Ross	Template:Flagicon Terry Hollands	Template:Flagicon Jimmy Marku	Template:Flagicon Belfast	UKSC
2005	Template:Flagicon Terry Hollands	Template:Flagicon Mark Lawson	Template:Flagicon Simon Morton	Template:Flagicon Belfast	UKSC
2004	Template:Flagicon Glenn Ross	Template:Flagicon Brian Irwin	Template:Flagicon Carl Waitoa	Template:Flagicon Carrickfergus	UKSC
2003	Not Held
2002	Not Held
2001	Template:Flagicon Steve Brooks	Template:Flagicon Richard Gosling	Template:Flagicon Mick Gosling	Template:Flagicon TBC	Geoff Capes/Daily Star
2000	Template:Flagicon Richard Gosling	Template:Flagicon Gary Meyern	Template:Flagicon Adam Townsend	Template:Flagicon TBC	Geoff Capes/Daily Star
1999	Template:Flagicon Richard Gosling	Template:Flagicon Gary Meyern	Template:Flagicon Adrian Smith	Template:Flagicon TBC	Geoff Capes/Daily Star
1998	Template:Flagicon Adrian Smith	Template:Flagicon Richard Gosling	Template:Flagicon Dave Miles	Template:Flagicon TBC	Geoff Capes/Daily Star
1997	Template:Flagicon Adrian Smith	Template:Flagicon Graham Mullins	Template:Flagicon Bill Pittuck	Template:Flagicon TBC	Geoff Capes/Daily Star
1996	Template:Flagicon Graham Mullins	Template:Flagicon Gary Meyern	Template:Flagicon John O'Neil	Template:Flagicon TBC	Geoff Capes/Daily Star
1995	Template:Flagicon Dave Miles	Template:Flagicon David Waters & Template:Flagicon Graham Mullins		Template:Flagicon TBC	Geoff Capes/Daily Star
1994	Template:Flagicon Tommy Smith	Template:Flagicon Bill Pittuck	Template:Flagicon Lee Bowers	Template:Flagicon Blackpool	Geoff Capes/Daily Star
1993	Template:Flagicon Bill Pittuck	Template:Flagicon Luke Green	Template:Flagicon TBC	Template:Flagicon TBC
1992	Template:Flagicon Adrian Smith	Template:Flagicon Bill Pittuck	Template:Flagicon TBC	Template:Flagicon TBC

Championships by country

Country	Titles
	22
	5
	2
	1
	1

Repeat champions

Champion	Times
Template:Flagicon Eddie Hall	6
Template:Flagicon Glenn Ross	5
Template:Flagicon Adrian Smith	3
Template:Flagicon Paul Smith	3
Template:Flagicon Richard Gosling	2
Template:Flagicon Gavin Bilton	2

Regional and National qualifiers

• UKSC Midlands of England strongest man 2007
• UKSC North of England strongest man 2007
• UKSC South of England strongest man 2007
• UKSC England's strongest man 2007

See also

• List of Strongman Competitions

External links

• Official site