Trucks, hippos and grand pianos: Bay man competes in Strong Man competition

Rich Farrell lift a massive atlas stone in a strength the Athlete Factory in Mount Manganui. Photo/ Brydie Thompson

Rich Farrell tried to pull a truck, but it wouldn’t budge. Then, the truck began to inch forward.

“It was a pretty cool feeling,” Farrell said.

Farrell, 40, the first-time winner of New Zealand’s Strongest Man master division, will be travelling with four other Kiwis to the United States for the Official Strongman Games in Madison, Wisconsin, on December 5.

“It is a good mix of wāhine and men,” he said.

Farrell will be joined by Jaiden Laing, Matt Ragg, Melaine Poa and A’emalemaloitiafau Wilson.

They will compete over three days, with five events daily as 400 strongmen and women from 35 countries battle for honours.

There will be a lot of energy and excitement throughout the competition, but Farrell will try to rest when he can to maximise his performance.

“It will be a lot of snacks and naps,” he said.

Rich Farrell takes a break during training. Photo / Brydie Thompson

Despite fierce competition, the competitors are supportive of each other. He said many just want to see who can lift the heaviest object.

Farrell said he won’t be able to eat much during the competition because of nervousness and will rely on his favourite workout snack of creamed rice and berries.

Farrell’s strength and ability to pack for cold weather will also be tested as Wisconsin winters can get extremely cold, he said.

“I thought I could walk around in jandals and shorts, but then I looked at the weather there.”

Wisconsin, during December, can hover around 0C to 9C during the daytime.

The group will get some practice away from the crowds in Atlanta, Georgia, before making their way to the tournament, he said.

Farrell started his strongman journey more than 12 years ago. He weighed 80kg then and now he weighs 130kg.

The official Strongman Games involves running with and carrying massive stones, pulling trucks, and lifting heavy objects.

Farrell claimed he can deadlift around 350kg, which is roughly equivalent to the weight of a grand piano.

“It is a lot of red [25kg] plates,” he said.

But that is not as much as his teammate Ragg, who deadlifted 450kg, similar to lifting a small car or a hippo.

Farrell took part in the competition in 2022 after winning Oceania’s Strongest.

He travelled to Florida for the contest but Hurricane Ian disrupted proceedings, reducing the competition to a two-day event.

Farrell train at the Athlete Factory before he travels to the Official Strongman Games in Madison, Wisconsin, on December 5. Photo / Brydie Thompson

“We went from eight in the morning on Saturday till 2 o’clock on Sunday morning, when we got back up and competed at 8am.

“We get crowds here, but it’s good to go overseas and get some people screaming.”

Despite being tired, a hurricane-shortened competition and an injury, he ranked 14th in the Strongest Man competition.

“This time, I want to finish in the top 10.”

Farrell won the New Zealand competition this year and he is confident about the events in the US. He said he likes the lifting and throwing events the most and dislikes the challenges involving running.

“At 130kg, I am not really built for it.”

The event will be live-streamed at officialstrongman.com starting at 7am on December 6.

To follow Farrell’s journey, visit his Instagram at the.madness.strongman

- SunLive