First woman in the world to lift the "Fullsterkur" stone in Iceland
Screenshot/Instagram
Sandra Bradley, a German power-lifter, became the first woman in the world to lift the massive, 154 kilo/340 lbs. “Fullsterkur” stone on the Snæfellsnes peninsula.
“Stone lifting is such an amazing test of not only strength but also skill! The process of figuring out how to lift heavy, oddly shaped rocks is one that I really enjoy. I can only hope to be able to inspire many more women to go out to find the strongest version of themselves. Be it in nature, the gym or every other part in life. Don’t be afraid of the challenges ahead that at first glance might seem too heavy or insurmountable. Keep trying, don’t be afraid to fail (over and over again if necessary) and you will find the way,” Bradley writes on Instagram.
She was also the first woman in the world to lift the legendary Húsafell stone .
The lifting stones in Dritvík on Djúpalónssandur Beach are the following four:
- Amlóði (hamlet or "weakling" ) at 23 kg (51 lb)
- Hálfdrættingur ("half-carrier") at 54 kg (119 lb)
- Hálfsterkur ("half strength") at 100 kg (220 lb)
- Fullsterkur ("full strength") at 154 kg (340 lb)
“The Mountain” lifted the Fullsterkur stone in 2022
In Dritvík in Djúpalónssandur beach, there are four lifting stones that power-lifters have excavated over the years, although their history is 400 years old. Sailors used to prove their strength by lifting the stones, which weigh from 23 kgs. to 154 kgs.
Björnsson in his role in Games of Thrones as Gregor Clegane, or the Mountain.
Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson aka “the Mountain” raised one of the heaviest stones in 2022 and Morgunblaðið interviewed him afterwards.
“My grandfather was with me and guided me. I couldn’t take a grip on the rock at first but I had to try it a few times. It wasn’t until my grandfather said to me, ‘Hafþór, keep your hand a little further to the right,’ because the stone always leaked from his hand to the side. So I listened to him, of course, a man with years of experience, and finally managed to lift it up,” Björnsson told Morgunblaðið.
