The following is from Gary Bess:
“This October, 25 yr old Wooster, Ohio native, Whitney Lowe was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She is the daughter of Phil and Sandy Kline. I wanted to do something to help the family and after prayerful consideration I contacted my friend, my coach, and personal trainer Andrew Durniat. Together we came up with the idea of dedicating …my next powerlifting competition to Whitney’s fight. We decided it would be a great way to raise funds to help defray medical costs if we could ask people to pledge money for the amount of weight I would lift. I spoke with Whitney’s family and told them what we were planning and here is the amazing part … they do not want to accept the money.
They want it to go to the Viola Startzman Free Clinic in Whitney’s name. Whit had been to other doctors and they had dismissed her concerns. The Startzman Clinic did the exact opposite. They pursued her concerns, got
a biopsy and got the cancer diagnosed. This was crucial, as she is already at stage 3! Whitney and her family want to show the clinic their gratitude by paying it forward and in hopes that her donations will help someone else.
My meet is scheduled for November 20th. I am planning on lifting a total of 1700 + lbs. as a raw lifter. We will take donations by the lb. or lump sum. All donations are tax deductible and checks can be made out to Zion Lutheran. I will be posting the results the evening of the 20th and would ask that all checks be sent to Andrew Durniat by the 27th. My address is 1154 Mindy Lane Apt. A., Wooster, OH 44691 Thanks to Rob Lalonde who has already got donations rolling in!
Lets all stand up together and Fight Like Whitney !”
Gary Bess has been training at Durniat Strength for the last year and a half.
There have been some adjustment to the feats of grip strength the competitors will be attempting at the FitExpo Visegrip Viking Challenge. I feel the additional events make for a much more well rounded contest and is sure to appeal to the crowd.
We will start on Saturday, January 29
Rolling Thunder® Last Man Standing: starting weight will be approximately 200 lb.
Mighty Mitts Power Medley: The athletes (reverse order of overall standing) will attempt to lift and load each object to an 8” platform single-handedly. The objects must be LIFTED to the platform without the use of the other arm/hand, but athletes may use legs to push objects onto the platform. The objects: a Standard Barbell 35-lb and 45-lb. plate each by the hub; a York 50-lb ‘Blob;’ a 2” vertical grip bar with ~210 lb; an Anvil (~175lb) by the horn; a 172-lb. Thomas Inch Replica dumbbell (2 3/8″ diameter handle) ; a 181-lb. Circus Dumbbell (3” diameter grip); and the 228-lb. Millennium Dumbbell (2 3/8″ diameter handle).
As a tie-breaker, after lifting as many objects as possible, do double-handed reps on the IronMind Go-Really Grip Marchine™ (~165 lb.). The most objects successfully lifted to the platform, and the most successful reps on the gripper if the numbers of objects lifted are equal, wins the medley. No grip aids other than chalk allowed.
The Viking Fishing Pole Wrist Roller Challenge: The athletes (reverse order of overall standing) will attempt to hoist a giant fishing pole (actually a telephone pole) using an IronMind Wrist-Roller set-up. The athlete to raise the ‘fish out of water’ in the least amount of time wins. Unsuccessful ‘fishing’ will be rewarded in distance raised. No grip aids other than chalk allowed. 60 seconds time limit.
Sunday, January 30
Double-Overhand Deadlift (last man standing): The athletes(reverse order of overall standing) will each attempt to dead lift the IronMind Apollon Axle® loaded with standard plates, starting weight 180 kg/396 lb. and increasing with each attempt till there is ONE MAN STANDING. Time starts when Axle is loaded, and athletes have 30 seconds to commence the lift. No grip aids other than chalk allowed.
Hercules (Deadlift) Hold: The athlete (reverse order of overall standing) will attempt to lift and hold for as long as possible a 320 kg/705 lb. Giant Frame. The grip is normal sized and not knurled. No grip aids other than chalk allowed.
Thomas Inch Dumbbell Deadlift: The athletes competing in pairs will each attempt to single-handedly dead lift a Thomas Inch Replica dumbbell (172lb) for as many times as possible within in a 90-second time limit.
This is will be the most exciting grip sport competition to date. The list of competitors is sure to be as impressive as the events themselves.
I’ll see you there.
Grip Sport is coming to the Los Angeles, California Staples Center main stage at the 2011 FitExpo January 29-30.
2011 ViseGrip Viking Mighty Mitts Challenge is an open challenge to all grip masters and ‘wannabe” grip masters. Entry form is attached below.
I will see you in LA.
PRIZE AWARDS:
1st Place $2,500
2nd Place $1,500
3rd Place $1,000
Scoring:
Timed Disciplines shall be hand timed, and distances shall be measured by standard measuring tapes. The score in a Discipline shall be determined by placement and based on the number of Athletes starting in the first Discipline of the contest. If an Athlete pass on a Discipline or fail to get a measurable result in a Discipline, he will receive zero (0) points (i.e. fails to get one repetition in a Discipline for maximum repetitions, fails to lift the opening weight in a max lift, etc.). The score for a placement shall remain the same through an entire competition (i.e. if the score for 1st place is 12 points in the first Discipline, it will remain 12 points in subsequent Disciplines even if the field of athletes has been reduced by attrition). However, if there’s a cut in the number of athletes due to time constraints, the scoring will be weighted.
Discipline Description and Rules
The following disciplines are the feats of strength that will be contested….
Saturday 3:00 PM
Rolling Thunder Last Man Standing
The athletes will each attempt to dead lift with one hand the Ironmind Rolling Thunder® , starting weight ~200lb and increasing with each attempt till there is ONE MAN STANDING. Time starts when the implement is loaded, and athletes have 20 seconds to commence the lift. No grip aids other than chalk allowed.
Mighty Mitts Power Medley
The athletes (reverse order of overall standing) will attempt to lift and load to a platform single-handedly an Anvil by the horn; a Standard Barbell 35lb and 45lb plate each by the hub; a York 40lb and 50lb “blob”; and a 181lb Circus Dumbell (3” dia. grip), and if successful do double handed reps on the Go-Really-GripTM Gripping Machine. The most objects successfully lifted to the platform; or the most successful reps on the gripper if all objects are lifted, wins the medley. No grip aids other than chalk allowed.
Wrist Roller Challenge
The athletes (reverse order of overall standing) will attempt to hoist a weight using a wrist roller contraption from floor to handle in the least amount of time. No grip aids other than chalk allowed. 60 seconds time limit.
Sunday 12:00 NOON
Double Overhand Deadlift (last man standing)
The athletes(reverse order of overall standing) will each attempt to dead lift the Apollon Axle® loaded with standard plates, starting weight 352lb and increasing with each attempt till there is ONE MAN STANDING. Time starts when Axle is loaded, and athletes have 20 seconds to commence the lift. No grip aids other than chalk allowed.
Hercules (Deadlift) Hold
The athlete (reverse order of overall standing) will attempt to lift and hold
for as long as possible with a trap bar loaded to 705lb. The grip is normal sized and knurled, and no grip aids other than chalk allowed.
Thomas Inch Dumbbell Deadlift
The athletes competing in pairs will each attempt to single-handedly deadlift a Thomas Inch replica dumbbell (172lb) for as many times as possible within in a 90 sec time limit.
Please note that disciplines and rules subject to change without notice.
2011 Vise Grip Viking Entry Form
