Congratulations to the Ed Zercher Memorial Strength Classic Lifters. All of the lifters put up some really good numbers whether they completed 1 lift or all 13 lifts. While Jeff Wenzel did have the highest absolute total (6972 pounds), I calculated Nick Frieders having the better total by age adjusted Lynch (6175 vs 5653 pounds) and the fewest point by reverse strongman scoring (20 vs 26 points).
The reverse strongman storing gets interesting since not all lifters completed all of the lifts. I choose to have everybody who did not perform the lift tie. In the case of the harness lift, 3 of the 8 men did not complete the lift and therefore 6th, 7th and 8th would tie and all get 7 points. 1st through 3rd were the same as the top 3 men by age adjusted Lynch also that the fewest point by reverse strongman. Nick Frieders had 8 1st place lifts and Nick’s “worst” lift was the Neck Lift which Dave DeForest dominated with a 350 pound lift.
I love to see meet directors continue to test different scoring systems, especially when the Harness Lift (1st=1502, 3rd=1150 pounds; difference 352 pounds) are tested on the same platform as the Clean & Press, Heels Together (1st=180 pounds, 3rd=125 pounds). Another idea would be % of max. If first place had a 1000 age adjusted lynch they would get 100 points for that lift, if second place had a 900 age adjusted lynch they would get 90 points.
However Bill did state that there was more “pressure put on the scorer” which is already a tough job.