What's On

Strongman competition returns to Manchester’s AO Arena

The competition returns to the venue for the first time in nearly two years as part of the Giants Live World's Strongest Man Qualifying Tour.

The Manc The Manc - 30th July 2021

‘Giants Live’ is set to mark the grand reopening of the AO Arena next month as the Strongman World Open & World Deadlift Championships are hosted in Manchester on August 14.

The competition returns to the venue for the first time in nearly two years as part of the World’s Strongest Man Qualifying Tour.

The first show took place at the Royal Albert Hall earlier this month – where the Max Axle Press world record was sensationally broken by Burkina Faso’s Iron Biby with an extraordinary 217kg lift.

The first Strongman event at the hall in 120 years, dubbed The Strongman Classic, was won by 2020 World’s Strongest Man Oleksii Novikov from the Ukraine. America’s Evan Singleton came close behind in second with Biby in third.

The focus now shifts to Manchester for the World Deadlift Championships – which will feature as Event 1 of The World Open.

ADVERTISEMENT

$50,000 is being offered to any man who can lift 505kg and set a new Deadlift world record.

The current record is now with former Game of Thrones star and 2018 World’s Strongest Man Hafthor Björnsson, who lifted 501kg in his Iceland gym in May 2020.

ADVERTISEMENT

Many of the world’s leading deadlifters are aiming to break the record alongside seasoned Strongman competitors. 

Following the deadlift event, the competition moves to Viking Press, Medley, Hammer Hold and the Atlas Stones competitions – with the eventual winner of the Giants Live World Open receiving an invite to The World’s Strongest Man 2022. 

Tickets for The World Open & World Deadlift Championships are on sale now via the AO Arena Manchester box office and Ticketmaster.co.uk. 

The AO Arena will be operating under the most up to date Government guidance and legislation in place supported by ASM Global’s environmental hygiene protocol VenueShield. For full details on visiting the AO Arena, please visit their website.

What's On

Viral sportswear brand Gymshark is holding a huge free fitness event in Manchester this weekend

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

Some of the biggest names in the fitness community are coming together for a huge Gymshark event at Manchester Central this weekend.

The fitness brand’s previous Lift events have had queues stretching down the street as thousands flock to see figures from the worlds of lifting, fitness and bodybuilding.

Gymshark’s first post-pandemic Lift event is taking place right here in Manchester, featuring a programme of athlete seminars, meet and greets, competitions, challenges, and prizes – and it’s free.

It promises to be their biggest event yet, with the huge events space split into four zones.

There’ll also be a pop-up shop selling the brand’s activewear range, loved by fitness influencers across the globe.

A previous Gymshark event with Whitney Simmons. Credit: Supplied
Gymshark Lift in Manchester in a previous year. Credit: Supplied

Famous faces appearing at Lift this weekend will include Whitney Simmons, whose hilariously honest and educational fitness content has pulled in 3.5m Instagram followers (plus another 2.1m on YouTube and 1.4m on TikTok).

Also taking part are Gymshark’s creative director of lifting David Laid, Instagram star Libby Christensen, and power lifter Jamal Browner.

More than 10,000 tickets have already been sold for Lift at Manchester Central.

Gymshark itself was founded by Ben Francis in his garage in 2012. He used YouTube tutorials – and a little help from his grandmother – to learn to sew.

Now, there are more than 18 million Gymshark customers across 180 countries, and it’s achieved ‘unicorn’ status after being valued at more than £1bn.

The brand turned over around £500m in its last financial year and employs around 800 people worldwide.

You can book your spot at Gymshark’s Lift event at Manchester Central, taking place on 1 and 2 April, here.

To see the full programme and what’s on, visit central.gymshark.com/article/liftmanchester-gymshark-manchester.

Read more

Featured image: Supplied

What's On

Eurovision 2023 grand final to be screened live in cinemas across the UK

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

The grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest is to be screened live in cinemas across the UK for the first time ever.

With fans from across the globe set to descend on Liverpool in a couple of months time as the UK hosts the 2023 edition of the world’s biggest song competition on behalf of last year’s winners Ukraine, those who weren’t lucky enough to secure tickets will instead by able to head to their nearest cinema to experience the action on the big screen.

Distributor CinemaLive has announced it will be broadcasting the Eurovision grand final show live in cinemas nationwide for the first time ever.

It means that Eurovision fans up and down the country who missed out on grabbing tickets to the final – which sold out in under 40 minutes after going on sale earlier this month – will be able to come together to celebrate what is set to be the “biggest, brightest, boldest music party of the year”.

Eurovision 2023 grand final to be screened live in cinemas across the UK / Credit: Krists Luhaers (via Unsplash)

500 cinemas across the UK, including several here in Greater Manchester, will be screening the grand final on Saturday 13 May.

Vue, Odeon, Cineworld, and Everyman are just some of the cinema chains taking part.

Vue Manchester Printworks, Odeon Great Northern, and Everyman Manchester are the Manchester city centre venues lined-up to screen the event – with cinemas in the The Lowry Outlet Mall, Trafford Centre, Didsbury, Heaton Moor, Ashton-under-Lyne, Bolton, and more also set to welcome Eurovision fans through their doors.

Event organisers say the screenings will encourage singalongs and fancy dress.

“We’re delighted to be working with the BBC to bring Eurovision’s grand final live into cinemas across the UK for the first time ever,” said John Travers from CinemaLive. 

“We want audiences to enjoy themselves, so get your fancy dress on, and come together to enjoy this historic occasion on the big screen.”

Read more:

You cind out more and grab tickets to watch the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest grand final screened live in a cinema near you here.

Featured Image – Eurovision

More What's On

Davis Cup Manchester AO Arena 2023

Sport

The 2023 Davis Cup is coming to Manchester’s AO Arena this September

Boroughs

The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 27 March – 2 April 2023

Cheshire

There’s a big 3D animal egg hunt happening at Chester Zoo this Easter

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches