A major European strongman show is set to take place in Cumbria.
The Pro Strongman League European Championships will take place at Box Arena in Carlisle on Saturday March 14 and Saturday March 15.
Alongside the pro show, Nxt Era’s Strongest Beginner and Novice will also take place as part of the weekend on the Friday evening.
Around 80 male and female athletes including over 10 from overseas will compete in the shows – several of which have competed in World’s Strongest Man.
Both shows will be a major spectacle for eventgoers and will feature pyrotechnics and a large cinematic LED screen for athletes to walk out in front of alongside three bars, on site food and merchandise.
The shows are being run by Adam Rumney and Connor Smith of Nxt Era Strongman Promotions, with support from Cumbrian Strongman Promotions and Cumberland Strongman Academy.
Adam said: “It is our biggest show yet by a country mile in terms of the size of venue, what it brings and the calibre of athletes coming over.
“It’s a full weekend and it’s right in the centre of Carlisle and it’s our attempt to make strongman shows more of an entertainment spectacle rather than just a competition.
“We have multiple world champions coming over in their respective weight classes including from places like Czech Republic, Russia, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, from all over, it’s insane.
“We’ve got 15 athletes who have competed at World’s Strongest man and Woman, it genuinely is a world level line up and what’s even more special, is that we have some of our own Cumbrian athletes competing in the Euro show.”
Adam added that he is hoping the show will bring the same top class entertainment level of World’s Strongest Man to Cumbria.
He said: “Our beginner and novice show was also designed to give beginner strongman and strongwoman athletes the biggest stage possible to compete on in a real pinch me spectacle moment.
“A lot of the time we see World’s Strongest Man or Giant’s Live on the telly, and we think we’d love to compete somewhere like that, but the reality is some of us are just not good enough and that’s okay.
“So we’re providing people with the opportunity to do that on a lower level.”
Adam and Connor were approached by the Professional Strongman League (PSL) who are based in America, to ask if they were interested in hosting the European show.
Women will be deadlifting up to 210kg and lifting atlas stones weighing up to 100kg while men will be deadlifting up to 320kg at the show and lifting atlas stones up to 160kg.
Adam said: “The European pro show is the first of its kind in Cumbria and the athletes will be fighting for the title of the European Pro Strongman League’s strongest man and woman.
“They will also be competiting to go over to America to compete in the Professional Strongman League’s world final.
“It’s pretty mad because there’s not been a sport in Cumbria at any level where you bring some of the best in the world and Europe to Cumbria.
“One of our atheltes, Filip Zajíček, he’s from Cheque Republic and he won the under 90kg for World’s Strongest Man in 2024 and came second in 2025, we’ve also got Europe’s strongest woman coming over in the 82kg category.”
Everyone is welcome to buy a ticket to see the shows, including families with children.
Adam said: “You never see anyone watching a strength show, whether they’re 70 or five, that aren’t completely mesmerised by what they’re watching.
“You’re watching people do the unthinkable, and you’re stood back thinking wow, how is a 73kg woman lifting a 90kg atlas stone.
“With these shows me and Connor have created what we dream of wanting at shows when we go to them.
“Both of us have been to the highest stages and competed at Europe’s Strongest Man ourselves last year, and we were the first two Cumbrians to do so.
“So to be able to bring a show of this level to this area and allow beginners and novices to get opportunities off the back of that, is just insane.
“It’s going to be really special and it’s a big step up in the shows we put on.”
Both shows will take place at Box Arena in Carlisle from Friday March 13 until Sunday March 15.
Standard tickets, VIP tickets, two day tickets and three day tickets are available. Ticket prices start at £15 per day.
