Ontario Strongman Champion Decided in Cornwall

It was extremely hot. It was extremely humid. It was extremely exciting!!!!

Awesome was the word being spoken by most of the 150+ spectators at the recent Ontario Strongman Championships held as part of Kinsmen Cornwall Lift-Off in Lamoureux Park in Downtown Cornwall. This two day event pitted the 12 strongest men in Ontario against each other during several different strength events. Many spectators stood with mouths wide open as these athletes attempted to pick up 325 pounds in each hand - yes, a total of 650 pounds - and actually walk down a path, turn around and walk back to where they started. And, while being timed!

Another event was a car lift - head to head competition to actually dead lift the front end of a vehicle. Does all of this sound impossible to you? Well, let me tell you, I thought the first event on Sunday afternoon was even more impossible. Then I watched with my own eyes! A 30,000 pound transport was parked on Water Street - again in the heat with the humidex somewhere around 42 degrees. Each athlete, one at a time, was chained to the front of the transport and timed as they physically pulled the transport along the street. Some of these athletes actually went the distance in less than 30 seconds!

The truck pull was only the first of the final round to determine Ontario's Strongman Championship. The eventual winner was Paul Vaillancourt. Paul will now represent Cornwall in the Canadian Championships, and with a good showing there he could qualify for the World Strongman Championships.

Congratulations to Paul and the best of luck in the Canadian Championships!

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