🇮🇸 2025 Iceland’s Strongest Viking Results

On July 11, 2025, the rugged terrain of Iceland’s Westfjords hosted a battle of grit, endurance, and raw strength. The 2025 Iceland’s Strongest Viking saw eight competitors—seven from Iceland and one from Scotland—push their bodies to the limit in a single-day gauntlet of eight events. These events tested every strength domain: explosive power, grip, coordination, and endurance.

Notably, 🇮🇸 Kristján Níelsson emerged as the undisputed champion. He secured his first career strongman victory, dominating with 58 out of 64 possible points. His margin of victory, an impressive 11 points, proved his superiority across the day. Right behind him, 🇬🇧 Chris Beetham of Scotland delivered a consistent performance to place second overall.

🇮🇸 2025 Iceland’s Strongest Viking Results

Below are the final standings, followed by a breakdown of each event, athlete-by-athlete.

🏆 Final Standings — 2025 Iceland’s Strongest Viking

First, Kristján Níelsson 🇮🇸 claimed a career-defining victory. He scored 58 points out of a possible 64, delivering standout performances across nearly every event. This marked his first professional strongman win, solidifying his status as one of Iceland’s most promising strength athletes.

Then, 🇬🇧 Chris Beetham finished in second place with 47 points. Despite a disappointing final stone event, Beetham remained consistent all day. His Max Deadlift win and strong stone carries helped him edge out 🇮🇸 Pálmi Gudfinnsson, who finished just behind with 46.5 points.

Finally, the rest of the leaderboard told the story of grit and resilience. 🇮🇸 Kári Kristófer Elíasson and 🇮🇸 Birgir Gudnason battled in the middle of the pack, finishing fourth and fifth respectively. 🇮🇸 Alexander Andersen withdrew late but still placed seventh, while 🇮🇸 Gudmundur Helgason rounded out the field.

Rank	Athlete	Country	Points
🥇 1	Kristján Níelsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	58
🥈 2	Chris Beetham	🇬🇧 Scotland	47
🥉 3	Pálmi Gudfinnsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	46.5
4	Kári Kristófer Elíasson	🇮🇸 Iceland	30.5
5	Birgir Gudnason	🇮🇸 Iceland	30
6	Thorlákur Gunnarsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	26
7	Alexander Andersen	🇩🇰 Denmark	22.5†
8	Gudmundur Helgason	🇮🇸 Iceland	21.5

†Withdrew before final events

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Keg Toss (22 kg for max height)

The competition kicked off with a crowd-favorite: the Keg Toss. Athletes launched a 22-kilogram keg over a high bar for maximum height. 🇮🇸 Pálmi Gudfinnsson set the tone with a commanding 5.4-meter throw, winning the first event with ease. 🇮🇸 Kristján Níelsson, 🇬🇧 Chris Beetham, and 🇮🇸 Kári Kristófer Elíasson tied for second at 4.75 meters.

Additionally, 🇮🇸 Birgir Gudnason and 🇩🇰 Alexander Andersen tied at 4.15 meters for fifth place. Further down, 🇮🇸 Thorlákur Gunnarsson and 🇮🇸 Gudmundur Helgason tied for seventh.

This opening event quickly sorted the field. It rewarded coordination and upper-body explosiveness. Those who fell behind needed to play catch-up for the rest of the day.

Athlete	Country	Height
Pálmi Gudfinnsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	5.4 m
Kristján Níelsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	4.75 m
Chris Beetham	🇬🇧 Scotland	4.75 m
Kári Kristófer Elíasson	🇮🇸 Iceland	4.75 m
Birgir Gudnason	🇮🇸 Iceland	4.15 m
Alexander Andersen	🇩🇰 Denmark	4.15 m
Thorlákur Gunnarsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	3.85 m
Gudmundur Helgason	🇮🇸 Iceland	3.85 m

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Max Deadlift

Next came brute force: the Max Deadlift. Athletes pushed themselves to hoist the heaviest barbell. 🇬🇧 Chris Beethamcame out on top, pulling an incredible 350 kilograms. 🇮🇸 Kristján Níelsson followed closely with 340 kilograms.

Tied for third, 🇮🇸 Pálmi Gudfinnsson and 🇮🇸 Thorlákur Gunnarsson each lifted 330 kilograms. Several others stayed competitive, but 🇩🇰 Alexander Andersen failed to make a successful lift, which hurt his standing.

This event put the spotlight on raw posterior chain strength. Any mistake here had major consequences for overall rankings.

Athlete	Country	Deadlift
Chris Beetham	🇬🇧 Scotland	350 kg
Kristján Níelsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	340 kg
Pálmi Gudfinnsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	330 kg
Thorlákur Gunnarsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	330 kg
Kári Kristófer Elíasson	🇮🇸 Iceland	320 kg
Gudmundur Helgason	🇮🇸 Iceland	300 kg
Birgir Gudnason	🇮🇸 Iceland	280 kg
Alexander Andersen	🇩🇰 Denmark	No Lift

Front Hold (24 kg battery)

Then came the Front Hold, a test of shoulder endurance. Athletes held a 24-kg weight at arm’s length for time. 🇮🇸 Kristján Níelsson crushed the field with 42.78 seconds.

🇮🇸 Birgir Gudnason followed with 40.39 seconds, narrowly edging 🇬🇧 Chris Beetham. 🇩🇰 Alexander Andersenlanded in fourth with 38.13 seconds.

Fatigue and shoulder pain became obvious here. The scores spread the field further as grip endurance became critical.

Athlete	Country	Time
Kristján Níelsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	42.78 s
Birgir Gudnason	🇮🇸 Iceland	40.39 s
Chris Beetham	🇬🇧 Scotland	39.66 s
Alexander Andersen	🇩🇰 Denmark	38.13 s
Kári Kristófer Elíasson	🇮🇸 Iceland	33.15 s
Gudmundur Helgason	🇮🇸 Iceland	31.29 s
Pálmi Gudfinnsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	24.93 s
Thorlákur Gunnarsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	12.82 s

Keg Carry (2 x 140 kg implements)

The Keg Carry demanded speed and grip. Athletes had 75 seconds to carry two 140-kilogram barrels. 🇮🇸 Kristján Níelsson again took the win, moving both implements in 50.89 seconds.

🇮🇸 Pálmi Gudfinnsson finished next with 57.19 seconds, followed by 🇮🇸 Birgir Gudnason. 🇬🇧 Chris Beethamstruggled but finished in 74.06 seconds, just inside the time cap.

Some athletes couldn’t carry both. 🇮🇸 Kári Kristófer Elíasson and 🇮🇸 Gudmundur Helgason failed to lift them at all.

Athlete	Country	Result
Kristján Níelsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	2 in 50.89 s
Pálmi Gudfinnsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	2 in 57.19 s
Birgir Gudnason	🇮🇸 Iceland	2 in 67.67 s
Chris Beetham	🇬🇧 Scotland	2 in 74.06 s
Alexander Andersen	🇩🇰 Denmark	1 in 45.68 s
Thorlákur Gunnarsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	1 in 55.84 s
Kári Kristófer Elíasson	🇮🇸 Iceland	No Lift
Gudmundur Helgason	🇮🇸 Iceland	No Lift

Legsteinn Stone Carry (220 kg for max distance)

First in the second half of the contest came the Legsteinn Stone Carry, a brutal test of back strength and stamina. Athletes carried a 220-kilogram stone for maximum distance. 🇮🇸 Kristján Níelsson delivered again with an event-best 16 meters, showing no signs of slowing down.

Then, 🇬🇧 Chris Beetham closely followed at 15.2 meters, keeping pressure on the Icelander. 🇮🇸 Pálmi Gudfinnssontook third with 13.8 meters, solidifying his place in the top three. 🇮🇸 Kári Kristófer Elíasson and 🇩🇰 Alexander Andersen weren’t far behind with respectable distances.

Clearly, this event separated contenders from the rest. Lower placings here—like 🇮🇸 Birgir Gudnason’s 1.1 meters—marked a major drop in momentum and points.

Athlete	Country	Distance
Kristján Níelsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	16.0 m
Chris Beetham	🇬🇧 Scotland	15.2 m
Pálmi Gudfinnsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	13.8 m
Kári Kristófer Elíasson	🇮🇸 Iceland	13.6 m
Alexander Andersen	🇩🇰 Denmark	12.0 m
Thorlákur Gunnarsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	8.0 m
Gudmundur Helgason	🇮🇸 Iceland	3.7 m
Birgir Gudnason	🇮🇸 Iceland	1.1 m

Overhead Medley (72–123 kg Natural Stones)

Next came the highly technical Overhead Medley. Four natural stones, weighing 72, 98, 115, and 123 kilograms, needed to be pressed overhead. 🇮🇸 Kristján Níelsson again led the pack, lifting all five stones in 54.98 seconds.

🇬🇧 Chris Beetham also completed all implements, just a fraction slower at 55.17 seconds. 🇩🇰 Alexander Andersenimpressed with four stones in 39.48 seconds, followed by 🇮🇸 Gudmundur Helgason and 🇮🇸 Kári Kristófer Elíasson.

As fatigue set in, the scores tightened in the middle. Several athletes, including 🇮🇸 Pálmi Gudfinnsson, struggled to get past two implements, costing them precious points.

Athlete	Country	Result
Kristján Níelsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	5 in 54.98 s
Chris Beetham	🇬🇧 Scotland	5 in 55.17 s
Alexander Andersen	🇩🇰 Denmark	4 in 39.48 s
Gudmundur Helgason	🇮🇸 Iceland	4 in 44.37 s
Kári Kristófer Elíasson	🇮🇸 Iceland	4 in 62.87 s
Thorlákur Gunnarsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	2 in 23.98 s
Pálmi Gudfinnsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	2 in 39.94 s
Birgir Gudnason	🇮🇸 Iceland	2 in 70.62 s

Truck Pull (20 meters, 75-second cap)

Afterward came one of the crowd’s favorite events: the Truck Pull. Athletes had 75 seconds to pull a massive vehicle down a 20-meter course. 🇮🇸 Pálmi Gudfinnsson dominated this event, finishing in 26.17 seconds.

🇮🇸 Kristján Níelsson clocked 27.27 seconds, showing off his speed and power once again. 🇬🇧 Chris Beetham rounded out the top three at 29.67 seconds, holding off 🇮🇸 Birgir Gudnason and 🇮🇸 Kári Kristófer Elíasson.

Unfortunately, 🇩🇰 Alexander Andersen withdrew before this event. Others, like 🇮🇸 Gudmundur Helgason and 🇮🇸 Thorlákur Gunnarsson, struggled to finish the course efficiently.

Athlete	Country	Time
Pálmi Gudfinnsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	26.17 s
Kristján Níelsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	27.27 s
Chris Beetham	🇬🇧 Scotland	29.67 s
Birgir Gudnason	🇮🇸 Iceland	33.88 s
Kári Kristófer Elíasson	🇮🇸 Iceland	34.09 s
Gudmundur Helgason	🇮🇸 Iceland	38.67 s
Thorlákur Gunnarsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	44.03 s
Alexander Andersen	🇩🇰 Denmark	Withdrew

Natural Stones (110–191 kg, 90-second cap)

Finally, the competition concluded with the Natural Stones event. Four stones, weighing 110, 131, 148, and 191 kilograms, had to be loaded in the fastest time possible. 🇮🇸 Pálmi Gudfinnsson made a last push, loading all four in just 28.23 seconds.

🇮🇸 Thorlákur Gunnarsson also finished four but needed 76.12 seconds. 🇮🇸 Kristján Níelsson opted for precision over speed, loading three stones in 26.85 seconds. Several others, like 🇮🇸 Kári Kristófer Elíasson and 🇮🇸 Birgir Gudnason, also managed three.

🇬🇧 Chris Beetham only loaded the first stone before time expired, effectively sealing his runner-up spot but removing any chance at the title.

Athlete	Country	Result
Pálmi Gudfinnsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	4 in 28.23 s
Thorlákur Gunnarsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	4 in 76.12 s
Kristján Níelsson	🇮🇸 Iceland	3 in 26.85 s
Kári Kristófer Elíasson	🇮🇸 Iceland	3 in 27.75 s
Birgir Gudnason	🇮🇸 Iceland	3 in 28.82 s
Gudmundur Helgason	🇮🇸 Iceland	3 in 29.56 s
Chris Beetham	🇬🇧 Scotland	1 in 9.22 s
Alexander Andersen	🇩🇰 Denmark	Withdrew

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Overview

The 2025 Iceland’s Strongest Viking took place on July 11 in the Westfjords. Then, eight strongmen battled through eight grueling events in a single day. Notably, Kristján Níelsson 🇮🇸 dominated the field and claimed his first career win. Meanwhile, Chris Beetham 🇬🇧 fought hard but settled for second. Next, Pálmi Gudfinnsson 🇮🇸 rounded out the podium with a close third-place finish. Throughout the day, athletes showcased grit across iconic Icelandic tests like the Legsteinn Carry and Natural Stones. In the end, Níelsson’s consistency across all events sealed a convincing victory.

Featured Image – 2025 Iceland’s Strongest Viking Results – Credit: @icelands_strongest_gay_ (Instagram)