USAWA

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.

By Jeff Bankens

We had a total of 9 competitors: 4 in-person at “Iron Sharpens Iron Weightlifting Club (located in Southwest Louisiana)and 5 remote participants (Clark’s Gym in Missouri).

We had a wide-range of weight classes and age groups represented, showing the family-friendly nature of our organization. While we had a great time lifting and competing against one-another, we were also able to enjoy growing in camaraderie and friendship with one another,

Lifting started off about 9am on one of a handful of “perfect” weather days we have along the Gulf coast. It was cool, sunny, & mild. I could not have imagined a more perfect day to lift in a carport gym.

Following the meet, the lifters were able to set (I believe) 31 records on our records day!

After discussing things over dinner with the Lupo’s, our plan is to do this met again next year. We also believe we will be able to attract more in-person lifters.

I want to personally thank everyone who participated in our meet and helped make the Bayou Beast Bash a huge success. God-willing, we look forward to being able to host this meet again next year!

Editor’s Note – Congratulations on an amazing event. I think I am most impressed that the athlete field included two women and two junior lifters. I also love seeing the Teeth Lift making a resurgence in the records list.

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.