History was made at the 5th annual Super Grip Challenge, Saturday October 18, 2003. 
     At Kevin Fulton's barn, near Litchfield Nebraska, and before a small but enthusiastic 
     crowd, Matt Graham, from Liberal Kansas, started out the day by picking up and carrying, 
     not ONE, but TWO of the Inch Dumbbell replicas for 7 1/2 feet.  These dumbbells, which 
     are duplicates of the original Thomas Inch dumbbell, each weigh 172 pounds with a 2.5" 
     diameter handle.  Matt also closed the #3 gripper and ending up winning the closely 
     contested SuperGrip.

     After Matt carried the Inch dumbbells, the SuperGrip contest started in ernest.  First
     up was the closing of the Ironmind grippers.  Each competitor attempted to close the
     grippers with both hands.  Matt Graham and Bob Burtzloff were both successful in
     closing the #3 gripper and their results with pictures will be forwarded to Ironmind
     for Captains of Crush certification.  A set of Beefeater grippers were also available
     and were pointed as 2.5 grippers.  Matt took first in this event for the men and 
     Mary McConnaughey was first of the women.  This was the only event which went
     on a straight point basis.  Points for the other events were based upon the Lynch 
     formula and age corrections, and it did make a difference throughout the day. 

     The second event was a USAWA lift, the One-Hand Ciavatonne deadlift.  This is a 
     regular deadlift with one hand and no hook grip allowed.  Sara Jaeschke started out 
     the lifting on the platform and Matt Graham finished with a 250 lb deadlift.  Even 
     though Matt had the heaviest lift in this event, John Jaeschke won based upon 
     bodyweight and age. For the women, Mary McConnaughey had 150 lbs, but 
     Sara Jaeschke finished in first.

     The Rolling Thunder, always an event in humility, was next.  The top lift was
     put in by Matt Graham, with 220 lbs, but this time Chris Jaeschke, Sara and Chris'
     brother, was the event winner.  Mary McConnaughey had the high womens lift
     with 130 lbs and Andrea Paul placed first.

     In the next USAWA lift, the pinch grip, Matt Graham was again the high poundage 
     lifter, with 200 lbs and again lost to John Jaeschke who had a 135 lb lift.  Mary
     McConnaughey's lift of 125 lbs was the womens heavy, but again Andrea Paul
     outpointed her.
     
     The final USAWA lift of the day was the Overhand Middle/Ring fingers deadlift.  This was
     simply a deadlift using the middle and the finger of each hand and lifting with an
     overhand grip. Once again, Matt Graham had the highest poundage lifted, with 
     310 lbs, with John Jaeschke placing first.  Andrea Paul had both the
     heaviest lift for the women at 150 lbs, and the first place total.

     Everyone then moved outside for the final event of the day, the farmer's walk.  The
     object was to carry two bars, with 2 3/8" diameter handles, loaded to the heaviest
     weight for 16.5 feet.  This time, Matt Graham prevailed with both the heaviest 
     weight of 320 lbs and first place, with Andrea Paul's 170 lbs was sufficient
     to be both the heaviest womens carry and the first place finish.
     
     In the final placing, Matt Graham won the men's division and Andrea Paul
     won the women's division.  Complete results are listed below.
     
     For the first time in contest history, Kevin Fulton, host and meet director, did not
     compete as he is recovering from a shoulder injury incurred while lifting a steel 
     log a few weeks earlier.  He has started some light training again, but did not wish
     to tempt fate by doing the competition.

Matt carrying the Inch Dumbbells	Ben Edwards - Rolling Thunder	Mary McConnaughey - Rolling Thunder	Chris Jaeschke - Rolling Thunder	Andrea Paul - Pinch gripping	Matt Graham - Pinch gripping	Sara Jaeschke - Pinch gripping

John Jaeschke - Ring/Middle finger deadlift	Bob Burtzloff - Ring/Middle finger deadlift	Seth Holcomb - Farmers walk	Our hero - Bill Clark	Matt Graham - #3 gripper	Bob Burtzloff - #3 gripper	Front - Sara, Andrea, Ben, John, Chris Second - Mary, Matt, Seth, Joe, Bob

___________________________________________________________________________________
                    
Meet Results
                                          Rolling Pinch  OH                      
Lifter            Age  BWT     COC  Ciav  Thunder  Grip  Dead  Farmers   Points

Women
Andrea Paul        17  161     0/0   130   120     110   150    170        8.5
Sara Jaeschke      14  145     0/0   110    85      75   110    110       12.5
Mary McConnaughey  43  294     1/1   150   130     125   200    150       15

Men           
Matt Graham        26  274     3/2   250   220     200   310    320       13 
John Jaeschke      18  155     1/1   200   145     135   220    200       14
Chris Jaeschke     18  190     2/1   240   185     160   250    240       16
Ben Edwards        28  217     2/2   225   170     150   245    240       24
Bob Burtzloff      47  291     2/2   210   200     175   250    250       30
Joe Garcia         50  242     2/1   200   150     150   225    230       30
Seth Holcomb       18  178     1/1   170   145     125   180    200       41

All events except COC grippers were adjusted for both age and bodyweight.  										
Contestants were ranked from first to last in each event and placings were added together
for the final score.										

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