3rd Annual Clearwater Classic

What a day on America’s #1 rated beach! Clearwater Classic 3: Baddest on the Beach brought together an incredible field of athletes for a full day of strength, grit, and community right on the sand — and this year, we kicked things up a notch with live pro wrestling action alongside the strongman competition.

From the press medley to the dune buggy deadlift, every stage was packed with athletes pushing their limits in front of a crowd that showed up and showed out — and we were proud to debut Florida’s first Pro Division in three years, giving our top competitors a shot at cash prizes and a path to a USS Pro Card.

A huge thank you to everyone who competed, whether you were chasing a podium spot, a Nationals qualifier, or your own personal best — you’re what makes this event special.

A few highlights from the day:

• TAP Wrestling (Top Aggressive Pro) hit Pier 60 Park with five action-packed matches, including tag team battles and a women’s showdown, all free for spectators to enjoy alongside the strongman action
• Florida’s first Pro Division in 3 years hit the sand, with Men’s and Women’s Open Pro classes competing for cash prizes and a shot at Nationals qualification
• Athletes across 30 divisions and weight classes — including our first-ever Teen and Masters 60+ categories — battled it out for medals, trophies, and top-3 podium finishes
• Podium finishers punched their tickets to Nationals, with 1st place Novice athletes also qualifying
• New events debuted this year, including the Dune Buggy Deadlift, Wheel of Pain, and the Pro-only Hercules Hold
• Every competitor walked away with a comp shirt and swag bag from check-in at UFC GYM Largo
• Our VIP section came out strong, cheering on athletes from the front row all day long
• 85 athletes competed, making this our biggest field yet

We also want to extend a massive thank you to our incredible and growing list of sponsors — including United States Strongman, I’ll Pump You Up, MaceFit, Shield of Strength Nutrition, the City of Clearwater, and UFC GYM Largo — along with TAP Wrestling, our volunteers, judges, and the Dutch American Strength LLC team for making this event possible. None of this happens without you.

Congratulations to all of our podium finishers and to every single athlete who stepped up to compete. We’ll be posting full results and photos soon, so keep an eye on our Iron Podium event page and social channels.

Until next time, Clearwater — thanks for being the Baddest on the Beach.

Photos coming soon!