2026 World's Strongest Stone Lifter Championship

Worlds Strongest Stone Lifter Women's Masters 40+, America's Strongest Stone Lifter Men's Masters 40+ & Florida's Strongest Stone Lifter series

Unleash Your Inner Highlander at the Tallahassee Highland Games

About the Competition

The Strongest Stone Lifter series is an official International Highland Games Federation (IHGF) competition and a signature event of the Tallahassee Highland Games festival. With no weigh-ins and a single open class, competitors from every background can test raw strength, grit, and Highland spirit.

Your registration includes festival entry for you and a guest, VIP parking next to the action, and athlete lunch at noon. A kilt is required to compete.

Scholarship language: All listed amounts are structured as scholarship stipends intended to support athlete expenses (such as hotel, fuel, and food), helping protect eligibility for athletes with Olympic or amateur status considerations while still rewarding performance.

Dates & Schedule

February 7–8, 2026 – Apalachee Regional Park, Tallahassee, FL

The schedule is coordinated with the IHGF Heavy Athletics All-American Series and the IHGF National Caber Championship, allowing experienced athletes to compete in both Strongest Stone Lifter and Heavy Athletics.

Saturday, February 7 – 9:00 AM

• Heavy Athletics:
• Men’s A, B, C (Amateur and Semi Pro Divisions)
• Women’s A, B, C (Amateur and Semi Pro Divisions)
• Teen Divisions

• Strongest Stone Lifter
• Women's World's Strongest Stone Lifter (Masters) Division
• Women's Open Division
• Women's Novice Division
• Men’s Novice Division

Sunday, February 8 – 9:00 AM

• Heavy Athletics:
• Women's Novice Division
  
• Men's Novice Division
• Lightweight Men's Division
• Lightweight Women's Division
• Women's Masters Divisions (40+, 50+, 60+)
• Men's Masters Divisions (40+, 50+, 60+)

• Strongest Stone Lifter
• Men's America's Strongest Stone Lifter (Masters) Division
• Men’s Open Division

Events

Five stone-lifting challenges test strength, endurance, and technique:

• Stone Press – Max reps in 90 seconds.
• Fefor Stone Carry – Max distance with turns every 50 ft.
• Stone Put – Distance throw from the trig.
• Stone Medley – Carry progression for time.
• Stone Load – Load stones onto a 40" barrel.

Want more throws, hammers, and cabers? Explore Highland Games Heavy Athletics and cross-register to compete in both.

Prize & Scholarship Payouts

The current combined prize and scholarship pool is set at at least $7,500 across Strongest Stone Lifter, IHGF Heavy Athletics divisional champions, and the IHGF National Caber Championship.

Qualification Pathways

• IHGF Women’s Masters World’s Strongest Stone Lifter – 40+
  This event in Tallahassee is the official World Championship for the Women’s Masters 40+ division. The winner is crowned IHGF Women’s Masters World’s Strongest Stone Lifter.
• IHGF Men’s Masters America’s Strongest Stone Lifter – 40+
  Top Masters men advance to compete in Hungary for the IHGF America’s Strongest Stone Lifter title.
• Florida’s Strongest Stone Lifter – Men’s & Women’s Open
  Division champions earn the Florida’s Strongest Stone Lifter title. Top 2 in each Open division qualify for the Visa California Viking Fest (Sept 2026). Viking Fest winners receive airfare assistance and accommodations for the World’s Strongest Stone Lifter in Fefor, Norway (July 2027).
• IHGF Heavy Athletics A/B/C & Masters + National Caber Championship
  Heavy Athletics is an official IHGF national qualifier, and the caber event is the IHGF National Caber Championship, feeding athletes into higher-level IHGF championships.

Try Both: Heavy Athletics + Strongest Stone Lifter

For athletes who want the full Highland experience, our schedule allows you to enter both IHGF Heavy Athletics and Strongest Stone Lifter. Throw stones, hammers, and cabers by day – then lift, carry, press, and load the stones.

Old-school Highland grit meets modern championship pathways. If your training can handle it, this is the weekend to prove it.

On-Site Services & Sponsors

COSPT will be on the main field providing athlete-only chiropractic adjustments and sports recovery massage throughout the weekend, keeping lifters and throwers battle-ready.

Additional partners include Visit Tallahassee, the International Highland Games Federation, and regional strength organizations who help us grow the sport and support the athletes who carry it.

Ready to Compete?

Your registration includes festival entry, VIP parking, and lunch for you and a guest. Divisions will cap — secure your spot early.