USAWA

By Bill Clark

The team match between Clark’s Gym and Frank’s Gym (in Massachusetts) went from a seven-man match to a match between four men and a woman. Clark’s Gym was the easy winner – 11,892.64 points to 7,893.59 pts.

The top six lifters were from Clark’s Gym and it was a close battle that went to the final lift of the day before John Carter beat Travis Luther for the overall title.

It came down to the final hip lift. With both lined up to attempt 1,905, an age group record for Carter (age 63), Travis had already broken the 80-kg, record of 1655 set at the Nationals in Columbia in 1995 by Cleveland’s Bob Hirsh. Travis sent the mark bye-bye with his 1815. The record was 27 years old.

As they headed into the final hip lift, Carter had exactly a three-point lead over Luther – 2,744 to 2,741. Rather than take something lighter than the 1,905 Carter chose, Travis decided to go head-to-head. He rolled it, but couldn’t hold it.

Carter did his usual psych job on himself and roared at the bar – and it came up.

The record list took a beating as 48 marks fell during the record day following the competition – 25 of them in Massachusetts and 23 in Columbia.

Take a good look at the standings. Hard to believe that Randy Smith wound up sixth and Abe Smith was fourth, losing to Carter, Luther and Dave Hahn, who slipped into third place as he slid into the 85-89 age group and did a record 820 hip lift in the 65 kg, class.

Janet Thompson, who had served on a televised panel concerning women in politics only four days earlier, found time between horse shows to add 10 records to her ever-growing list – which will soon get expanded as she will move into the 65-69 age group. Janet is also a leader in the horse show industry and is serving her third term as a county commissioner. She’s one of a kind.

Ol’ Clark actually did a few records as he lifted for the last time in the 85-89 age group. He kept his distance and stayed masked as Tony Lupo and Dave DeForest loaded his weights and judged from a distance. I had tested positive for covid-19 a week earlier. We were the only three in the special session. I tested negative two days later. Now it is on to the 90-94 age group. One last personal note: Covid had reduced my bodyweight to the 90-kg. class for the first time since I went through  basic training in the heat at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, in the summer of 1951.

The day was a throwback to the sessions that brought many of the USAWA leaders from the past to Columbia and training sessions in the gym with Carter, Garcia, Abe, Steve Schmidt, Art Montini, Dale Friesz, Tom Ryan, James Foster, Howard Prechtel and Noi Phumchaona, Kerry and Casey Clark, Amorkor Ollennuking, John Vernacchio, all three Zerchers, and a guy named Dale Spry, who had every chance to match Carter and Garcia in the chain lifts had he stayed with the game.

We missed the Nova Scotia gang, who would have really spiced up this competition. We hope they will lift in absentia at the 90^th Birthday Party Bash later this month and send along their results.

As I struggled with five pounds in the one-hand swing earlier this week, I took solace in the fact that I am probably the only USAWA member – or lifter in an organization – who was competing as a positive for covid and had 11 total joint replacements at age 89. If you know of another, I challenge him or her. At least for now, covid is not a requirement for the match – just 11 total joint replacements for openers. I tested negative on August 4.

Officials (The 3 official system was used for both clubs):

Clark’s Championship Gym: Bill Clark, Dave Deforest, Abe Smith, Tony Lupo (Tony is an official in training)

Frank’s Barbell Club:  Frank Ciavattone, Mark Raymond, Chris Lestan

Bodyweight is in kilos.  All lifts and total are in pounds.

Lifts marked with an asterisk (*) are national records.  Lifters marked with a pound sign (#) lifted with no official, so are not eligible for records.

Team scores were determined by taking the top four male lifters and one female lifter from each team.

Name		age	age group	weight	weight class	neck lift	hip lift	Deadlift, Civiattone grip, 1 hand	Swing, dumbbell	vertical bar, 2 bars, 1 inch1-inch	total	adj. points
John  Carter	Male	63	60	98.4	100	245	1905*	205L*	70R	365*	2790	2856.23
Travis Luther	Male	29	Open	76.5	80	245	1815*	185R	85L	445*	2775	2741.12
#Dave Hahn	Male	85	85	64	65	270	820	140R	25L	200	1455	2640.65
Abe Smith	Male	40	40	83.7	85	375	1505	235R*	130L*	430*	2580	2439.63
Dave DeForest	Male	62	60	85	85	300	1300	170R	65L*	285*	2115	2412.59
#Randy Smith	Male	67	65	98.5	100	311	1281	150R	89L	278	2109	2397.43
Tony Lupo	Male	56	55	107.5	110	245	1000	170R	75L*	255*	1735	1655.04
Bill Clark	Male	89	85	88.9	90	0	495*	125R*	5L*	165*	790	1242.36
Janet Thompson	Female	64	60	73	75	120*	445*	105R*	30L*	184*	884	1125.01
Team total .												11,892.64
Frank’s Gym team
Mike Marchand	Male	16	16	79.5	80	252	1003*	132L*	80R*	240*	1677	1777.65
Frank Ciavattone	Male	67	65	125	125	350*	1250*	230L*	45R*	320*	2185	1767.68
Mark Raymond	Male	59	55	103.5	105	160	1003	200L*	65R*	240*	1608	1613.98
Wade Marchand	Male	53	50	73	75	252	500	145L	50R	240*	1188	1377.61
Jessica Hopps (F)	Female	38	Open	94.5	95	252*	901*	116L	45R*	240*	1553	1356.55
Team total												7893.57

Record lifts outside the competition:

Bill Clark , age 89, bwt 88.9

vertical bar – 1 bar- 1 inch -Left 82.5

vertical bar – 1 bar – 1 inch – Right 82.5

Vertical bars – 2 bars- 2 inch – 115

Vertical bar – 1 bar – 2 inch – right  – 71.0

Vertical bar – 1 bar- 2 inch – left – 71.0

TONY LUPO – 56. bwt 107.5

Vertcak bar – 2 bars- 2 inch – 241.

Thor’s hammer  – 30.0 lbs.

ABE SMITH – age 40.  Bwt – 83.7-

Bent press – dumbbell -left – 115.

Bent press – dumbbell -right – 115.

Squat, front – 340.

clean and jerk – one arm – 145 Left

Clean and seated press – 215.

DAVE DeFOREST   Age 62.   Bwt 85. kg.

Curl, cheat – 2 dumbbells – 2×55.

Vertical Bar -1 Bar- 1 inch- Left 182

Dumbbell to shoulder – 132

Press – From Rack-behind neck – 105.

Seated Press behind neck – 95.

JANET THOMPSON Age 64, bwt 73 kg

Harness lift – 525.

Deadlift – 3 inch bar  – 100.

Vertical bar – 1 bar-1 inch – Left – 82.

Veretical bar – 1 bar-1 inch  – right – 82.

Vertical bar -1 bar  2-inch – left – 78.

JESSICA HOPPS.  Age 38. Bwt 94.5 kg

Rim lift – 155

Clean – continental – 96.

Dead lift -no thumbs- 185

Vertical bar – 1 bar- 1 inch – left -125

Vertical bar – 1 bar-1 inch – right – 125

MICHAEL MARCHAND.  Age – 16.  Bwt – 79.5

Rim lift – 215

Deadlift – no thumb-right – 116

Deadift – no thumb- left – 116.

Vertical bar – 1 bar-1 inch- left – 155.

Vertical bar – 1 bar-1 inch – right – 155.

WADE MARCHAND.  Age 53.  Bwt – 73.0 kg.

Rim lift – 215

Dealift – no thumb – left – 116.

Deadlift – no thumb – right – 116.

Vertical bar-1 bar- 1 inch – left – 145.

Vertcal bar -1 bar- 1 inch – right – 145.

MARK RAYMOND.  Age 59.  Bwt – 103.5.

Rim lift – 215.

Deadlift – no thumb – 235

Vertcal bar – 1 bar- 1 inch – left – 172.

Vertical bar – 1 bar-1 inch – right – 172

Clean and Press-Heels together – 88

FRANK CIAVATTONE.  Age 67.  Bwt – 125 kg.

Rectangular fix – 95.

Weaver strick – left – 6.5 lbs.

Weaver stick – right – 6.5 lbs.

Deadlift – no thumb-  left – 185.

Deadift – no thumb-right – 185.