Joonas Kuivalainen is participating in the World’s Strongest Soldier event. The almost two-meter tall hunk is aiming for a medal in the competition.

Joonas Kuivalainen, a father of two living in Salo, heard about the new World’s Strongest Soldier competition earlier this year. The man was invited to the event’s qualifiers.

“It sounded really interesting,” Kuivalainen says.

The muscular man, who works as a gunner on a missile boat in the Navy, decided to take part in the tests, which had the potential to qualify for the actual competition.

– I went there with my jacket open, Kuivalainen recalls.

The tactics were appropriate, and soon the man will be participating in the World’s Strongest Soldier competition held in Finland.

World’s Strongest Soldier

Versatility

The competition, designed by strongman legend Markku Suonenvirta, requires soldiers to demonstrate a variety of strength, speed, and endurance.

“I am so versatile that I believe I can adapt to different situations and keep up a good pace until the end,” says Kuivalainen.

The competitors don’t yet have precise information about the disciplines, but they require military skills. They will have various shootings, evacuation missions and a military training course.

– Sea mines are pushed and heavy military equipment is pulled with a rope. They say they make a crucifix with silk mines. There would have been 5–6 types, Kuivalainen says.

The games will kick off in August in Mikkeli. The majority of the events will be held in the Defence Forces area, where the aim is to create as authentic a combat environment as possible.

“I want a medal”

Elite soldiers from about ten different countries are coming to the competition. There are super soldiers from at least the USA, Britain, Germany, Sweden, Italy and Lithuania.

The United States representative will likely come from the legendary Navy Seals.

– I claim that I can give them a hard time and even be tougher in some cases. There are a lot of super soldiers out there, but they can all be defeated, Kuivalainen thinks.

Joonas Kuivalainen

Born: 1990

Length: 199 cm

Weight: 109-125 kg

Hometown: Salo

Profession: Gunner on a naval missile boat

Family: Wife and two children (ages 8 and 13)

Records:

Bench press: 170 kg

Squat: 230 kg

Deadlift: 3 x 250 kg

Cooper: 3,370 meters

Repetitive chin-ups: 53 chins (world record in the over 110 kg category)

What is your goal for the race?

– Yes, I want to get a medal from there.

Kuivalainen trains 7–9 times a week. When she was younger, she did gymnastics and competitive swimming, which she stopped doing when she was 22. So her soles are in good shape.

Today, Kuivalainen competes in chin-up, lifesaving, sea pentathlon and indoor rowing, in which he has won a couple of world championships.

“More power”

A soldier’s job is no joke. Kuivalainen believes that competition in a good spirit is still very suitable for soldiers.

– It can be shown that chess is pretty tough here in Finland too.

Kuivalainen’s job is normally to monitor Finland’s territorial integrity at sea. In addition, the job description includes shooting exercises, going through various scenarios, and cooperating with other countries.

– In my work, situations and circumstances change quite a bit all the time. I believe that this is also helpful in competitions, when you don’t really know what to expect.

In his actual job, he doesn’t need to be in perfect condition, but for example, he has to complete a smoke diving license once a year.

– And for surface rescue work, you need to be a little better in shape, but I train more for my own pleasure. I need to gain even more strength for the competition.

TV show

The World’s Strongest Soldier competition will be made into a TV show.

– The program’s presentation language in Finland is Finnish, but we are also making an English version because we hope to have the program broadcast elsewhere, says producer-screenwriter Jupe Tuomola.

According to the man, the intention is to make a program that meets international standards, which will later become a full series. After this, the entire format is intended to be sold to the world.

– The production will be exceptionally large on a Finnish scale, and therefore the goal is international TV distribution with next year’s production at the latest.

The Finnish Defence Forces are involved in supporting the competition and TV production. The majority of the competition will also take place in the Defence Forces area, but if the programme is broadcast abroad, the competition may also be filmed outside Finland in the future.

The program, which will be filmed in Mikkeli in August, will be hosted by actor Antti Reini.