Fortified Iron

Here is video of the highlights from last weekend's IPF Affiliate, Svenska Styrkelyftförbundet, Swedish Bench Press Championship held in Borlange, Sweden. The video includes Anton Kraft, 123, bench pressing a World Record 446 pounds; 275 class World Record holder, Marcus Hirvonen pressing 672 pounds; and Johnny Wahlquist, shw, benching 727 pounds, just a week after winning silver at the IPF World Championships. Also included is Wahlquist making an unsuccessful attempt at an IPF World Record of 782 pounds. Japan's Daisuke Midote holds the existing record at 779 pounds.

At least $11,000US will be up for grabs on December 28 at the unsanctioned Vladimir Mironov Memorial Raw Bench Press Championship in Omsk, Russia. First place will receive a paycheck of at least $3,000US. Placings will be determine by the biggest overall bench press.

Lifters from other countries are invited to compete.

Roster - Best Raw BP(kg/lbs)

Scott Yard, 275, has wrapped up his training for the IPA Senior Nationals which will be held Saturday and Sunday in York, Pennsylvania. Yard will be competing in the meet without equipment, although he has indicated his plans to compete in the equipped division in order to wear knee wraps.

The WUAP has issued a report (pdf) on the outcome of its Annual Governing Meeting. The AGM was held on October 3 in conjunction with its World Championships in Lauchhammer, Germany. Present were Austria, Czechia, France, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, the Ukraine, and the U.S.

Coming out of last week's World Championships, the WABDL has unveiled a new design for its website. Ron L'Huillier, creator of the design, says:

Results (men and women pdf's) are posted for the AAU World Championships which were held November 8-9 in Hampton, Virginia.

The 2008 North Carolina Barbell Hall of Fame (NCBHOF) induction ceremony was held Saturday, November 15 at Southern Vance High School in Henderson, North Carolina. Five individuals were inducted for their extraordinary contribution to North Carolina Strength Sports.

Since one comment draws up so much immediate controversy about whether Westside or BIG is the better gym, let's just put it to the test. I don't even know all the players so fill in the blanks with your posts. Let's start at the 114 weight class and work our way up to SHW.

In a vote taken at the annual IPF Congress meeting on November 2, the GBPF was unanimously selected to replace the BWLA as Great Britain's affiliate to the IPF, effective January 1, 2009.

Liisa Penttinen, 148, deadlifted 439 pounds and bench pressed 242 pounds this weekend at the WABDL World Championships in Las Vegas, Nevada. The deadlift ranks her fourth and the bench press fourteenth on the Powerlifting Watch Lifter Rankings.

Ashley Awalt, 114, totalled 1,019 and squatted 396 pounds at the USAPL Longhorn Open held Saturday in Austin, Texas, setting two USAPL American Records. Awalt's total surpasses Jennifer Maile's record of 975 pounds. Her squat ups Sioux-z Hartwig's 374 pound record set last week at the IPF World Championships. Awalt also holds the 123 class USAPL American Records in the squat, bench press, and total.

At the annual IPF Congress meeting on November 3, it was announced that on December 15 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) will present the IPF with its decision on whether they will recognize the sport of powerlifting, and, as its representative, the IPF.

Recognition may not result in actual inclusion into the Olympic Games but does move it closer to that possibility.

(updated 11/17 12:38 pm)

Here is video from day one (Monday) at the IPF World Championships. The men's 123 and 132 pound weight classes and the women's 105 class competed on day one.

The Championships were held November 3-8 in St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada.

Bob Eucker, 242, totalled 1,930 pound on Saturday at the USAPL Ohio State Championship held in Bedford Heights, Ohio. Eucker squatted 675 pounds, bench pressed 515, and deadlifted 740 pounds. He missed third attempts in the squat of 715 pounds, 530 pounds in the bench press, and 770 pounds in the deadlift. The total ranks him seventh on the Powerlifting Watch Lifter Rankings. Eucker continues to march up the rankings since his return to powerlifting. He also was named best lifter at the meet. Here is video of his day.

Anton Kraft, 123, bench pressed 446 pounds on Saturday at the Swedish Bench Press Championship in Borlange, Sweden. With the press, Kraft surpassed his own single lift IPF World Record of 424 pounds. It also gives him the highest bench press of all-time.

At Outlaws, David Gratton comments on the lifting at last week's IPF World Championships and wonders if it might be time for the federation to retire the existing records due to their successful commitment to offer a drug free platform.

Given the perception that the IPF has not always been as committed in its history, should they consider Gratton's suggestion?

Mike Siegler, Jr. has created a video of Cheryl Anderson, Maura Shuttleworth and Fawn Friday competing at the USAPL Hudson Natural Open on Saturday in New Richmond, Wisconsin. All three women train at The Press Gym in Little Canada, Minnesota.

Anderson, 105, totalled 760 pounds and won the best female lifter award. The total ranks Anderson first on the Powerlifting Watch Lifter Rankings.

Jay Fry, 220, bench pressed 740 pounds yesterday at the UPA Battle of the Benchpress II in Circleville, Ohio. That's the twelfth highest bench press in history at 220. He hit the lift on his first attempt, then missed two subsequent attempts at 755 pounds. Fry decided not cut to his usual weight class of 181 for this meet, weighing in at 202 pounds.

The Hardcore Kings of the Bench III and Clash of the Titans II at The Ronnie Coleman Classic Expo will be available for viewing on Bodybuilding.com in streaming video a week after the live contest. Both events will take place on April 18th, 2009 at The Mesquite Convention Center just outside of Dallas, Texas. Clash of the Titans II will offer full powerlifting while The Kings of the Bench III will again test some of the strongest benchers in the world.

Pictures are posted (here and here) for the APF Texas Cup which was held November 1 in Carrollton, Texas.

(Matt Brown, 275, deadlifts 810 lbs.)