THREE of Tasmania's strongest men will go up against some of the most formidable competitors Europe has to offer at the world powerlifting championships in Latvia starting on Monday.

Hobart powerlifter Wayne Howlett and father-and-son lifters Adrian Tullo and his son Josef are the best in the business in Australia.

All three hope they have the power to put them in the hunt for medals when they take on the world's best.

"We've been training for it all year, we qualified for it in August, and now we can't wait to get over there," Howlett said yesterday.

"We all hold every Australian record in our weight divisions in our country, and hopefully that will be good enough to medal.

"We're really close to a lot of the world records, so it should be interesting."

Adrian, who tips the scales at a commanding 160kg, will lift in the super heavyweight division (over 140kg), while Howlett, who weighs 125kg, will lift in the heavyweight division (under 140kg).

Josef, one of Australia's most promising junior lifters, will compete in the teenage under-90kg division.

"We'll be up against competitors from Ukraine, Russia, Latvia, Belarus, Sweden, Finland, all the European countries that have dominated the sport for ever," Howlett said. "It's a bit daunting, but we're just going to take it and run with it because it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be up against the best in the world."

The Tasmanian trio arrives in Latvia on Sunday and will contest the world benchpress championships on Monday.

Three days later they will compete in the world powerlifting championships, which consists of the squat, bench-press and deadlift.

"It's a massive schedule and we're a bit nervous, but we're ready," Howlett said.