Brazil in the Hills or maybe Morocco in the Mountains

If you haven’t heard, or have been living under a rock for the past several months, the biggest thing in years is coming to Charleston, WV. When I say biggest, I do mean “BIG.” It’s the 2008 World’s Strongest Man Competition and these guys are huge!.

This competition has worldwide recognition for taking place in exotic locales and tropical islands across the globe. Now with the persistence of the city of Charleston employees and our own 2006 World’s Strongest Man Phil Pfister, it is coming to Wild and Wonderful West Virginia. This will give the city and our state unbelievable recognition everywhere. If you have ever been lying awake in the middle of the night or home in the middle of the afternoon and turned on the television, you’ve probably seen past shows covering the Strongest Man bouts. ESPN and ESPN Classic will air episodes over and over and over. Charleston and West Virginia has struck gold in this competition already with the coverage by worldwide markets.

You don’t want to miss this - it might be a once in a lifetime thing. Here is a schedule of events taking place over the next two weeks at various locations throughout Charleston. Come and cheer on Charleston’s own Mr. Pfister as he competes to reclaim the World’s Strongest title!

Preliminary Competition, Saturday Sept. 6 through Sept. 9:
Saturday, Magic Island, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Loading race, keg toss.
Sunday, Haddad Riverfront Park, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Fingal fingers, truck pull.
Monday, Capitol Complex, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Squat lift, dead lift, giant log lift.
Sept. 9, University of Charleston, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Overhead lift, atlas stones.

The Finals will be held, Sept. 12-14:
Sept. 12, Haddad Riverfront Park/Kanawha Boulevard, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.: Power stairs, fingal fingers, car walk.
(The Sept. 12 events will be followed by a Live on the Levee concert featuring the Davisson Brothers Band at 6 p.m.)
Sept 13, Coonskin Park, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.: Car dead lift, overhead lift.
Sept. 14, Yeager Airport, 11 a.m.: Plane pull.
Sept. 14, Appalachian Power Park, 7:30 p.m.: Atlas stones.