Eric Roussin Posted March 8, 2023 Share Posted March 8, 2023 I developed these a while back for the years 2003 through 2018. They are historical annual grip rankings (overall in North America), based on my analysis of contest results. I decided to develop lists for 2019 to 2022. I don't claim these rankings to be perfect, but I think they give a pretty good idea of who most of the top competitors were in each year. 2022 1. Carl Myerscough 2. Jedd Johnson 3. Nick Sanders 4. Brad Provick 5. David Labbe 6. Odd Haugen 7. Jason Dingey 8. Joel Dircks 9. Eric Roussin 10. Eric Dawson 2021 1. Tanner Merkle 2. Carl Myerscough 3. David Labbe 4. Jedd Johnson 5. Jason Dingey 6. Adam Glass 7. Brad Provick 8. Gil Goodman 9. Joel Dircks 10. Eric Roussin 2020 1. Tanner Merkle 2. Jedd Johnson 3. Carl Myerscough 4. Gil Goodman 5. Luke Raymond 6. Adam Glass 7. Joel Dircks 8. Jason Dingey 9. Brad Provick 10. Eric Roussin 2019 1. Tanner Merkle 2. Jedd Johnson 3. Carl Myerscough 4. Gil Goodman 5. Luke Raymond 6. Adam Glass 7. Aaron Corcorran 8. Eric Roussin 9. Joel Dircks 10. Steve Millard 2018 1. Jedd Johnson 2. Tanner Merkle 3. Carl Myerscough 4. Gil Goodman 5. Lucas Raymond 6. Aaron Corcorran 7. Kody Burns 8. Eric Roussin 9. Andrew Durniat 10. Justin Major 2017 1. Tanner Merkle 2. Jedd Johnson 3. Aaron Corcorran 4. Gil Goodman 5. John Machnik 6. Martins Licis 7. Carl Myerscough 8. Kody Burns 9. Eric Roussin 10. Lucas Raymond 2016 1. Gil Goodman 2. Kody Burns 3. Jedd Johnson 4. Aaron Corcorran 5. Andrew Durniat 6. Martins Licis 7. Jake Sahlaney 8. Eric Roussin 9. John Machnik 10. Lucas Raymond 2015 1. Jedd Johnson 2. Andrew Durniat 3. Kody Burns 4. Aaron Corcorran 5. Gil Goodman 6. Jon Eklund 7. Eric Roussin 8. Martins Licis 9. John Machnik 10. Cesare Ricchezza 2014 1. Michael Burke 2. Andrew Durniat 3. Jedd Johnson 4. David Labbe 5. Kody Burns 6. Dave Thornton 7. Lucas Raymond 8. Jake Sahlaney 9. John Eklund 10. Eric Roussin 2013 1. Michael Burke 2. Andrew Durniat 3. Chad Woodall 4. Kody Burns 5. Jedd Johnson 6. Wade Gillingham 7. Tex Henderson 8. Adam Glass 9. Dave Thornton 10. Aaron Corcorran 2012 1. Rich Williams 2. Michael Burke 3. Tex Henderson 4. Andrew Durniat 5. Adam Glass 6. Dave Thornton 7. Aaron Corcorran 8. Jedd Johnson 9. Odd Haugen 10. Brad Ardrey 2011 1. Rich Williams 2. Andrew Durniat 3. Tex Henderson 4. Ross Love 5. Chad Woodall 6. Dave Thornton 7. Adam Glass 8. Jedd Johnson 9. Odd Haugen 10. Paul Knight 2010 1. Rich Williams 2. Tex Henderson 3. Aaron Corcorran 4. Jedd Johnson 5. Andrew Durniat 6. Chad Woodall 7. Wade Gillingham 8. Odd Haugen 9. Tim Struse 10. Ryan Johnson 2009 1. Chad Woodall 2. Andrew Durniat 3. Jedd Johnson 4. Aaron Corcorran 5. Dave Thornton 6. Brad Ardrey 7. Paul Knight 8. Rex Hubbard 9. Eric Milfeld 10. Brent Barbe 2008 1. Rich Williams 2. Chad Woodall 3. Tex Henderson 4. Jedd Johnson 5. Andrew Durniat 6. Aaron Corcorran 7. Dave Thornton 8. John Beatty 9. Eric Milfeld 10. Paul Knight 2007 1. Chad Woodall 2. Jedd Johnson 3. Ryan Klein 4. Aaron Corcorran 5. Dave Thornton 6. Eric Milfeld 7. Marc Bruno 8. Josh Dale 9. Yves Ferrier 10. Jeff Penney 2006 1. Chad Woodall 2. Dave Morton 3. Dave Thornton 4. Tommy Heslep 5. Ryan Klein 6. Jedd Johnson 7. Odd Haugen 8. Kevin Bussi 9. Eric Milfeld 10. Scott George 2005 1. Steve McGranahan 2. Jedd Johnson 3. Eli Kiener 4. Chad Woodall 5. Dave Morton 6. Dave Thornton 7. Clay Edgin 8. Ryan Klein 9. Tommy Heslep 10. Josh Dale 2004 1. Rob Vigeant Jr. 2. Clay Edgin 3. Jedd Johnson 4. Dave Thornton 5. Odd Haugen 6. Chad Woodall 7. Michel Roy 8. Dave Morton 9. Tommy Heslep 10. Rob F. Vigeant 2003 1. Steve McGranahan 2. Rob Vigeant Jr. 3. Tommy Heslep 4. Dave Morton 5. Jedd Johnson 6. Odd Haugen 7. Matt Graham 8. Phil Pfister 9. Clay Edgin 10. Rob F. Vigeant 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Ruby Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 I absolutely think that list shows who had the overall strongest grip that year many of those have the biggest lifts ever in certain events. I do want to know how you decided who got on the list. Was it more so who had the best lifts or based on winning big events? For example in 2013 I won the 2013 Diablo Rock Grip Competition and I had the highest placing for the first ever king kong contest in north america as well as won the california strongest hands contest which was at the first month of 2014. If we are going off head to head results I beat several people in the 2013 list you have. Now I absolutely don't think my top end strength was not near most in that list. What I'm thinking is would it be more based off top end results or would beating someone in a contest hold more weight? I hope I don't come off any such way as not being on some list. It's really not important at all to me but I do think it's interesting discussion on what would rank more top end strength of performance on contest day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Roussin Posted March 9, 2023 Author Share Posted March 9, 2023 These rankings are based on contest results and lifts. I don't consider training lifts, feats, etc. High placings in events where several top guys also compete hold greater weight than contests where the field depth isn't quite as high. I also take into consideration the lifts in a given contest -- if I feel the contest has a good balance of different events, I'm give more consideration to the results. Consistent strong results in various lifts counts for more than incredible strength in some areas, but mediocre strength in others. I only consider results from contests held within the calendar year. For 2013, I can't recall exactly how I arrived at my ranking, as I did this analysis a few years ago. However, I don't mind taking another look to see if I made a mistake. Did you compete in any other contests in 2013 besides DRGC and KK? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Ruby Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Yeah I think that is the way to go but what about big certs that year? For example if someone did no contests but certed on the coc 4 for example that would trump any contest win in my opinion. I don't think so I believe those were the only contests near me that year. I think that is another thing to consider for some strong grips guys who don't live near areas that have contests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Roussin Posted March 9, 2023 Author Share Posted March 9, 2023 I don't consider certs, as these rankings are intended to reflect top athletes in grip contests. Also, in my opinion, while a CoC 4 cert would of course be impressive, by itself it would only demonstrate superior crushing strength. Making rankings based on just one or two contest performances in a given year is a challenge. But I recognize it is a reality for many competitors. This in turn limits list accuracy. I can say that I'm more confident in my rankings of positions 1 through 3 than my rankings of positions 8 through 10. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Ruby Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 1 hour ago, Eric Roussin said: I don't consider certs, as these rankings are intended to reflect top athletes in grip contests. Also, in my opinion, while a CoC 4 cert would of course be impressive, by itself it would only demonstrate superior crushing strength. Yeah I can understand that reasoning. I just think of Eddie Hall's 500kg deadlift in 2016 which although it was just one lift that marked him as the best strength athlete that year in my opinion even though Brian Shaw won the worlds strongest man. That type of performance is special and anyone who could theortically cert on the coC 4 would have undoubtedly a strong grip in all areas of grip just like Eddi's Halls 500kg deadlift would translate to other areas of strength. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
climber511 Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 (edited) I did my first Grip Contest in 2003 (one of Jedd and Smitty's in the old YMCA). I've been retired now for several years but over the years I had the pleasure of meeting , competing with, enjoying a meal or drink, doing impromptu feats, or just hanging out with the majority of these people. And I must say a stronger or nicer group on men do not exist. It was a pleasure gentlemen! Edited March 9, 2023 by climber511 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedd Johnson Posted March 9, 2023 Share Posted March 9, 2023 Eric, thanks for doing things like this. It's always interesting to see, and it's much appreciated. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florian Kellersmann Posted March 10, 2023 Share Posted March 10, 2023 14 hours ago, Jedd Johnson said: Eric, thanks for doing things like this. It's always interesting to see, and it's much appreciated. Wow, Jedd, you are right there every year, bro 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedd Johnson Posted March 11, 2023 Share Posted March 11, 2023 On 3/10/2023 at 3:15 AM, Florian Kellersmann said: Wow, Jedd, you are right there every year, bro I've had some great partners over the years and opportunities to compete at many high level events. Thanks. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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