This show is usually open to just the “local” people of Hawaii. However, I have been competing at this show since 1999. I enjoy coming back home to compete in front of my family and friends during this time of year. This is the only time that they can see me compete since a lot of my contests are on the Mainland. I especially enjoy the camaraderie with the other athletes. We all want each other to do the best we can. There are no “cutthroat” games going on here. 53 year-old Odd Haugen, who just moved to California from Norway, also flew in for the contest. The other 4 competitors were from Honolulu.

Promoter Malcolm Lutu put together six events for us. This was the first time that the Hawaii show was going to be done in one day. Usually, they split the show into 2 days. I was personally glad that he made it a one-day event! We can get it done quickly, and our family & friends sometimes can’t make it to both days. Former World’s Strongest Man competitor, Joe Onosai, was our head referee.


Here were the events:

• 275 lb Farmer’s Walk - go down 90 feet, turn around & come back 90 feet.
• 600 lb Deadlift for reps - no straps or bouncing of the bar allowed, conventional style only.
• 275 lb Steel Log clean & press for reps.
• Keg & Atlas Stones loading - two kegs that weighed 220 lbs had to be standing up after loaded. Stones were 220, 275 and 300 lbs. We had to load them onto a flatbed truck.
• Trolley Pull - harness & rope. Trolley was loaded up with kids from the audience. 100 feet distance.
• Power Medley - flip a tire 3 times, carry a 450 lb anvil for a distance of 15 feet & put it on the sled, then drag the sled backwards for a distance of 25 feet. There was also a 110 lb plate on the back of the sled for additional weight.

Jimmy Barientos has finished 2nd in this contest 7 times!! He has been so close to winning this contest, but has not done it. He started the contest off with a fast 25.78 seconds in this event.

I went head to head with another guy and I new that I needed to best Jimmy’s time. Started off strong and fast, but when I made the turn, the implements crossed over just a little bit. I knew I had to hurry up and make up some time. I crossed the finish line in 25.80 seconds! Can you believe that Jimmy beat me by .10 seconds? That turn was costly for me.

So, Odd knew what time he had to beat. Odd is known for having phenomenal grip strength. He shot out of the start and finished with a time of 22.50 seconds! I tell you, that old man can carry some weight!

As a side note, Tony Leiato had told me that this was the first time he had finished the Farmer’s Walk event in this contest! He was so happy for that accomplishment!


600 lb DEADLIFT FOR REPS

This year, the 242 lb USAPL National Champion Tony Harris, was not able to compete because he is in military school in Virginia. The state of Hawaii never knew what a Deadlift was until Tony Harris moved to the islands. Who would step up and take this event?

Defending 2002 HSM Tony Leiato stepped up and banged out 9 strong reps. His mark was the number to beat. Leiato is known more as a strong bench presser, but his deadlifts were super easy!

I came up and was able to get 7 reps. I tried to get an 8th, knowing that Odd was next. Odd was playfully “talking smack” by saying, “Higa, whatever you get, I’m going to get one more! Many, many reps Higa…” Damn, I was unable to lock out the 8th rep. It stalled halfway up my thighs.

So, Odd comes up and does the Deadlift. He cranks up 6 pretty easily and I’m hoping that he won’t get 7 and tie me. What do you know, he gets a 7th and an 8th rep. Knowing that he doesn’t need to try and tie Leiato’s mark, he steps off the platform.


275 lb STEEL LOG CLEAN & PRESS FOR REPS

Well, at this point I felt I needed to make a move up in the standings. I feel like I’m a pretty good presser, so I had to do the best I could. I was 3rd up and got 5 reps in the 60 seconds allowed. Hopefully, that mark would hold.

Odd came up and got up 4 reps. I was kind of hoping that he wouldn’t get a 5th rep, but that son of a gun got the 5th rep 2 seconds before the time expired! Damn, I can’t get a break!

Now, I thought that Tony Leiato was up and he is a STRONG presser. Unfortunately, he didn’t have it today. I was amazed at how difficult of a time he had. Tony only was able to get 3 reps.


LOADING EVENT

For the first time, there were some Atlas Stones to load in the HSM. There was a twist: we had to load a 220 lb Stone, a 220 lb Keg, a 275 lb Stone, another 220 lb Keg, then finally a 300 lb Atlas Stone. All of these had to loaded onto a flatbed truck with both kegs standing up.

The greatest effort in my opinion was from Faima Lulu. This guy was first up & inspired us to do well because he loaded all 5 objects easily with 8 seconds to spare on the time limit. After he loaded the 300 lb Stone, we were all pumped because he was in 6th place overall.

Odd would win this event with a time of 24.96 seconds, I would finish in 2nd with a time of 27.40.


TROLLEY PULL w/Harness & rope

This year we had an easy vehicle to pull. In order to make it a little heavier, the MC asked if some of the children in the audience wanted to ride in the trolley while we pulled it.

Jimmy Barientos won this event last year with his football background, so I knew that I had to get a good time in. Plus, Odd was still on deck.

Jimmy put in the mark to beat with a time of 31.84 seconds. Tony Leiato pulled 39.85 seconds, so I had to try and better that time and hopefully beat Jimmy’s.

If you’ve ever competed in the HSM before, you will know that the start of this course is a little hard. There is a little “bump” on the asphalt surface that presents a problem with the start of a truck pull. Once you get the front axle over that “bump”, it’s pretty easy to move.

I didn’t feel like I had a good start on this one. I tried to make up some time, but finished with a time of 33.50 seconds. Of course, the ageless wonder Odd had an outstanding time after me. He pulled it in 31.72 seconds, just edging out Jimmy’s time.


POWER MEDLEY

The final event was the same as last year’s. We had to flip a tire three times, then carry a 450 lb anvil (waddle it) for 15 feet. We had to place the anvil on a sled and then drag it for a distance or 25 feet. The sled also had a 110 lb plate on the back of it for extra weight.

It was head-to-head and in the 2nd group. Jimmy went up against Tony. Jimmy flipped the tire easily while Tony seemed to have some trouble with it. Jimmy picked up the anvil and loaded it onto the sled, BUT had a hard time moving the sled. Leiato took full advantage and choked up on the rope of the sled and starting moving it fast. Jimmy was still having a hard time and got stuck on the drag. Leiato just blazed through the finish line and actually fell short of it when he fell backwards with the rope around him. One more tug, and he had the time to beat: 33.28 seconds.

So, it came down to the top two competitors in the standings. Odd was ahead of me by 3 points in the subtotal. Even if I won the medley, Odd would have to finish 5th in order for me to win the title, and I could not see him doing that poorly in this event. I had to maintain my overall 2nd place subtotal.

We pounded each other’s fists and wished each other luck. Referee Joe Onosai blew the whistle, and we were off! I hate those tires because they are really low to the ground and are bald. However, I did my best to stay ahead of Odd. As fate would have it, both of us finished the tire at the same time! I ran to my right to advance to the Anvil Carry, but Odd ran towards his left at the same time. Odd slipped badly as I cut in front of him. I immediately stopped and said, “C’mon Odd!” He yelled at me, “GO, GO!!”

I felt really bad for cutting him off and that is why I stopped. He scuffed his elbow pretty good on the asphalt and luckily, he wore kneepads because a big chunk tore off his right kneepad. Sure, I could have kept on going, but that’s not my style.

I picked up the anvil and carried it, but dropped it two feet from the sled. I saw Odd load his sled, so I had to hurry. I put my anvil on the sled and grabbed the end of the rope to pull. THE DAMN THING DIDN’T MOVE! I was dumbfounded! Tony Leiato and Nolan Crabbe ran up to my side and started yelling at me to pull the sled, but it felt like it was glued. Nolan tried to tell me to wrap the rope around my body and pull. I could hear that he was disappointed because he knows that I had a great show today, so he wanted me to finish strong. I told him, “I got it” and pulled with all my might. Finally, I was able to break the sled from the ground, but ended up short of the finish line when I heard the whistle.

I felt like I was going to puke because of the effort. Plus, since I’ve been living in the Northwest, 72 degrees in Hawaii is really hot to me now! The black contest shirts just soak up that sun. Because I didn’t do well in the medley, I ended up being tied for 2nd place with Leiato. Cumulative mistakes add up in these contests. Odd didn’t make many that day.

Once again, I was able to come home and compete in front of my ohana (family) in the Hawaii’s Strongest Man. Sure, I would love to win this contest one day, but I just have to work on my weaknesses and do better next time around.

If you ever had a chance, go to Honolulu during President’s day weekend to watch/compete in the HSM. This show is top notch and has a great environment. Besides, you may be amazed when you see how BIG the volunteers are compared to the athletes. I’ll definitely be back next year!


Aloha,
Grant


Full results in Excel format.

Final results: