Forthcoming Contests

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2026 British Bending & Breaking Championships
This contest was originated in 1955 and was won that day by the famous steel bender Harold Cope; since then, other winners have been athletes such as Gary Hunt, Reuben Hughes, Austin Seitter, Tom Morris and myself.

Saturday, May 9, 2026
Start: 10am
Classes: Open, Women & Novice
Venue: Stafford Grip Factory, 71 Common Rd, Stafford, ST163EQ
Prizes: There will be World of Grip medals for the Top 3 in each class.
Entrance Fee: £30 in advance, £40 on the day. Please sign up as soon as possible as there may be a cut off number.
Paypal payments to world_of_grip@ntlworld.com

Events:
1 – ‘Power Kink & Sweep’ Bend [90deg bend] – Braced – 9” to 6” lengths [Use whatever flexible wraps you want] – 10 min time limit: 12mm HRS, 10mm CRS, 10mm HRS, 8mm CRS, 8mm HRS
2 – Long Bar Braced bend – TBC [Single wraps] – 20 min time limit
3 – Max Kilo – Reverse Bending of Two 6” nails taped together in 30sec [Single WOG wraps touching]
4 – Unbraced Small Steel Snap 50, 60, 70 or 80mm long pieces of either 4.7 or 3.9mm [Two 10 x 2” WOG wraps] – 10 min time limit
5 – Crazy Sculpting ‘Z’ Bend – [Use whatever flexible wraps you want] – 30 min time limit
Events subject to change.

5 events this time
3 x bends, 1 sculpture, 1 x snaps
3x Braced, 2 x Unbraced
2 x double wraps, 2 x single wraps, 1 x Minimal wraps

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Stones of Steel
Worldwide steel ‘Stone’ Lifting Championships
Starting 1 Feb until and including 31 Mar, 2026

Events:
1. Flat Disc Deadlift (8″ lift) – max weight
2. Flat Disc Deadlift & Walk 15 metres, with one turn – max weight
3. BearHug Deadlift (8″ lift) – max weight

As many attempts in the two months as you wish, as long as it is all videoed correctly for me to referee.
Contest classes: Men’s Open, 105k, Masters 50+ and Women’s Open class.

World records weight classes to shoot for:
Male: 105k+, 105k, 90k
Female: 80k+, 80k, 65k
Masters: Male 40+, 50+, 60+
Masters: Female 40+, 50+, 60+

Venue: Multiple venues all around the world.
Promoter: David Horne
Entrance fees: £20
To compete please send the payment through paypal to world_of_grip@ntlworld.com
Medals: There will be World of Grip medals for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each class.

Rules:
For the video attempt, please follow these usual instructions.
1. Please post the video on facebook/YouTube, and tag me. You do not have to do all the three events on the same day.
2. Only chalk powder or block allowed, no liquid chalk, and definitely no tacky of course!
3. No gloves or anything on the hands or wrists, no forearm gauntlets.
4. On Bearhug nothing on the forearms.
5. At the end of each successful lift/walk, scale the weight on the video. You may want to take some weight off on camera, and scale part of the weight first, then the rest. Keep everything on screen for me. It’s advisable to place some small pieces of wood on your scales to protect them.

Scoring System:
Reverse Strongman style of scoring is used.
i.e. If there is 10 athletes, 1 point for 1st and 10 points for 10th.
If someone is joint 3rd for example on the same lift, with the same poundage, then they share the 3rd and 4th positions points, getting 3.5 points each.
All the points are added up at the end. If the points are equal at the end of the contest, then the placing are found by using the countback method. This is giving the position to the person with the most amounts of wins. If it is still a draw, then you look at the most amount of 2nd places, and then 3rd, 4th, and so forth till there is a winner.
If the competitors are still tied, then percentage scoring is used to separate these tied athletes.

Rules:

Flat Disc Deadlift (8″ lift) – max weight
Equipment used: The set-up for this exercise consists of using a loading pin, and stacking weight plates on it. The bottom plate you grasp has to have a flat side and be metal. Fasten the top with a collar.
You are allowed to have this placed on a small section of wood, or whatever to allow you to place your hands under. The height from the floor to the underside of the bottom plate should not be higher than 2”.

Contest rules: Deadlift the weight till the marker (ruler/saw blade) jutting out at the bottom touches a horizontal bar placed at least 8” above this. The 8” is measured before on video with a ruler. This 8” distance is from the underside of the height bar to the top of the saw blade or whatever you use.
Do not just tilt the weights to touch this bar. I will be refereeing this lift and want to see at least an 8” lift. If it is not an 8” lift it will be failed.
Lower the weight to the floor still holding it.
At the end of each successful lift, scale the weight on the video

Flat Disc Deadlift & Walk 15 metres, with one turn – max weight
Equipment used: The set-up for this exercise consists of using a loading pin, and stacking plates on it. The plate you grasp has to have a flat side and be metal. Fasten the top with a collar.
You are allowed to have this placed on a small section of wood, or whatever to allow you to place your hands under.
Unlike the Deadlift event, you can either lift the apparatus with the loading pin above the plates or below. I find below means the pin is not pointing into my chest area.
Put two lines down on the floor, 7.5 metres apart. Show this distance on video with a tape measure.

Contest rules: Standing behind the starting line, lift the plates up, and start to walk. No bringing the weights up to chest height, or resting them on a belt, this event is a carry at groin level. At the halfway line just put one foot over the line and turn. Cross the finishing line, and replace the weight to the floor, do not throw them down.
At the end of each successful walk, scale the weight on the video

BearHug Deadlift (8″ lift) – max weight
Equipment used: The set-up for this exercise consists of using a loading pin, or length of bar that fits through the plates holes, say 20” long. The middle weight plates have to be of the same dimensions, i.e. 20k, or 15k size, and of metal composition. The short length of bar goes through the discs and is fastened tightly together by collars on both ends.

Contest rules: For official rules on this lift, the row of discs have to be lifted from the floor and not a slightly raised platform, which would enable your hands to go under. The only thing allowed on your bare forearms is chalk to aid with the grip. Deadlift the weight till the centre loading bar touches a horizontal bar placed at least 8” above the top of the loading bar. The 8” is measured before on video with a ruler. This 8” distance is from the underside of the height bar to the top of the loading bar.
Obviously your hands and forearms only can touch the outside of the discs, and not with your fingers or thumbs around the front of the discs and aiding with the grip. Rolling the weight totally onto your hands is not allowed.
You can use an exercise band/tube wrapped around the bar and over the plates. This stops the plates getting loose.
Do not just tilt the weights to touch this bar. I will be refereeing this lift and want to see at least an 8” lift.
Lower the weight to the floor still holding it.
At the end of each successful lift, scale the weight on the video

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Steel Shredder #14 – Crazy Sculpting ‘Z’ Bend
From 1 Feb up to and including 31 Mar 2026
Event – Bend a bolt into a ‘Z’
30 min time limit
Use whatever flexible wraps you want.

Here is the order of difficulty, and the fastest wins:
Grade 8:8 bolt 8mm x 6” [rated @297k at 6”]: 5” or 6”
Grade 5 bolt & 6” nail, both 6mm x 6” [rated @237k (137k & 100k) at 6”]: 5” or 6”
Grade 8 bolt 6mm x 6” [rated @197k at 6”]: 5” or 6”
Grade 5 bolt 6mm x 6” [rated @137k at 6”]: 5” or 6”
6” nail 6mm x 6” [rated @100k at 6”]: 5” or 6”
6” nail 6mm x 6” [rated @68k at 6”]: 5” or 6”
All sizes roughly 6” and heads

Classes: Open, Women (Juniors are welcome to compete, with parental permission)
Venue: Multiple venues all around the world.
Promoter: David Horne and World of Grip
Trophies: There will be medals for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each class
The steel bent will be the World of Grip stock

Entrance fees: £20: steel is purchased on top of this fee.
Cost for steel:
Grade 8 bolts = £2.80 each (irrespective of quantity ordered)
All other bolts/nails = £2 GBP each
To compete, please ask me for a total cost including your steel and shipping.
Paypal payments to world_of_grip@ntlworld.com

Rules
‘Sculpting’ – ‘Z’ Bend – 30 min time limit [Use whatever flexible wraps you want]
Using World of Grip steel, bolts or nails. Time limit = 30min
The time is noted when you finish the last bend.
It is advisable to mark with a felt tip the places you want to bend, and work these bends evenly.
Wraps for protection will be whatever flexible wraps you want.

A completed bend is when the steel is bent into a ‘Z’ shape. A finished ‘Z’ is:
5” length; when both angles are bent beyond 90-degree bends.
6” length; when both angles are bent beyond 110-degree bends.
These are easily measured on a board with a strim of wood fastened where the end leg is put flat to it, and the angles (110deg) are on the board, or a paper protractor is pasted on the board. Measure both angles, and the weakest angle is the score.

You can saw the head off if you wish. You will lose leverage, but both sides will be the same.
For a 5” bend, with head on or off, it is the length of bolt that should be 5”, not counting the head if it is on or not. Saw it off on camera.