Strongman Golčův Jeníkov 2025 | Results and reportage

This year is the last time that we could, imaginatively, consider the tradition of competitions in Golčov Jeníkov as "youthful". This year's 17th year of local strongman competitions has long earned the label "prestigious" or "exceptional". At the beginning stood only 2 guys Pavel Chama and Leoš Kubeš. Besides the fact that they have continued the tradition all these years together, neither name is unknown in the world of Czech strongman sport. The voice of Leoš is the voice of this sport, he gave the basis for what we know here today. The same goes for Pavel and his whistle. The official chief referee of the Czech National Strongman Federation. He whistles all the big and important competitions. For both of them it is true that in the past they have experienced their own and from the point of view of competitors and they know what they are doing. And every year they prove it right here, in Golčov Jeníkov.

This year, the Czech Championship in Golčov Jeníkov took place on 13th July. And even though normally the summer months almost guarantee a great course from the point of view that cannot be influenced, i.e. the weather, this year it definitely looked more like a swimming race than a contest of strong men. Luckily the boys were booked up and so the weather was almost perfect apart from one morning shower. It was in that morning session that the amateur competitors entered as standard to measure their strength and the strongest of them could move on to the professionals in the future. At the same time they prepared and warmed up the spectators to the highest level with their fighting spirit and desire to show what they can do.

Amateurs

A total of 17 amateurs fought in five challenging disciplines:

• Loglift - 130 kg for 60 sec.
• Super Yoke - 350 kg over 20 meters
• Frame Carry - 250 kg over 20 meters
• Car Deadlift at 60 sec
• Husafel Stone - 120 kg over 40 meters

Loglift

What else can I say about the loglift? Probably not much more, I've described everything a hundred times. Maybe I'll just mention that even though loglift is legendary in "Golcak", amateurs here use a metal log. They have to work their way up to the wooden one, called Jeníkovský oak, for a reward. This year's limit of 130 kg was still seen on the repeats at our professional competitions a few years ago, and here too you can see the progress that strength sports brings. Perhaps I can still mention that the announced weight was beyond their capabilities for about half of the starting field. The other half did very well. And if I am going to name names, Luboš Kučera, Damián Polidar and Viktor Čajka, who took the first place, managed 4 fantastic reps.

Super Yoke

Carrying the metal Super Yoke is a very attractive discipline for spectators, but people find it difficult to imagine that the competitors were carrying 350 kg on their trapeze. When I write it like that, it sounds much more interesting. Most of the competitors made it the entire 20m course, so for most of them the time counted. Before I list the best results here, there wasn't even much talk about carrying, it was more about running. Third place Ondra Batelka earned his 15 points for a time of 15.19 seconds. Martin Szabó took the second place, having only narrowly beaten Ondra in a time of 15.02. But Viktor Čajka deserved the first place with his speed of almost 2 meters per second. His winning time for 20 metres with 350 kg on his back was 11.74 seconds.

Frame Carry

A fence with a wide and smooth grip is the reality of the Jeník race. It's hard to hold, it slides, it tears calluses and it's not easy. On the other hand, if it were easy, everyone would do it. The guys handled the fence and they all made it to the finish, which means one thing, next year, if there is a fence, it will be harder... And once again it was run, the slowest time of all was 17.58 seconds, so it was a blast. Third place Ivan Dávidík, with a time of 9.22 seconds. Second place Martin Szabó, he finished when the stopwatch showed 8.63 seconds. The fastest rider in the field was again Viktor Čajka with a time of 7.37 seconds.

Car Deadlift

Car deadlift. The car is driven on a special structure, which is topped with handrails. The competitor grabs them in his hands and lifts the car in a deadlift, nothing more, nothing less. I'm just pointing out again, if it was easy, everybody does it, but this is not easy. Again, on the car deadlift, about half of the starting field was spread out, with the car deadlift being beyond the competitors' abilities. On the other hand, on the other side of the standings, some very interesting numbers were falling. Ivan Dávidík, a great 5 reps and it was enough for him to take third place. Martin Szabó added one rep and took second place. Viktor Čajka added another one and took full points for his winning 7 stunts.

Husafel stone

The metal imitation of the Icelandic Husafel stone, which somewhat resembles a cross-section of a "coffin", was set to weigh 120 kg. The competitor's task was only to lift the stone in his arms and carry it on a 2 x 20 m route to the finish. In the shortest possible time, of course. All but 2 competitors managed to reach the finish line or finish. So most of the work of measuring with the tape was eliminated. A stopwatch was necessary for that. Third place for the time of 19,85 seconds went to Viktor Čajka. Second place went to Ondřej Batelka with a time of 19.62. Damián Polidar won the discipline with a fantastic time of 18.71 seconds.

Results

All competitors showed fantastic performances, they put their heart, soul, blood and sweat into the fight for the best possible position. It's really true. Anyway, the best was Martin Szabó, who took the second place in most of the disciplines, after he missed the first discipline it was enough for the bronze medal with 62 points. The second place literally at the last moment before Martin was taken by Daminán Polidar, who raced steadily and with an excellent finish. He scored a total of 63 points. The victory in Golcak and probably the invitation among the pros was very deservedly won by Viktor Čajka, who uncompromisingly led the table from the beginning of the race and scored a total of 82 points.

Professionals

After the traditional lunch break came the highlight of the Jeníkov race, the professionals' race. In the afternoon program, the audience was introduced to another cooperating well-known figure of strongman sport, former winner of local competitions, titled the strongest Czech, a long-time holder of the national record in Loglift Jiri Vytiska, who has been coming here in recent years as a judge. It is not a rule, but usually there are more amateur racers on the starting field, but this does not apply to Golčův Jeníkov and its prestige, even professionals flock here, because to race at these races is simply a high bar. This year, a total of 18 competitors took part in the competition, 2 of which were from Poland.

They competed in five disciplines:

• Loglift to max
• Truck Pull - 8t on 20m
• Frame Carry - 350 kg over 20 meters
• Car Wheelbarrow - 20 meters
• Car Deadlift - 60 sec

Loglift

The Jeník oak, certainly not perfect, but definitely the nicest log in our area. Made to order from oak, which is really from Golčov Jeníkov. All based on the spectacular Austrian Oak pattern from the world famous Arnold Strongman Classic competition. Originally the log was 150 kg, it has dried out a bit over time, but it is loadable, so the weight can be moved, of course. Another interesting thing is that the log is always stored in a safe and protected place all year round and it is impossible to train with it, it is simply unique.

The most "music" on it was probably made by Jirka Vytiska, for whom it literally fit like a f*ck on a pot and he made several records on it. This year's starting weight was 150 kg. And again it was confirmed that training weights are something completely different than the competition. Only 7 out of 1 fighters were able to get the log over their heads at the base weight. Matěj Brabec, Zdeněk Vávra, František Nový, Luboš Klinecký, Štěpán Bystřinec, Josef Hojdar and Pavel Zadražil. They were the only ones from the log to get points. Although it was really close for Pavel Zadražil. Pavel was unable to move the log after a successful relocation. I should note that if you move the log, you can't breathe much, so the air soon runs out and you have to throw the log away. But Paul said to himself: NO, and on the fourth try he got it over his head. Massacre.

Only three fighters got over the next weight of 160 kg - Stepan Bystrinets, who normally just warms up with this weight. Then Pepa Hojdar and finally Pavel Zadražil very easily. Only Štěpán got over 170 kg. Of course, even though he had already secured the full number of points, he wanted to try for himself a weight that is literally world class. I know from training that he has no problem with it. He had the log loaded to a straight and round 200 kg. Unfortunately, this weight hasn't fallen yet this year, but I believe that next year Stepan will conquer it.

Truck Pull

Pulling a truck with a counterweight for 20 meters. Since the truck was only 8 tons, it didn't look like much of a challenge, but I can say from the past that in Jeníkov there is not a complete straight line, the truck has always been pulled from a slight hollow and this can make the performance excessively difficult. On the other hand, that's why there was the counter-laning. All the competitors towed the truck, so the time was measured. Everything had to be handled technically and synchronise the arms and legs and the lean so that the tractor could be set in motion quickly.

Third place Lubos Klinecky, who I guessed to be the winner because of his size, weight and experience, managed to tow the truck in 18.01 seconds. He was beaten by František Nový with a time of 17.78 seconds and took second place. Štěpán Bystřinec was the fastest tractor-trailer driver, his final time was 17.51 seconds.

Frame Carry

Again a fence, only this time loaded to 350 kg. Compared to the amateurs in the morning it was extremely heavy. And here the callouses were flying to the flesh, unfortunately Jarda Svoboda took it as bad as he could. Only 5 fighters carried the fence to the finish line, the rest of them measured the distance. There were some zeros. Among the best ones, Matěj Svoboda made his comeback of the year with his third place with a time of 13.97 seconds. Second place went to Stepan Bystrinets with a time of 13.6 seconds. And the first place went to "Dycky Most" Pepa Hojdar with a time of 13.37 seconds.

Car Wheelbarrow

Similar to a few weeks ago in Vrdy, this year the car wheelbarrow went here too. Only here the organizers used a Skoda Octavia instead of a Skoda Fabia. And because the races are quite unpredictable and anything can go wrong, so when the discipline was coming to an end, the handles hanging on the car's towbar broke off with the towbar from the car. The organizers immediately started to solve the situation, fortunately they managed to get an identical car from one of the spectators who lent his car for the discipline.

The race was able to continue in no time. I have one more comment, this is the third discipline in a row that targets the grip of the competitor, so it is clear that gradually a lot of competitors were dropping out. Only 4 competitors managed to push the wheelbarrow to the finish. The third place belonged to five Matej Svoboda for a time of 33,19 seconds. Second place to Pavel Zadražil, who has long had one of the strongest grips on our domestic scene. He managed to push the wheelbarrow in 23,56 seconds. The victory in the discipline was confirmed by the well-prepared Štěpán Bystřinec, who did not hesitate and missed everyone by a steamer, his time on the wheelbarrow on 20 meters was 13.31 seconds.

Car Deadlift

Car deadlift again. Another grip, this year's race has become a really extreme affair in terms of grip and I believe that even a few weeks after the race the competitors will remember how it was in Golcak when gripping the soup spoon. It is no coincidence that most of the starting field in the last race had already unfortunately performed zero, i.e. they didn't manage any repeats. The body was tired throughout the race, the weight of the car and all the circumstances. Third place Matej Svoboda, great 3 reps. Pavel Zadražil also wanted to finish on 3 reps, but he let the spectators get the better of him in the last discipline and managed an extra one, taking silver in the discipline for 4 reps.

A fantastic 8 reps were performed by the tireless Pape Hojdar, who seemed to enjoy everything throughout the competition... with all the ease, really. Unbelievable bad luck in the worst moment was chosen by Stepan Bystrinets, who was leading the whole race so far with one repetition of a deadlift with the car. Despite all the pressure, he failed to do it and unfortunately he fell. Stepan, next time it will work. It makes me think that the last and probably the only one in the history of the Jeníkov races who managed to do zero on one discipline, but still win the whole race, was none other than the unique Čestmir Šíma, who failed to master the basic weight on the loglift, but literally dominated the rest of the race without the slightest hesitation and won the overall victory.

Results

The day is over, it's over, his unlucky third place this year and total 71 points goes to Štěpán Bystřinec, but he took everything sportingly and with a smile, I believe that his time will still come. The second place for his fantastic performance belongs to Josef Hojdar, who, according to his own words, did not expect it to work out so nicely. He scored 75.5 points. Pavel Zadražil, the matador of strongman sport with the most experience gained in his previous 196 competitions, took the overall victory and the title of Czech Republic Champion for the second time in a row from Golčov Jeníkov. Yes, this year's event in Golcak was Pavel's 197th race in his career. Massacre. And Pavel is already announcing that he wants to retire after his 201st race. But by winning so well, I would personally be happy if he would appear on the start list next year in Golcak, it would be a luxury to end his career with a winning hat-trick in Golcak. Wouldn't it?

Photographer.