2025 Real Strength Cup🏆 Results

The 2025 Real Strength Cup (RSC) took place in Den Haag Loosduinen, Netherlands, on Aug. 9, 2025. The competition brought together 11 strongmen from seven nations, all eager to test their power, endurance, and grit across five punishing events.

To begin, the United Kingdom’s Tom Place 🇬🇧 emerged as the overall champion after five hard-fought battles. He tied on points with Latvia’s Aivars Šmaukstelis 🇱🇻, but his faster performance on the Atlas Stones gave him the decisive edge.

As a result, Šmaukstelis walked away with silver, while Ukraine’s Oleg Pylypiak 🇺🇦 claimed bronze with his consistent event finishes.

Ultimately, this contest underscored the depth of talent across Europe and proved how fine margins often decide champions in strongman sport.

2025 Real Strength Cup 🏆 Results

Here are the official results of the 2025 Real Strength Cup:

🥇 2025 Real Strength Cup Final Standings

Place	Athlete	Country	Points
🥇 1	Tom Place	🇬🇧 UK	45.5
🥈 2	Aivars Šmaukstelis	🇱🇻 Latvia	45.5
🥉 3	Oleg Pylypiak	🇺🇦 Ukraine	43.5
4	Dean Mason	🇬🇧 UK	41
5	Walid Hammoud	🇫🇷 France	27.5
6	Luca Heijster	🇳🇱 Netherlands	27
7	Martijn de Boer	🇳🇱 Netherlands	25.5
8	Calum Nicholls	🇬🇧 UK	22
9	Zdeněk Vávra	🇨🇿 Czechia	21
10	Szilárd Barta	🇭🇺 Hungary	15
11	Sebastian Petrů	🇨🇿 Czechia	6.5

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Max Log Lift

First, the competition began with the Max Log Lift, a true test of upper body strength. In this opener, Ukraine’s Oleg Pylypiak 🇺🇦 set the tone by pressing a massive 190 kilograms, proving himself the man to beat.

Meanwhile, Tom Place kept himself in the mix by lifting 180 kilograms, showing he could challenge across multiple events. France’s Walid Hammoud 🇫🇷 stunned the field with 165 kilograms, cementing himself as a serious contender for top-five points.

Finally, Šmaukstelis, Mason, and Nicholls tied at 155 kilograms, keeping the leaderboard tight. Others, including Dutchman Luca Heijster and Czech lifter Zdeněk Vávra, managed 145 kilograms, while Martijn de Boer rounded off the group with 125 kilograms.

Place	Athlete	Country	Weight Lifted
🥇 1	Oleg Pylypiak	🇺🇦 Ukraine	190 kg
🥈 2	Tom Place	🇬🇧 UK	180 kg
🥉 3	Walid Hammoud	🇫🇷 France	165 kg
4	Aivars Šmaukstelis	🇱🇻 Latvia	155 kg
4	Dean Mason	🇬🇧 UK	155 kg
4	Calum Nicholls	🇬🇧 UK	155 kg
7	Luca Heijster	🇳🇱 Netherlands	145 kg
7	Zdeněk Vávra	🇨🇿 Czechia	145 kg
9	Szilárd Barta	🇭🇺 Hungary	135 kg
10	Sebastian Petrů	🇨🇿 Czechia	130 kg
11	Martijn de Boer	🇳🇱 Netherlands	125 kg

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Squat Lift

Next, athletes faced the Squat Lift, loaded with 300 kilograms for maximum reps. Once again, Oleg Pylypiak 🇺🇦delivered a commanding performance, grinding out nine clean reps to win his second consecutive event.

In contrast, Tom Place pushed hard and secured seven reps, keeping him in the running for the overall title. The home crowd erupted as Dutch athlete Luca Heijster 🇳🇱 powered through five reps, earning him third place in this round.

Meanwhile, Šmaukstelis and Mason found themselves with just two reps each, which left the door open for Pylypiak to grab crucial points. Other athletes, including Hammoud and Vávra, managed single reps, while Petrů could not register a lift.

Place	Athlete	Country	Reps
🥇 1	Oleg Pylypiak	🇺🇦 Ukraine	9
🥈 2	Tom Place	🇬🇧 UK	7
🥉 3	Luca Heijster	🇳🇱 Netherlands	5
4	Dean Mason	🇬🇧 UK	2
4	Aivars Šmaukstelis	🇱🇻 Latvia	2
6	Walid Hammoud	🇫🇷 France	1
6	Zdeněk Vávra	🇨🇿 Czechia	1
8	Martijn de Boer	🇳🇱 Netherlands	0
8	Calum Nicholls	🇬🇧 UK	0
8	Szilárd Barta	🇭🇺 Hungary	0
8	Sebastian Petrů	🇨🇿 Czechia	0

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Wheelbarrow Carry

Then came the Wheelbarrow Carry, a brutal test of grip, speed, and stability. In this race, Aivars Šmaukstelis 🇱🇻stormed to victory, covering three runs in 37.15 seconds.

Similarly, Oleg Pylypiak stayed in contention with a time of 39.25 seconds, proving he could match speed with strength. Britain’s Dean Mason 🇬🇧 grabbed third by finishing his runs in 43.85 seconds, maintaining his top-five status.

However, Tom Place slipped badly here, managing just 11.35 meters before dropping his load. This stumble placed enormous pressure on him heading into the final events.

Place	Athlete	Country	Distance/Time
🥇 1	Aivars Šmaukstelis	🇱🇻 Latvia	3 runs – 37.15s
🥈 2	Oleg Pylypiak	🇺🇦 Ukraine	3 runs – 39.25s
🥉 3	Dean Mason	🇬🇧 UK	3 runs – 43.85s
4	Luca Heijster	🇳🇱 Netherlands	3 runs – 45.22s
5	Walid Hammoud	🇫🇷 France	3 runs – 50.67s
6	Martijn de Boer	🇳🇱 Netherlands	3 runs – 52.73s
7	Zdeněk Vávra	🇨🇿 Czechia	3 runs – 53.91s
8	Szilárd Barta	🇭🇺 Hungary	2 runs – 36.28s
9	Sebastian Petrů	🇨🇿 Czechia	2 runs – 41.75s
10	Calum Nicholls	🇬🇧 UK	2 runs – 42.93s
11	Tom Place	🇬🇧 UK	11.35 m

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Viking Press

Afterward, athletes turned to the Viking Press, pressing 160 kilograms overhead for reps. In this fiery showdown, both Tom Place 🇬🇧 and Aivars Šmaukstelis 🇱🇻 tied for first with 14 reps each, keeping the championship race alive.

Meanwhile, Dean Mason once again displayed consistency with 13 reps, putting himself firmly in the top four overall. Oleg Pylypiak and Walid Hammoud followed closely behind, locking out 10 reps apiece.

Additionally, three lifters — Heijster, Vávra, and Barta — managed six reps each, showing how evenly matched the field remained.

Place	Athlete	Country	Reps
🥇 1	Tom Place	🇬🇧 UK	14
🥇 1	Aivars Šmaukstelis	🇱🇻 Latvia	14
🥉 3	Dean Mason	🇬🇧 UK	13
4	Oleg Pylypiak	🇺🇦 Ukraine	10
4	Walid Hammoud	🇫🇷 France	10
6	Luca Heijster	🇳🇱 Netherlands	6
6	Zdeněk Vávra	🇨🇿 Czechia	6
6	Szilárd Barta	🇭🇺 Hungary	6
9	Martijn de Boer	🇳🇱 Netherlands	5
10	Calum Nicholls	🇬🇧 UK	3
11	Sebastian Petrů	🇨🇿 Czechia	2

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Atlas Stones

Finally, the competition closed with the legendary Atlas Stones, ranging from 120 to 200 kilograms. This event became the tiebreaker that would crown the champion.

In the end, Tom Place 🇬🇧 rose to the occasion, loading four stones in just 25.85 seconds, edging out Šmaukstelis by a narrow margin. His speed and efficiency under pressure secured him the overall gold medal.

Meanwhile, Šmaukstelis finished four stones in 29.43 seconds, taking second both in the event and overall. Dean Mason completed four in 30.94 seconds, locking up his fourth-place finish.

Place	Athlete	Country	Stones/Time
🥇 1	Tom Place	🇬🇧 UK	4 stones – 25.85s
🥈 2	Aivars Šmaukstelis	🇱🇻 Latvia	4 stones – 29.43s
🥉 3	Dean Mason	🇬🇧 UK	4 stones – 30.94s
4	Oleg Pylypiak	🇺🇦 Ukraine	4 stones – 32.15s
5	Luca Heijster	🇳🇱 Netherlands	4 stones – 34.72s
6	Walid Hammoud	🇫🇷 France	3 stones – 28.56s
7	Martijn de Boer	🇳🇱 Netherlands	3 stones – 29.13s
8	Calum Nicholls	🇬🇧 UK	3 stones – 30.48s
9	Zdeněk Vávra	🇨🇿 Czechia	3 stones – 33.89s
10	Szilárd Barta	🇭🇺 Hungary	2 stones – 27.47s
11	Sebastian Petrů	🇨🇿 Czechia	2 stones – 35.68s

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Overview

The 2025 Real Strength Cup delivered a thrilling showdown in the Netherlands. Tom Place’s consistency, capped by a clutch Atlas Stones performance, secured him gold against one of the sport’s most reliable champions, Aivars Šmaukstelis. Meanwhile, Oleg Pylypiak’s early event dominance showed his rising potential. Dean Mason added strong depth for the UK, and the Dutch athletes brought local excitement. Overall, the contest reinforced how competitive the international strongman scene has become, with margins razor-thin at the very top.

Featured image – 2025 Real Strength Cup 🏆 Results – Credit: @bigtp123 (Instagram)