Orm Stórolfsson, also known as Orm Stórolfsson the Strong ( 920–1005 CE), was an Icelandic viking who gained considerable attention during his lifetime for extraordinary feats of strength. Vormsi island (Swedish: ''Ormsö'' – "Orm's Island") in

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

is possibly named after him.

Ormrinn langi ship mast carry

Orm is documented in one of the Icelandic saga's to have walked three steps with the mast of Ormrinn langi on his shoulders before breaking his back and injuring himself. According to the legend, Orm and Earl of Eiríkur were feasting in Víkin,

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

. On their way, they arrived at a place where a large tree was cut down to craft the mast of a viking longship called the 'Ormrinn langi'. The Earl who wanted to see how many men it would require to carry the mast, ordered 60 men including Orm to go under and hold it on their shoulders. While Orm remained in the centre, all other men were withdrawn until Orm held it all by himself as he walked three steps with it. It is said that he was never the same again after this feat, and spent a few winters with the Earl in Norway before returning back to Stórólfshvól in Iceland.

1,000 year old record

In 2015, the feat which remained unmatched for over 1,000 years, was beaten by fellow Icelander Hafthór Júlíus Björnsson at the World's Strongest Viking competition in Vinstra, Norway. Hafthór carried a long, in circumference (or in diameter) ship mast which weighed for five steps in freezing cold weather and famously yelled ''"History!"'' after being elated with his record breaking performance.
Notes:

References

Orm Storolfsson 11th-century Vikings Orm Storolfsson {{Iceland-weightlifting-bio-stub