Iron therapy event a heavyweight success

Sunshine, showers and strongmen marked a great day of action at the inaugural Iron Therapy competition for novices in the sport.

Organised by award-winning Lochaber strongman Stuart Whyte, eight competitors vied for top places in a series of events at his new Iron Therapy gym on the Ben Nevis Estate.

Starting indoors with a log lift of a metal log on a pole, the action then moved outside with the medley event comprising carrying a granite block a set distance, dropping it and retuning for a weighted beer keg, then heavy sack, all against the clock.

Returning inside, muscles were straining at the deadlift, lifting two heavy weights on a bar from ground to waist height, holding it there for a set time and repeating as often as possible within a specified time.

The van lift saw competitors lifting a vehicle supplied by local company NewCo by its rear wheels and holding it aloft under the careful eye of the timekeeper.

The wet weather saw one of the signature events move inside, lifting large stones and dropping them over a bar, a slippy task on the smooth globes at the best of times, but worse when rain soaked.

Overall first-placed James Halpin from Renfrewshire came top in all events other than the van lift which was won by second placed Andrew Taylor from Fraserburgh, with local athletes close behind.

Stuart Whyte said: ‘I am delighted the event went so well and everyone seemed to enjoy taking part.

‘Thanks to them all for coming and making the competition very good-natured with competitors encouraging each other as they took part.

‘It was great to get back in action after a long period of lockdown, when everyone was really missing taking part in their sports and in many cases not even being able to follow their usual training routines.

‘For many this was a great strain on their mental as well as physical health, which is partly what this event was all about, with the collection from today going to Lochaber Hope and Lochaber Mindfit.’

‘I wasn’t able to take part myself but still enjoyed organising it and timekeeping at each stage.’

Good mental health through exercise is the ethos behind Stuart’s new gym which is also reflected in its Iron Therapy title with the strongman competition being its first event.

Stuart hopes to make this a regular on the ‘Strongman’ circuit, expanding into bigger local venues.

Photograph: Iain Ferguson, alba.photos. Overall winner James Haplin competes in the stone lift.

Photograph: Iain Ferguson, alba.photos. Competitors and organisers of the Iron Therapy competition, back row, left to right, Ryan Campbell, Stuart Whyte, Tom Baillie, Darren Whyte, Eban van Wyk, Ryan Wylie, Brian Gerrard and Ronnie Agnew. Front row, left to right, Andrew Taylor, second, Calum Morrison, third, and James Haplin, first.

Photograph: Iain Ferguson. Tom Baillie takes part in the van lift.