The True North True Strength 2026 Open took place Saturday, September 19 at RT Health Company in beautiful Elora, Ontario, Canada, and was an absolute blast this past weekend! Our 23 athletes brought the heat and set a massive 51 OTSO World Records, with 46 of those records set by Canadians and 5 set by Americans.
The women’s field was packed with fierce competitors, many of whom just competed a month ago at the all-women’s Shieldmaiden Showdown in Lindsay, Ontario. They showed up ready to lift heavy and proved it on the platform! The men in the lighter and medium weight classes also put on a great show, battling it out with super close weights and pushing each other to the absolute limit.
Main Competition Overall Winners
A huge shoutout to our overall division winners! In the Women’s RAW division, Salina Valitutti took first place, followed by Lily Copp in second and Rebecca Innes in third. For the Men’s RAW division, Dano Trenholm-Woodland snagged the top spot, with Adam Balch and Steve Warren taking second and third. In the Women’s Equipped division, Brittany Smith-Kelso came in first, and Sue Holopainen took second. Finally, in the Men’s Equipped division, Ashley Stearns won first place, with William Burbank and Matt Black placing second and third.
Overall Women’s Winners
Overall Women’s RAW: Salina Valitutti (left) and Overall Women’s EQUIPPED: Brittany Smith-Kelso (right)
Overall Men’s Winners
Overall Men’s RAW: Dano Trenholm-Woodland (left) and Overall Men’s EQUIPPED: Ashley Stearns (right)
Main Competition Results
OTSO World Records
Heaviest Lift in OTSO History
We saw some mind-blowing heavy lifts, too. After years of hard work and improving year after year, Ashley Stearns of Albany, Kentucky, USA, finally got his chance and secured his first-ever 800+ pound Donald Dinnie Deadlift, locking out an unbelievable 855 lbs!
Viral Video
And we have to talk about 80-year-old Alix McGregor! Alix set records with a 132 lb Trap Bar Deadlift and a 25 lb Standing EZ Curl. A video of her trap bar deadlift went completely viral online, inspiring people of all ages. Note: The video below is the same lift just from a different source than the one posted to online social media. As of September 24, her amazing lift has over 22.5K likes and 900 shares across Instagram and Facebook!
Thunderous Atmosphere
The energy in the room was off the charts, thanks in huge part to our meet announcer and emcee, Clint Poore. His super colorful commentary and endless enthusiasm kept the crowd and athletes totally fired up all day long. The whole building was full of cheering, high-fives, fist bumps, hugs, and smiles. Every single athlete got huge support when they stepped off the platform, whether they nailed a good lift or missed an attempt.
This event was a true “Celebration of Champions.” Getting to the platform is really hard work. Athletes have to fight through injuries, sickness, long travel, daily life challenges, and the tough physical toll that training takes on the body. It takes a lot of guts to overcome fear and doubt and take that leap of faith to compete. Because you made it through all of that, every single athlete is a world-class champion. Whether you set a record, got a personal best, or just showed up and gave it your all, we celebrate your journey! That is exactly what OTSO and the True North True Strength Open is all about.
Sponsor Appreciation
A massive thank you to all 17 of our sponsors who made this awesome event possible: RT Health Company, Bester Bookkeeping, Wolfe, Smith & Forster LLP, You Topia Medical Spa, Ecclestone Financial Group, Co-operators Craig Janzen & Associates Inc., Grand River Physiotherapy, Wightman, Dreamland Pet, Station Earth, Summit Laser & Manufacturing Ltd., Popeye’s Supplements Orangeville, Team Industry Canada, Inner Strength Products, Inclusive Fitness, Nemesis Grips, and IRONHELM Fitness.
Event Photography
A huge thank you to Kelsey Rochelle Photography for capturing the day and the photos displayed here in this article! If you post your photos, please follow and tag her on Instagram: @kelsey.rochelle.photography.
Lift Heavy. Break Records. Have FUN!
Chris Frappier