News re: Hugo's injury at Mohegan Sun

[Jesse Snadden]

Ok, I just talked to Hugo's wife Nadine

Hugo has damaged one knee and will require surgery. I couldn't talk to her too long as she was preparing to go put on a strongman meet this week-end (She is being very strong). She also sounded really upset and probably didn't want to be emotional on the phone.

It must have been hard last year with a newborn and Hugo in crutches. I wish them the best. Hopefully a speedy recovery. I just hope he doesn't get depressed over this, he still has a lot of life left in this sport.

I'll have more when I get a chance to talk to Hugo, hopefully tonight when he get's back to Quebec.

[Tom Bebb]

I hope he makes a speedy recovery, this was looking to be his year too.

[Brendan Merchant]

Not good, especially when he was in such good shape

[Garrick Daft]

Well Jesse Snadden it looks like you are gonna have to step up and carry on with Hugo's dream of bringing the WSM to Canada. He could teach you his ways. Maybe you and Dominic Filiou can work together to get each other ready.

[Jesse Snadden]

Hugo will bounce back, his body is just flesh and bone, it can be hurt, but you can't kill his spirit.

Dominic is still very young, he needs to learn to promote himself like Hugo to make some money off this sport.

As for me, well i'm hoping to be there soon enough, my recent calf tear is healing up very fast, doing physio 3x a week and I just did my first squat session since the injury last night.

[DaneGarreau]

Thanks for the update Jesse. Hopfully Hugo will be able to bounce back.

[Mike Westerling]

...I felt sick watching Hugo carried away. He seemed unbeatable after the first 2 events. I thought this was going to be his show. Tell him to stop by the forum and say Hi! We would all love to wish him our best.
-Mike

[corey.clark]

Thanks for the update. I wish him a quick and speedy recovery

[Steve Pulcinella]

I can truly sympathize with anyone over 300lbs having to be on crutches...IT F***ing BLOWS!!! I hope Hugo all the best and it's a shame to see the big man go down again.

[Wayne Meyer]

I like everyone on here is sorry to hear someone being seriously injured while competing. As I understand it, Hugo was injured during the Conan's Wheel which leads me to my next point.

Of all the events in Strongman the Conans Wheel I feel is one where a person is more prone to injury than other events (IE: Hyper extending the knee).

I dont want to sound 'knee jerkish' and say lets get rid of the Conans Wheel but its just too bad Hugo sustained an injury such as this.

I wish I knew a way to make the Conan's Wheel a safer event. Seems due to the nature of the event one is prone to hyper extentions of the knee. Any thoughts from competitors out there on this or any orher event with regards to safety.

[Tony Christopher]

The issue I have with Conan's Wheel is that it strikes me as a redundant event.

Between the yoke and the husafelt stone I think you're testing essentially the same elements of strength ... aren't you?

So if those two events are safer (and I believe everything indicates that they are) I think it may be time for Conan's wheel to go the way of the bar bend ... into strongman history.

(p.s. Jesse Snaden ... if you think Hugo will visit this site when he gets out of the hospital, perhaps we should set up an electronic "get well card thread", I'm sure many people would like to sign it.)

[Stephen Calhoun]

I would love it if there was some place to send a get well card to. I would be great to let him know that were praying for him.

[Barry Perkins]

I would love it if there was some place to send a get well card to. I would be great to let him know that were praying for him.

EYE DITTO THAT SENTIMENT...LET HIM KNOW WE ARE THINKIN ABOUT HIM..SO HE KEEPS HIS SPIRITS UP...

[Scott Porter]

The issue I have with Conan's Wheel is that it strikes me as a redundant event.

Between the yoke and the husafelt stone I think you're testing essentially the same elements of strength ... aren't you?

So if those two events are safer (and I believe everything indicates that they are) I think it may be time for Conan's wheel to go the way of the bar bend ... into strongman history.

(p.s. Jesse Snaden ... if you think Hugo will visit this site when he gets out of the hospital, perhaps we should set up an electronic "get well card thread", I'm sure many people would like to sign it.)

I will disagree, although having not done conan's very much, my opinion might not be worth very much.

I think there are plenty of events out there that pose the same if not greater risk of injury as the Conan's Wheel. It's not as if everyone is blowing out there knees on the conans. People tear biceps on tire flip and atlas stones. Torn pecs on log press. The list goes on.

It might be similar to the husafell carry but I think the yoke tests a different strength so it is not entirely redundant. That's like saying the axle press and log press are the same so one should be eliminated.

[Steve Kirit]

Was Hugo's injury on the conans? If so, I can understand why. Really barrel chested guys my lean back to gain an advantage on the conans wheel....think about it, a thnnier long armed guy can carry the bar right up against him, over his hips, where it needs to be. Big chested guys have the bar waaay out this makes it a huge strain on the arms chest and knees...Mark P blew his knees out in wsm '00 on the conans.....not to mention the event has passed more guys out than any...the and im sure the level in BP with the pressure on the thoracic cavity has to be astounding. Although i like the conans wheel personally, I want to see events that test strength and are fun to watch that are safe and fair for everyone competing.

[DaneGarreau]

I kinda like the conans because it is an event that caters to a thinner guy, lol. It kinda keeps the balance.

That being said, I have never felt any kind of knee pain on a conans, but I have the worlds smallest chest as well.

[Andrew Joakim]

They should make the event so that you can only carry the weight one way, something that locks in place every step so that you cant fall back with the weight.

[Sean Lezgus]

I will disagree, although having not done conan's very much, my opinion might not be worth very much.

I think there are plenty of events out there that pose the same if not greater risk of injury as the Conan's Wheel. It's not as if everyone is blowing out there knees on the conans. People tear biceps on tire flip and atlas stones. Torn pecs on log press. The list goes on.

It might be similar to the husafell carry but I think the yoke tests a different strength so it is not entirely redundant. That's like saying the axle press and log press are the same so one should be eliminated.

that may be, but from what i know a damaged knee is more career and lifestyle threatening than torn biceps or pecs. I know people who can't even walk in the morning because of past knee injuries.

[Jesse Snadden]

Well said Steve. The Conan's wheel has injured too many people know ... at some point the athletes health has got to come first.

Thanks for starting the get well thread guys. Hugo is going for surgery today. Let's all send him our positive energies. He's taking this quite hard.

[Jesse Snadden]

It's not as if everyone is blowing out there knees on the conans.

I think it's up to 4 world class athletes. When do you draw the line ? Glenn Ross, Phillippi, Hugo ... Marunde tore his hamstring on it too ... because your turning, the stress does seem disproportionate on the legs as well.

My opinion of course is a little biased now... but it does seem to injure a bit more frequently then other events.

[amy kelly]

youre talking about an event that has multiple forces acting that can be negative on you knees. the bending back by some, the rotation from it being a circle walk, and the weight swinging from being suspended from the pole. they should think about changing the setup or phase it out. a lot of the events mimick old farm duties and old school training lifts in some way, and the conans is supposed to be like the stone grain grinders. but, grain millers didnt have to hold up the poles as they turned, they just pushed to turn the gears. strongman fans are not like nascar ones, i dont know anyone who comes to see if there will be an injury and this event has a lot of potential for it.

[Scott Porter]

I think it's up to 4 world class athletes. When do you draw the line ? Glenn Ross, Phillippi, Hugo ... Marunde tore his hamstring on it too ... because your turning, the stress does seem disproportionate on the legs as well.

My opinion of course is a little biased now... but it does seem to injure a bit more frequently then other events.

I was aware of Phillipi, but not Ross. And I remember Marunde "hurting" his hamstring, but I don't remember it as being a full tear. That's way different than a torn ligament in the knee because muscle tears can happen on any event.

Let's think though, I might be wrong here, but the conan's wheel has been around for many years. And only a few have hurt themselves on it correct? Maybe it's just an achilles heel for some people. Possibly just the injuries tend to be more devastating since they are torn ligaments that take a year to recover whereas a muscle can heal faster, and often w/out surgery.

I really hope I am right as I just bought an awesome conan's wheel unit! :D