Competing to be North America’s Strongest Man Winnipegger Langelaar determined to set new personal bests By: Grace Penner Posted: 4:54 PM CDT Wednesday, Jul. 22, 2026

Competitors from across the continent will step forward this weekend to decide one thing: are they the strongest?

North America’s Strongest Man competition on Saturday and Sunday in Victoriaville, Que. will provide an answer as Winnipegger Andrew Langelaar, along with 13 other athletes from Canada and the United States, showcase their talents in six different events.

Though Langelaar is fairly new to the environment, receiving his pro card in 2024, he’s proven that he belongs on the stage.

“I’ve been strength training for 14 years now. A friend of mine had been harassing me to try Strongman sports for probably six years,” the 29-year-old said. “I finally tried it and my regret is not starting sooner.”

The 6-6, 340-pound competitor is ready to make his way in the Strongman world. Langelaar and his coach, Guy Page, decided to make the transition together and learn on the job.

“When I decided to make a switch over to Strongman, I was like, ‘Is this something you’re comfortable trying to learn with me?’ And thankfully he was,” Langelaar said.

Being rookies in the sport, they’ve learned to pick up tips and tricks from other competitors and coaches, slowly figuring out their footing.

“The long-term relationship is so valuable in a coach, it makes more sense to stick with the same person than try to relearn the dynamic with someone new,” Langelaar said.

“My regret is not starting sooner.”

In his first show, Langelaar dove directly into the deep end, competing in the 2024 Western Canada’s Strongest Man. He finished eighth out of 17 competitors.

Langelaar continued to compete in regional events to earn his stripes.

“My first full season of professional, I went down to the Arnold Fitness Expo Pro/Am,” Langelaar said, where he hit personal bests in all three events.

“Did Westerns again, finished second, which qualifies for Canada’s Strongest Man. Finished fifth, which in turn qualified for North America’s this year,” he said.

Langelaar is not the only athletic child in his family. His brother Tyson is a speedskater who competed in the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

“The joke in the family is I’m the strength, my brother is the speed,” he said, chuckling.

Growing up, Langelaar had one goal: he wanted to be strong.

“I was obsessed with the superhero comics and all of the action figures,” he said.

Langelaar said his favourite superheroes were Batman and Hulk, and the Strongman competitions combine both of their skills — strength and speed.

He’ll have to be proficient on both sides to place in Quebec. Aware that he’s a little out of his depth in this competition, Langelaar is going in with personal goals rather than championship expectations.

“It’s a huge jump in level,” he said. “(I’m) very much being thrown into the fire here.”

“It’s weird prepping for a show knowing that you’re going to bring your absolute best and you might not even crack top 10,” he added. “It’s the equivalent of a decent beer league hockey player having to face Connor McDavid.”

Langelaar knows he’s going for the experience and believes he’ll be able to come out of it with a better mindset. He’s grateful that he’s gotten this far this quickly in his second year of competing.

“If I can walk out of here just having comparisons with these top-level guys and understanding of where I actually sit and where I need to improve — that is the most valuable thing I can leave with,” he said.

The competition will have six events: max log lift, Conan’s wheel, Hercules hold, Atlas stones, vehicle pull and power medley. Langelaar knows where his weaknesses lie, with Hercules hold being his toughest event.

“My grip is my weakest point, so if I just don’t finish dead last in the event, I’ll be happy,” he said.

“When you’re moving those kind of loads, the tiniest detail can make a big difference.”

The event involves the competitor holding two ATV’s that are on a downhill ramp — the ultimate test against gravity.

What Langelaar is most looking forward to are Atlas stones, an event where he’ll need to lift a series of weighted stones — ranging between 280-445 pounds — onto a raised platform.

“When you’re moving those kind of loads, the tiniest detail can make a big difference,” he said.

Regarding the most iconic event — the max log lift — Langelaar is happy about how it’s evolved over the years.

“In the ’80s, they just took a tree trunk and had to figure a way out. The modern ones we have now are a lot nicer, made of a metal pipe with nice handholds and they’re usually distributed weight,” he said.

Strongman competitions are very technical events, with participants not being able to rely solely on their strength. Everyone in the competition is strong, it’s their speed and agility that will put them on top.

“You have to be efficient. If you want to do your best, you have to be perfect. Because the other guys aren’t going to make mistakes, so you can’t either,” he said.

It’s also important to keep a cool head during these competitions despite an atmosphere encouraging you to be pumped up and enthusiastic.

“There’s a high risk of injury in this sport. When you’re flipping 1,000-pound tires and pulling a tractor — which can be about 30,000 pounds — there is a high demand on the body,” Langelaar said.

“You have to be a little bit delusional.”

Outsiders may think an injury is guaranteed, but these athletes know how to approach each event in their own capacity. The mental side is just as important as the physical. Langelaar trains knowing the risks and how to mitigate them, preparing as best as he can before competition day to come out of it healthy.

“You have to be a little bit delusional,” Langelaar said with a laugh, noting you have to think an injury will plague someone else before you.

“At the end of the day when I show up on competition day I’ve done everything I can to prevent an injury. If something happens, it’s out of my control.”

Langelaar is looking to learn from his opponents this weekend and have a good time with people who are all there for the same reasons.

“It’s a very welcoming and inclusive sport,” he said.

His favourite part has to be the kids who attend the event — especially if he can become their new superhero.

“To go out and be able to perform, to inspire and meet the young kids,” Langelaar said. “Those moments make it worth it.”

grace.penner@freepress.mb.ca