Category Archives: USAWA Daily News

Team Records updated

By Eric Todd

The title pretty much sums it up.  Scottish Johnny updated the team records, and they are now posted current as of today.  I have not paid them much mind thus far, as I have never done anything with the team lifts (though I have considered it),  It is a rather lean list to date, but could be fun if you had someone of similar build to try a few with. (Edit-It was not as lean as I thought.  The list as it was updated was not a complete list!  The complete list is now posted).

3 new officials in training!

By Eric Todd

Over the past few months, we have had 3 now “officials in training” pass their officials exam.  Abe Smith, Clint Poore, and Beth Skwarecki have all passed the test, and are now just 3 practical training sessions away from becoming Level 1 officials in the USAWA.  These are all very exciting, but particularly Clint Poore, as he could potentially open up a new territory of exposure for the USAWA.  Good job guys; I looks forward to seeing your contribution to the USAWA officials program!

3rd Quarter Postal Meet

By Denny Habecker

MEET RESULTS:

USAWA 3rd QUARTER POSTAL MEET 

We had great participation again this quarter, with 16 men and 7 women  competing in this postal. Abe Smith led the men’s division and Sylvia Stockall won the women’s division. USAWA records are marked with an *.

MEET RESULTS:

July 1 through September 30, 2021

Lifts – Push Press from Racks, Clean & Jerk, DB, One Arm,  Deadlift- Stiff Legged

MEN:

Abe Smith           – 40 –    176 Lbs. –  265*    – 135- R*  – 280  – 680  –  661.17

Randy Smith       – 66  –   198 Lbs.  – 135      – 90 – R     – 305  – 530  –  604.91

Anthony Hose     – 52  –   230 Lbs.  – 215*    – 110- L*   – 310  – 635   – 594.49

Dave DeForest     -61  –   193 Lbs.  – 140*    – 65 – L*   – 330* – 535   – 588.73

Nick Frieders      – 20  –   152 Lbs.  – 120      – 90- R     – 305   – 515   – 543.84

Eric Todd           – 46  – 262.4 Lbs.  – 250     – 115- R*  – 283   – 648   – 537.08

John Carter         – 62  –   218 Lbs.  – 120*   – 60 – R     – 320* – 500   – 524.41

Dave Hahn          – 84   –  141 Lbs.   – 70      – 40 – R     – 210   – 320   – 515.64

Barry Pensyl       – 73    – 144 Lbs.   – 94*     – 39 – R*   – 204* – 337   – 495.42

Tony Lupo           – 55   –  230 Lbs.   – 130*  – 80 – R*    – 305* – 515   – 494.94

Denny Habecker – 79     – 187 Lbs.   – 99      – 45- R      – 220   – 364   – 473.26

Chris Todd          – 42    – 265 Lbs.   – 165    – 80 – R*    – 255*  – 500  – 396.91

Aidan Habecker  – 18    – 203 Lbs.   – 121*  – 70 – R*     – 220    – 411  – 375.97

Everett Todd      –  8     – 65  Lbs.    – 30      – 15 – R      –  65*   – 110   – 351.45

Lance Foster      – 55   – 335 Lbs.    – 125*   – 50 – R*    – 250*  – 425   – 340.07

Bill Clark          –  89  – 202.5 Lbs   – 22*     – 20 – R*     – 150*  – 192   – 255.48

WOMEN:

Sylvia Stockall          – 63     – 150 Lbs.   – 105    – 50 – R    – 250    – 405    – 534.94

Elizabeth Skwarecki  – 40     – 150 Lbs.    – 117    – 61 – R   – 198    – 376    – 404.52

R.J. Jackson            – 59   – 104.6 Lbs.    – 86     – 41 – R    – 66      – 193    – 325.51

Lynda Burns           – 46    –  164 Lbs.     – 95      – 45 – L    – 145    – 285    – 309.37

Stacy Todd            – 38     –  187 Lbs.     – 80*    – 50 – R*  – 173*   – 303   – 281.39

Phoebe Todd         – 11     –   121 Lbs.    – 52.5*  – 27.5-R*  – 85*   –  165   – 273.17

Janet Thompson    – 64     – 165 Lbs.      – 37*    – 30 – L*    – 100*  – 167   – 209.10

Lifters with Certified Officials:

Everett Todd      – Lance Foster, Chris Todd, Eric Todd
Stacy Todd        – Lance Foster, Chris Todd, Eric Todd
Anthony Hose    – Abe Smith, Bill Clark
Dave DeForest    – Abe Smith, Bill Clark
Eric Todd            – Lance Foster, Chris Todd
Tony Lupo          – Abe Smith, Bill Clark
Chris Todd          – Lance Foster, Eric Todd
Lance Foster       – Eric Todd, Chris Todd
Bill Clark            – Abe Smith, Dave DeForest
Phoebe Todd      – Eric Todd, Chris Todd
Janet Thompson – Abe Smith, Bill Clark
Abe Smith          – Bill Clark
Nick Frieders     –  Bill Clark
John Carter       – Bill Clark
Aidan Habecker – Denny Habecker
Barry Pensyl     – Denny Habecker

Lifters with Non-Certified Officials:

Randy Smith
Dave Hahn
Denny Habecker
Sylvia Stockall
Elizabeth Skwarecki
R.J. Jackson
Lynda Burns

World Championships

By Al Myers

2021 IAWA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Group picture of lifters attending the 2021 IAWA World Championships

Group picture of lifters attending the 2021 IAWA World Championships

The number of lifters for Worlds were small this year – but the lifting was big!

It was a difficult year for Worlds this year due to COVID and the lack of lifters being able to travel, but the SHOW went forth.  Many thanks to Denny and Judy for making that happen.  I’m really glad for this even though it was not really possible for overseas lifters to attend to make it a true international competition, its better having it than not having it.  I would hate to see Worlds cancelled two years in a row as the World Championships and the Gold Cup are the two big events for IAWA and are what defines IAWA.

Now onto the lifting!  Beth may have been the only women entered, but she put up great lifts in every event and would have been tough to beat by anyone.  She’s super technical on the lifts with great form.  Truly worthy of being the overall woman’s lifter.

Randy Smith performing an one arm deadlift at the 2021 IAWA World Championships.

Randy Smith performing an one arm deadlift at the 2021 IAWA World Championships.

Randy Smith was the Overall Men’s Lifter.  Randy has been involved with the USAWA and IAWA for 20 years now, and I swear he lifts and looks the same now as when he started! I’m not just saying this because he always brings me beer when we get together either.  He was followed closely by Denny in total points.  Denny had a great day of lifting which is hard to do when you are the promoter and focusing on putting on a good event.  Third place overall was fellow Habecker’s Gym member Barry Pensyl.  Barry has been lifting in the all rounds for many years, as well as Dave DeForest who made the long trip from Columbia, MO.  It’s pretty rare now to be around lifters in this sport who have been doing it longer than me, but both of these guys got me beat on that having done their first meets in the early 90’s. Young Aidan Habecker had a great day of lifting as well.  I have really enjoyed watching him mature into a qood all rounder thru these past few years.  Also – got to really thank Terry and Lou for doing all the loading.  These guys were loading so fast I about told them to slow down a bit so we could “stretch” the meet out a little longer!

I can’t say enough about Judy and all she does for our sport.  She made us a great lunch, did all the scorekeeping, and then made us a big banquet meal!!!  I know Denny gets lots of  “pats on the back” for all he does as meet director and as our USAWA President (which is well deserved), but without Judy I would worry that he might drop the gavel!

To summarize – another outstanding World Championships which I was glad to be part of.

Meet Results:

2021 IAWA World Championships
October 2nd, 2021
Habecker’s Gym
Lebanon, PA, USA

Meet Director: Denny Habecker

Meet Announcer: Al Myers

Meet Scorekeeper: Judy Habecker

Meet Officials (3-Official System Used): Denny Habecker, Barry Pensyl, Dave DeForest, Randy Smith, Al Myers

Meet Loaders: Terry Barlet and Lou Tortorelli

Meet Caterer: Judy Habecker

Meet Photographer: Lou Tortorelli

Lifts: Clean and Press, Snatch – One Arm, Bent Over Row, Deadlift – One Arm, Curl – Cheat, Pullover and Push, 2″ x 2 bar Vertical Bar Deadlift

WOMEN

LIFTER AGE BWT C&P Sn1 Row DL1 CC P&P VB TOT PTS
Beth Skwarecki 40 68.3 42.5 30.0L 47.5 90.0L 50.0 77.5 90.0 427.7 459.1

EXTRA ATTEMPTS FOR RECORD

Beth 2×2″VB 100.5

MEN

LIFTER AGE BWT C&P Sn1 Row DL1 CC P&P VB TOT PTS
Randy Smith 67 89.0 52.5 37.5L 85.0 120.0R 65.0 87.5 145.0 592.5 695.8
Denny Habecker 79 84.3 42.5 22.5R 80.0 95.0R 45.0 77.5 100.0 462.5 663.7
Barry Pensyl 73 64.3 35.0 22.5L 65.0 80.0R 40.0 60.0 75.0 377.5 593.1
Dave DeForest 61 88.8 57.5 37.5R 85.0 102.5R 65.0 85.0 102.5 535.0 590.3
Aidan Habecker  18 91.3 45.0 35.0R 65.0 110.0R 55.0 80.0 145.0 535.0 490.7
Al Myers  55 103.7  —  —  —  —  —  — 145.0 145.0  —-

EXTRA ATTEMPTS FOR RECORD

Randy 2×2″VB 150
Denny 2×2″VB 105
Aidan 2×2″VB 150

Notes: All lifts were recorded in pounds.  BWT is bodyweight in kilograms.  R and L designate right and left arms.  TOT is total kilograms lifted.  PTS are overall adjusted points corrected for age and bodyweight.

 

Clint Poore’s Old Time Strongman Experience

By Clint Poore

Clint Poor breaks the ALL-TIME Hackenschmidt Floor Press once held by Dan Wagman.

Clint Poor breaks the ALL-TIME Hackenschmidt Floor Press once held by Dan Wagman.

In football there is a saying, “On Any Given Sunday, any team can beat any other team”.

September 11, 2021 was one of those kind of days, I attended the 2021 Old Time Strongman National Championships in Turney, Missouri competing against strongman National and World Champions from across the nation. The heavy favorite was meet director Eric Todd, 2-time Old Time Strongman Champion, but unfortunately he injured his hamstring on the second lift. The lifts that were contested were the Cyr Dumbbell Press, Habecker lift, Hackenschmidt Floor Press & the Kennedy Deadlift. I had not thought about the overall title, because my goal was to set the All-Time Record in the Hackenschmidt Floor Press, but sometimes destiny has other plans.

The meet began with the Cyr Dumbbell Press. I have struggled pressing dumbbell’s overhead since my rotator cuff & bicep surgery in 2017, but the Cyr dumbbell press went well this day and I managed to press 104 lbs. This was good enough for a second place tie in the discipline.

Next was the Habecker lift, which is a Zercher lift from 1/3 your body height. I did exceptionally well in the Habecker, setting 2 National Records with a lift of 325 lbs. I was very pleased to do so well in the is lift and set records in the overall and my age group of 45-49. To my surprise I had achieved the heaviest Habecker lift of the day and first place in the discipline.

Clint's Habecker lift

Clint’s Habecker lift

The third lift was the Hackenschmidt Floor Press, it was the reason I attended the competition, because I wanted to break the All Time Record. I opened up with an easy 410 lbs, then followed with a lift of 440 lbs, and on my final lift I successfully pressed 450 lbs which set the All Time Record for Heaviest lift ever in the Hackenschmidt Floor Press and again, placing first in this discipline. I was extremely pumped and excited to get this record and hope to increase it in the future.

The final lift of the day was the Kennedy Deadlift, a straddle deadlift from 18 inch blocks. By this time I knew I might be in the running for the overall title, but I thought it was still out of reach because a big deadlifter and previous Old Time Strongman World & National Champion, Greg Cook,  had yet to lift. I managed a personal best on the Kennedy lift with 385 lbs and Greg was after me. Greg opened with a 695 lb Kennedy lift and felt something give in his hamstring and decided to call it a day without making a deadlift. I didn’t realize Greg hadn’t got a deadlift in until the awards were announced, when Greg was called out in fifth place overall.  Upon hearing Greg’s finishing place, my eyes lit up as I realized I may have won the overall title. When the meet director announced the final results, I was caught by complete surprise and very thankful to be only the 8th man ever to earn the title of Old Time Strongman National Champion. It was an awesome competition and I performed very well, exceeding my expectations going into the event. Consistency was the key to victory and to rephrase the previous quote, I realized that the saying is true, that “ On Any Given Day Anyone Can Win!”

The Old Time Strongman Championships features lifts performed by famous strongmen of the past like Paul Anderson, Arthur Saxon, Louis Cyr, George Hackenschmidt and others.

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