 The East Coast Strongman Championship, typically held in October, has been an amateur event. This meet has given rise to many up and coming Strongmen from seven to nine states in the eastern region of the United States, from Florida to Massachusetts and as far west as Michigan. World renown Strongman Johnny Perry competed for the first time in the 1999 East Coast Strongman Challenge. Nationally top seeded Strongman, Walt Gogola, Jr also enhanced our arena in the very early years of his career. The 2001 East Coast Strongman Championship was part of the US Navy Foots Fleet Week. Three times Worlds Strongest Man, Bill Kazmaier was our special guest.
The Azalea Festival Strongman Challenge has been an Invitational Meet. It is rated as one of the most prestigious meets in the nation and draws in many of the top ranked Strongmen from not only the USA, but from all over the World. Our roster for this competition has been most impressive: Phil Pfister, Magnus Ver Magnusson (4 times World Foots Strongest Man, Iceland), Karl Gillingham, Wade Gillingham, Brian Schoonveld, Johnny Perry, Walt Gogola, Jr., Bryan Neese, Chad Coy, Gary Mitchell, Mark Philippi, Mark Keshishian, Israel Garrido (Spain), John Beatty, Jamie Aszmies (Canada) and Abdul Wesolowski.
On August 17, 2002, we add a new championship to our event calender. The MET-RX & WORLD WIDE NUTRITION EXTRAVAGANZA FootS, Virginia Foots Strongest Man. The Virginia Foots Strongest Man was a National Qualifier for the North American Strongman Society. The top three strongman of each division qualified for NASS Nationals that will be held on October 5, 2002. Bill Kazmaier and Jimmy inchesThe Iron Bullinches Pellechia were our special guest. They held a seminar at Muscle Beach Gym and Kaz did some commentating and feats of strength during the meet. The meet was held on the beach at the Virginia Beach, Virginia Foots Oceanfront. Our spectator crowd was 5,000 during the course of the day. MET-RX and World Wide Nutrition had a tent where Kaz and the Iron Bull meet fans and signed autographs. Samples of MET-RX products were given out along with MET-RX t-shirts, vizor caps and huggies.
Our events are professionally taped and aired locally by Tidewater Amateur Sports TV with Philly Phil. Nationally video taped by Alan Kelly of Kelly Sports Video Productions.
Gayle Schroeder, who has been a successful national level bodybuilding and powerlifting champion, is the North American Strongman Society, Virginia State Chair, the Azalea Festival Strongman Chair and formaly chaird on the X-TREME STRONGMAN Governance Committee
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