IAWA(UK) Goerner Club

By Al Myers

Past IAWA President Steve Gardner hoisting up a big Middle Finger Deadlift at the 2000 IAWA Gold Cup!

Past IAWA President Steve Gardner hoisting up a big Middle Finger Deadlift at the 2000 IAWA Gold Cup!

It’s only appropriate that I do a followup on the Goerner Club and the IAWA(UK) as there have been many great Middle Finger Deadlifters in the IAWA(UK) as well as the USAWA.  Finger lifting has always been very popular in England and Scotland.  At every IAWA Gold Cup someone from the IAWA(UK) does some sort of finger lift.  I’ve mentioned that the USAWA has 17 different finger lifts but the IAWA(UK) Rulebook has 22 different lifts done with the fingers! Overall the IAWA(UK) has many less official lifts than the USAWA but not when it comes to the fingers!

So how many IAWA(UK) lifters are there in the Goerner Club?  Does the number exceed the USAWA? Well, I did some checking into this. I recieved help from the finger specialist himself, Steve Gardner, to make this list.  I hope it’s complete, but if anyone is left off the list please let me know and I’ll give you the recognition you deserve.

IAWA(UK) Goerner Club

1. David Horne, England 402.2 Pounds, June 29, 1994
2. Steve Gardner, England 352.5 Pounds, Feb 8, 1992
3. Andy Tomlin, Scotland 352.5 Pounds, Nov 3, 2012
4. John Gardner, England 330.5 Pounds, May 12, 2007
5. M. Street, England 330.5 Pounds, Jan 13, 1994
6. Steve Sherwood, England 330.5 Pounds, Feb. 8th, 1992

That’s SIX LIFTERS. It looks like the USAWA has some catching up to do!!!  But amongst the Goerner Club members who are from the USAWA and the IAWA(UK) the BEST ALL TIME  Middle Fingers Deadlifter is not included.  If anyone knows the answer to this please let it  be known in the Discussion Forum. Anyone who has been involved at all in the last few years should know who it is as it’s pretty obvious.  I plan to do a feature on this lifter in the near future because he is WITHOUT A DOUBT the best finger lifter in IAWA history.