USAWA

This year’s version of the Clark’s Gym Birthday Bash was meant to honor two lifters becoming “seasoned citizens”. However, it was youth that was served and it was good to see some younger and new lifters on the platform. The event attracted 12 lifters from two gyms. The Wenzel Family was on hand and the younger members enjoyed the cake that was served following the lifting. High Country Vigour (and the USAWA) welcomed Joshua Guerin to the platform.

This year the lifts chosen for the event in order of draw were the Jefferson Deadlift, the Clean and Jerk, Dumbbell, One Hand, the Vertical Bar 1″, One Hand, the Anderson Press, and the Peoples Deadlift.

In the Women’s Division, K VanWagner and Janet Thompson battled for the top spot, each setting three new age and weight records or all-weight records. While Janet lifted 16 pounds more, it was KVW coming out ahead by 26 Lynch points adding this event to her list of meet titles. KVW was impressive in the one hand dumbbell Clean and Jerk and Anderson Press. Janet Thompson was also impressive in the Anderson Press and in the Vertical Bar one hand deadlift as well. In spite of a third place finish, Allison Lupo lifted the most raw weight and was the only lifter, men or women, to set records in all five events. At 280 pounds on the People’s deadlift, she was nearly the 7th female to hit 300 lbs in this lift. Last, but not least, the youngest female lifter, Dylan Wenzel, did great with the Vertical Bar deadlifts (see records).

On the men’s side, it was a father – son duel, and young Riley Wenzel won his first meet title edging dad by just over six Lynch points. Riley was impressive across the board racking up more than 1300 pounds (third most), but his Anderson Press and People’s Deadlift were his best efforts becoming the first Wenzel to make a 500 pound People’s deadlift. But Jeff was not to be outdone and hit the same mark following Riley. Both then added 20 more on the next lift. Jeff set three records and was powerful across all five lifts falling just short of 1500 lbs total, best of the day by far. In third place, it was John Carter who also set two records, one of which was the largest vertical bar lift of the day at 232 pounds. John lifted nearly 1100 lbs which translated into more than 1250 Lynch points. Tony Lupo was good enough to finish fourth place with four new records in a new age group, totaling just over 1200 lbs. Sanjiv Gupta set three records including an impressive 82 pound left handed dumbbell Clean and Jerk, a lift good enough for an all-weight record. Newcomer Joshua Guerin posted two records and was number two in total raw weight lifted at close to 1350 pounds. Finally, Clark’s Gym stalwart David DeForest was on vacation and managed to get two of the five events in where he was staying. The math does not lie and with the pace he was on, David would have finished third or fourth had he been able to access the right equipment.

As often happens, occasionally a mistake is made in reading a number or making a typo – or in this case both. Two of Abe Smith’s final lifts were not entered correctly. His Zercher was 365 and was originally typed into my spreadsheet as 340. The Ciavattone Deadlift should have been 435 and was mis-typed as 405. This adds 55 pounds and 56 Lynch and age-adjusted points to his total. Clark’s Gym Team 1 picks up that many points as well adding slightly to their margin of victory. Thank you to the one who caught that.

Last Saturday and Sunday, the calendar turned to March, the climatological beginning of spring. It must have been the perfect time to hold the USAWA Club Championship meet which was revived last year by High Country Vigour in Lakewood, CO. This year the meet drew four clubs to the competition at three locations and included 24 lifters! Remote sites included High Country Vigour and Habecker’s Gym. Clark’s Gym was the epicenter of the meet and we were visited by members from a new club, Per Aspera Strength from Shawnee, KS. The 24 lifters (six women and 18 men) formed a total of eight teams and threw around the eye-popping sum of 15,644 pounds of iron, nearly eight tons or an average of 652 pounds per lifter! The Lynch and Age factor points brought the total to more than 16,000 lbs, in spite of this contest including a very challenging set of lifts.

Following the procedure of the Team Championship at the end of 2025, the winners in three different categories (women, mixed, and men) will receive certificates with their placement. There was only one women’s team – and they hailed from Clark’s Gym and are the 2026 Women’s Champion. They were Janet Thompson, Allison Lupo, and newcomer Dylan Wenzel. Every member of that team either tied their own records or set age and weight marks and all weight standards in each of the four events! All members of the team were particularly strong on the Ciavattone Deadlift.

The mixed division was very competitive and showcasing three teams of similar composition (two men one woman). The newcomers – Per Aspera Strength led the way with 2531.4 Lynch and age points to capture the 2026 Mixed Category Championship. While the men placed second and eighth individually, no small feat, they featured lifter Esmie Tseng who finished first among all women with 640 lbs raw weight. She set ALL category records across the board and impressed the crowd with a 250 lb Zercher and 275 lb Ciavattone Deadlift. Her teammates Kyle Wiebe and Andrew Mykel were equally noteworthy with both lifters totaling 1000 lbs or more in raw weight, two of three lifters to get that amount. Kyle had the lift of the day with a 500 lb Ciavattone Deadlift and set two records overall. The mixed runners-up were from High Country Vigour and featured the veterans Sanjiv Gupta and K. Van Wagner, who were joined by newcomer Josh Williams. The two veterans contributed with five age and weight or all weight records. While Josh Williams led the way on a team that posted some strong Ciavattone Deadlifts and Zercher lifts. Finishing third by less than 150 lbs was Habecker’s gym a team led by Beth Skwarecki, whose total of 555 lb was second among women. In each lift she set records for age and weight or in the All category. Mike Locondro and Jerome Licini lifted admirably, both showing well in the Ciavattone Deadlift.

The men’s division drew four teams, three of which were Clark’s Gym teams. The difference between first and third was a mere 450 lbs. Clark’s team 1 wins the 2026 Club Championship in the Men’s Division. On team 1 were Abe Smith, Travis Luther, and Phil Marlin who were three of the top four male lifters. Abe Smith, who finished a mere four pounds under 1000 lbs, had the distinction of being the only lifter whose Lynch and age score cracked 1000 lbs. Abe set two new standards with his efforts. Phil Marlin contributed by lifting the most raw weight, including the best-in-the-record book Turkish Get Up, an incredible 136 lb hoist. Travis Luther had a great day all-around totaling 906 lbs – the best among Clark’s gym members who live in Columbia! This team was also the best overall meaning that for two straight years Clark’s Gym takes the crown. Not far off was Clark’s Gym team 2, which featured Toby Ortega and the father-son duo of Jeff and Riley Wenzel. Toby visited us from Champaign-Urbana, IL, and he always helps kick the gym’s spirit up a notch when he’s in town, this time by finishing fifth overall and setting three new records. Jeff Wenzel is always a strong lifter and finished the day as the fifth lifter to exceed 900 lbs overall. But young Riley is closing the gap on dad with each event – Saturday finishing only 53 Lynch and age adjusted weight pounds behind the old man. A true chip off the ol’ block. Habecker’s Gym, including Barry Bryan, Miles Pruznick, and Denny Habecker, was a close third, impressive because two members of the team are long-time veterans (and hall of famers) whose combined age topped the list. But, Denny and Barry demonstrated they still got it, and Barry was sixth overall with three age and weight records. The team’s youngest member was one of only four lifters to get 100+ lbs in the Turkish Get-up and finished a mere two pounds(!) short of 900 lbs. Clark’s gym contributed a third team which finished fourth and was led by John Carter, and included Tony Lupo, and Logan Wenzel. This team comprised of the two oldest Clark’s lifters from the weekend and our youngest. The former two did very well in spite of being a bit nicked up. John Carter and Logan Wenzel netted two age and weight records each.

See the rest of the story inside! There were some great Record Day contributions and the full team and individual results are also listed.

Enclosed are the results of the 2026 Ed Zercher Strength Classic held annually in Clark’s Gym. We’re not exactly sure how old this meet is, but it’s around 40 years old! There are still records from this event going back to 1988, so it’s at least 38 years old. This year’s rendition was scheduled for 24 – 25 January 2026, but some deep snow and bitter cold (apologies to our clubs further north!) forced an extension of the timeline. And this years’ event drew only six lifters. Admittedly, this event is physically one of the toughest in the USAWA pantheon of meets. The Zercher meet this year contained 12 lifts, some of which can be difficult to do if you have physical limitations.

On the women’s side, two lifters, Janet Thompson and Allison Lupo competed and they were close throughout the event. Janet emerged the winner by about 70 lbs, though age and weight separated the two a bit more. Both lifters were at the top of their game, and their Hip Lifts and Harness Lifts produced some excellent results. Janet turned in a 705 pound lift which set an age and weight record. She set new standards in five events and tied her best in two others. Allison’s Harness Lift totaled 605 pounds in spite of a knee that has bothered her for some years. This was an age / weight record as well as an “ALL” record. She totaled seven new records three of which were also ‘ALL’s.

On the Men’s side, Jeff Wenzel and Travis Luther paced the field with Jeff taking the top spot by a wide margin in raw weight (7,440 lbs). However, when the age and weight factors came into play, the score was much tighter! Jeff posted age/weight adjusted top scores in seven of 12 events and set an age weight record on top of that (Bench Press, Feet in Air), picking up in 2026 where he left off in 2025 with another meet win! Travis was not far from a 7,000 lb total checking in with 6,785 lbs when all was said and done, as well as top marks in two age/weight adjusted events. Jeff and Travis put on quite the show with a pair of 2,000 lb Harness Lifts. Jeff was also strong with the Hand and Thigh Lift and Travis with an impressive Hack Lift. John Carter and Tony Lupo were much closer in the battle for third. Both lifters have some injuries that hamper them on at least three of the lifts. John pulled out third place and showed he still has ‘game’ with top finishes in three of 12 age adjusted events. He set an impressive age / weight record with 1600 lbs in the Hip Lift. Tony managed a third place finish in raw weight, but 4th overall, setting two new standards in the Bench Press, Feet in Air and the Deadlift Heels Together.