USAWA

2025 USAWA Grip Championships

May 3, 2025

Small but Enthusiastic Field

Three USAWA masters athletes and one junior took the platform to contest the 2025 USAWA Grip Championships held at High Country Vigour in Lakewood, Colorado.  Weigh-ins and rules briefings were conducted, and the meet was contested using the one official system, Sanjiv Gupta, Jarrod Fobes and in training was Nisha Gupta.

We started with Pinch Grip, Strict which is a classic lift that has been contested numerous times at the Grip Championship.  This was contested with 1990’s York Plates.  Ben and Jarrod tied with a top lift of 125 pounds.  However, Jarrod lifted first and established the record in the 100kg 45-year-old age class.  Nisha’s 36-pound lift was also good for a record.

The next lift was the Deadlift, Inch DB, One Arm.  This was contested with Nemesis Grips Loadable Handles.  This is a relatively newer lift, but everybody put up great numbers.  This time, Ben had the top lift at 121 pounds.  This was good enough to beat the record in the 100kg 45-year-old.  Nisha’s 41-pound lift was also good for a record.

Then there was the 2-inch vertical bar.  This lift has been contested quite frequently, but the slick surfaces on the competition handles (Custom fabricated by Fat Bastard Barbell Company) made for some uncertainty.  Nisha came through with a third attempt 80 pounds which was nearly her body weight and good for 206 Age-Gender-Adjusted Lynch points and put her in first place overall after three lifts.  Sanjiv lifted a solid 140 pounds, beating his previous 130-pound record.  Jarrod made the unfortunate decision to open at 145 pounds and missed all 3 attempts, essentially taking him out of the competition.  Ben followed successful lifts at 140 and 170 pounds with an unsuccessful 200-pound attempt.  Therefore, Chad Ullom retains his 195-pound record.

Finally, it was time for the Hack Lift, Fulton Bar.  This was contested on the equally slick Apollon’s Axle, but lifts were still impressive.  Nisha established a record, Sanjiv extended his previous record set last year.  Ben had the best lift at 303 pounds establishing the 100kg 45-year-old age class record, but still a far cry from Joe Ciavattone Jr.’s 357 all age record at 100kg.

This final lift put Ben (Dino Gym) in first place and he has the option to host the 2026 Grip Championship.  If Ben defers, the meet will again be hosted by High Country Vigour in 2026.

Total Weight rankings:

1. Ben Edwards – 719 pounds
2. Sanjiv Gupta – 569 pounds
3. Jarrod Fobes – 449 pounds
4. Nisha Gupta – 230 pounds

Lynch/Age/Gender Points:

1. Ben Edwards – 673 points
2. Nisha Gupta – 595 points
3. Sanjiv Gupta – 566 points
4. Jarrod Fobes – 418 points

Podium Picture

Overall Champion’s Award

Complete Results:

USAWA Grip Championship

High Country Vigour

Lakewood, Colorado 

May 3, 2025

Meet Director: Sanjiv Gupta

Scorekeeper: Sanjiv Gupta

Officials: (1-official system) Sanjiv Gupta, Jarrod Fobes, Nisha Gupta (in training)

The Lifts:  Pinch Grip, Strict; Deadlift, Inch Dumbbell, One Arm; Vertical Bar, 1 Bar, 2”; Hack Lift, Fulton Bar

Bodyweight and Lifts in Pounds

WOMENS DIVISION

Lifter	Age	Body-weight	Pinch	Inch DB	V-Bar	Hack	Total	Points
Nisha Gupta	16	86.8	36	41 (R)	80 (R)	83	230	595

MENS DIVISION

Lifter	Age	Body-weight	Pinch	Inch DB	V-Bar	Hack	Total	Points
Ben Edwards	49	216.8	125	121 (R)	170 (R)	303	719	673
Sanjiv Gupta	53	208.2	95	101 (L)	140 (L)	233	569	566
Jarrod Fobes	48	215.7	125	101 (R)	0 (R)	223	449	418

No 4^th attempts for records were successful

Record Session:

Jarrod Fobes

Scott Lift – 135 pounds

Clean & Press, Middle Fingers – 95 pounds

Sanjiv Gupta

Clean & Press, Alternate Grip – 105 pounds

Side Press, Dumbbell, Left – 52 pounds

Side Press, Dumbbell, Right – 62 pounds

Road Warrior Award (while supplies last for athletes traveling to Colorado)

(alongside the Bench Press Heptathlon)

RECORD DAY – APRIL 12-13, 2025

CLINT POORE.  AGE – 51.  BWT – 241. 

Peoples deadlift – 515.

Deadlift – Ciavattone – left – 185.

Deadlift – 3-inch bar – 251.

Curl, cheat -dumbbell – left – 50.

LYNNE HOMAN.  AGE – 62.  BWT – 131.

Holdout – lowered –   28.

Holdout – raised – 28.

Curl, strict – 48.

Bench dip – 70.

Bench press – two dumbbells – 90.

JEFF WENZEL.   AGE – 50.  BWT – 236.

Deadlift – Inch Dumbbell – right – 127.

Deadlift – Inch dumbbell – left – 117.

James lift – 120.

Squat – overhead – 165.

Bear hug – 266.

RILEY WENZEL.  AGE – 20.  BWT – 152.

Deadlift – Inch Dumbbell – right – 67.

Deadlift – Inch Dumbbell -left – 67.

Deadlift – two Inch Dumbbells – 2×67 – 134.

Deadlift – three-inch bar – 245.

Bear hug – 236.

LOGAN WENZEL.  AGE 10.  BWT – 72 LBS.

Deadlift – Inch dumbbell – right – 22.

Deadlift – Inch dumbbell – left – 22.

Deadlift – Inch dumbbell – both – 2×19.5 – 39 lbs.

Roman chair bench – 5 lbs.

Bearhug – 51.

WILL HOSE.   AGE – 21.  BWT – 165.

Vertical bar – one-inch – right – 127.

Vertical bar – one inch – left – 127.

Vertical bar –  two-inch – right – 145.

Vertical bar – two-inch – left – 145.

Vertical bar – two inch – both – 2×120 -240.

LISA GORE.  AGE – 59.  BWT – 216.

Deadlift – Inch dumbbell – left – 77.

Deadlift – Inch dumbbell – right – 77.

Deadlift – Inch dumbbell – both – 2 x 77 – 154.

Pinch grip – 60.

Bear hug   – 115.

DAVE DEFOREST.     AGE – 65.  BWT – 173.

Vertical bar – 0ne inch – left – 157.

Vertical bar – one inch – right – 157.

Vertical bar – one inch – two hands – 2 x 133 – 266.

Press from rack behind neck – 90.

Press from rack – 105.

TONY LUPO.  AGE – 59.  BWT – 237.

Middle fingers clean and jerk – 70.

Middle fingers press – 80.

Pinch grip – left – 111.

Pinch grip -strict – left – 56.

Deadlift – Inch dumbbell – left – 92.

BENCH PRESS HEPTATHON
CLARK’S GYM
COLUMBIA. MO.
APRIL 12-13, 2025
					FEET ON	FEET IN
WOMEN			AGE	BWT	FLOOR	AIR
LYNNE	HOMAN		62	131	131	125
LISA	GORE		59	216	125	120
KIM	VAN WAGNER		58	126	95	95
MEN
Jeff	Wenzel		50	236	335	330
Patrick	Hadley		53	223	315	275
Ashley	Stearns		44	201	385	0
Clint	Poore		51	240	405	385
Randy	Smith		70	197	175	165
Riley	Wenzel		20	152	200	185
Jarrod	Fobes		48	215	205	205
Will	Hose		21	165	185	195
Tony	Lupo		59	237	200	200
Dave	DeForest		65	173	155	150
Sanjiv	Gupta		53	209	180	175
			ALT.	REV.	HANDS	RIGHT
			GRIP	GRIP	TOUCH	HAND
WOMEN
Lynne	Homan		120	125	110	28
Lisa	Gore		120	115	100	33
Kim	Van Wagner		81	90	0	35
MEN
Jeff	Wenzel		305	300	257	135
Patrick	Hadley		245	275	226	108
Ashley	Stearns		350	340	321	78
Clint	Poore		325	255	65	78
Randy	Smith		135	135	135	65
Riley	Wenzel		185	195	160	75
Jarrod	Fobes		226	205	196	106
Will	Hose		175	175	160	85
Tony	Lupo		150	150	180	50
Dave	DeForest		145	145	120	65
Sanjiv	Gupta		135	0	150	55
			LEFT	RAW	ADJ.
			HAND	TOTAL	TOTAL
WOMEN
Lynne	Homan		28	667	959.88
Lisa	Gore		33	676	694.71
Kim	Van Wagner		0	396	541.15
MEN
Jeff	Wenzel		145	1807	1635.71
Patrick	Hadley		108	1558	1588.75
Ashley	Stearns		125	1639	1520.28
Clint	Poore		110	1623	1472.02
Randy	Smith		65	950	1161.04
Riley	Wenzel		75	1083	1137.15
Jarrod	Fobes		95	1143	1070.2
Will	Hose		85	1050	1050
Tony	Lupo		105	1035	1010.49
Dave	DeForest		65	850	973
Sanjiv	Gupta		55	750	744.71
SPECIAL EVENTS
MEN			RAW	ADJ.
REG PARK BENCH PRESS			TOTAL	TOTAL
Jeff	Wenzel		250	226.3
Riley	Wenzel		150	158.55
WOMEN
Lisa	Gore		90	92.49
ROMAN	CHAIIR	BENCH	PRESS
WOMEN
Lisa	Gore		65	66.8
Kim	Van Wagner		45	61.84
MEN
Jeff	Wenzel		205	185.57
Tony	Lupo		100	97.63
Sanjiv	Gupta		75	74.47
Randy	Smith		75	69.26
Jarrod	Fobes		75	68.33
Riley	Wenzel		45	47.48
Dave	DeForest		22	25.18
BENCH	PRESS	RAMPAGFE
WOMEN			WT.X REPS		TOTAL	ADJ. PTS.
Kim	Van Wagner		65 X 22		1430	1964.98
Lisa	Gore		61x 28		1708	1765.28
MEN
Riley	Wenzel		70×72		5040	5292
Jeff	Wenzel		100×50		5000	4523.25
Will	Hose		60×61		3660	3660
Jarrod	Fobes		95×34		3230	2942.95
Randy	Smith		45×48		2160	2659.41
Sanjiv	Gupta		95×22		2090	2075.2
OFFICIALS
In Kentucky:
Clint	Poore
Ashley	Stearns
Patrick	Hadley
Lynne	Homan
In Colorado:
Sanjiv	Gupta
Jarrod	Fobes
In Missouri:
Bill	Clark
Tony	Lupo
Dave	DeForest
Jeff	Wenzel
No Official – Randy Smith.