Europe’s Strongest Man Thor aims to hit challengers for six at Leeds Arena

But the best of British and big names from all over Europe are out to stop the Viking on Saturday, April 4.

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Icelander Bjornsson, who lost his World’s Strongest Man crown in Florida last year, will be keen to reassert his dominance and equal Mariusz Pudzianowski’s record total of European wins.

Not since 2016, when Swindon’s Laurence Shalaei caused a memorable upset by defeating the 6ft 10in giant, has a British athlete topped the podium.

But a trio of Britain’s top strongmen will be summoning every last ounce of power in their attempt to loosen Thor's stranglehold on the title, in front of an expected crowd of 10,000 fans.

They are newly-crowned Britain’s Strongest Man, Adam Bishop and Scotland’s strongest brothers, Luke and Tom Stoltman.

Bishop, a former professional rugby winger, claimed his first British title in January at Sheffield FlyDSA Arena when he narrowly defeated Tom Stoltman, the Invergordon Goliath, who placed a stunning fifth at World’s Strongest Man, at just 24 years old.

“Laurence (Shahlaei) proved that anything is possible on the night,” says Bishop.

“I just need to focus on continuing to get better.” Bishop’s rise to the top has been relentless and having the likes of Luke and Tom Stoltman hard on his heels can only increase his motivation.

In the final event of the British champs the younger Stoltman brother, Tom, set a new Atlas Stone lifting world record,placing five stones, of over 400lbs, onto their plinths in just over 16 seconds.

Eddie Hall, the man who lifted the WSM title for Britain back in 2017, has tipped Tom to be a future world’s best:

“He’s got everything he needs - the size, the frame, the athleticism and now the strength is coming," said Eddie.

As well as the British threat, the Icelander will have to hold off the incredible Mateusz Kieliszkowski of Poland who won Giants Live Wembley and the World Tour Finals last year, breaking world records of his own in the process.

Mateusz was runner up last year and also placed 2nd at WSM, ahead of Bjornsson in third.

For all the main contenders, success will hinge on their performance in the first event, also open to guest strongmen from around the globe - The World Log Lift Challenge

Burkina Faso’s Iron Biby, who won the event last year with a 220kg press - the second biggest log lift in history - will be keen to fulfil his promise to take down Zydrunas Zavickas’ world record, of 228kg.

American record holder Rob Kearney will be aiming to extend his record of 214kg beyond the reach of powerlifter-turned-strongman Larry Wheels.

England’s Graham Hicks will also be attacking his own national record after he came within a whisker of equalling Biby’s 220kg lift from last year.

The Morecambe man has recently turned to powerlifting and has shown the kind of power that could well see him top the field and add the World Log title to the British Championship he won last year.

A home win would certainly raise the roof in Leeds; an arena that hosted Eddie Hall’s record breaking half-tonne deadlift in 2016, and last year saw the 53 year old Mark Felix shatter the Hercules Hold world record. Whatever happens, the British boys won’t be short of support.

Europe’s Strongest Man - part of the World’s Strongest Man Qualifying Tour - gives fans a chance to see the world's best ive, raw and up-close in oaring, shirt-ripping, world-record-breaking action.