USAWA

By Eric Todd

The 2023 edition of the Old Time Strongman Championship is completed, and the chalk and dust have settled.  It was a classic!  If it weren’t for injury, this would have been the best attended OTSM championship ever.  Unfortunately, Abe Smith and Everett Todd were sidelined by injury, so while we had 13 entries, we were down to 11 competitors.  The best attended OTSM championship was back in 2017, when we had 12 lifters.  At any rate, those competitors did not disappoint.

We had competitors from as close as across the yard and as far away as Pennsylvania, where our President Denny Habecker traveled from.  The age range was thirteen to eighty years old.  The women’s division was deeper than it has ever been with four lifters, and each lifter set or broke 4 records.   We had four former champions contending for another title.  Lance Foster came in at more than 100 pounds less than his top weight, and was competing in top form in a new weight class.

The day started off with the Cyr Press.  This lift is named after top Canadian strongman Louis Cyr.  In the women’s class, Lilly and Stacy Todd tied for top honors with 45 pounds.  Defending champ Pheobe Todd was close behind with 35 pounds, and newcomer Allison Lupo was nipping at her heels with 25.  In the men’s division, I was at the top with 150 pounds.  Tony Lupo, Dave DeForest, Greg Cook, and Denny Habecker all had record lifts as well.

The second lift was the People’s Deadlift, named after legendary deadlifter, Bob Peoples.  Stacy Todd was the top female puller at 300 pounds.  Allison Lupo hit a fourth lift for record at 220.  The men’s division was dominated by former champion Greg Cook, with a pull of 565.  Tony Lupo and Denny Habecker also hit record lifts.

After the second lift, we took a lunch break.  Thanks to Stacy Todd, we enjoyed a treat of pulled pork sandwiches and frankfurter sandwiches, along with chips and such.  It was nice to have the opportunity to eat and enjoy the camaraderie that is so common in the USAWA.

Next, we did the Anderson Press, named after Paul Anderson, who was considered by many at the time to be the strongest man ever.  Stacy Todd was top lady’s presser with a lift of 105 in the meet, and 110 as a fourth attempt for record.  I was top in the men’s division at 300 pounds, with Chris Todd following at 235.  Tony Lupo hit a fourth attempt of 170 to break the record there. Denny Habecker also set a record in this discipline.

It now came down to the last lift of the day, the Anderson Squat, also named after famed American Strongman, Paul Anderson.  Once again, top female lifter was Stacy Todd, with a big squat of 300 pounds.  Lilly Todd set a record of 225 on a fourth attempt.  Top squatter on the men’s side of things was Chris Todd, with a squat of 455.  Tony, Dave, Greg and Denny all broke or set records in their respective age/weight class in this lift.

Once the math was all done and the formulas were applied it was time to hand out awards.  First through third overall were awarded trophies, while everyone else was presented a medal.  This year’s champions were no strangers to winning this thing.  In the Men’s division, Greg Cook won his second OTSM championship, having won before in 2017.  In the women’s class, Phoebe Todd became the most decorated OTSM Champion in history, having now won her fourth.  This surpasses the three won by Heather Gardner and Chad Ullum.  The difference between 3rd and 4th in the men’s division was decided by exactly one point.  You do not get much closer than that.

Official results are as follow:

Old Time Strongman Championship
ET’s House of Iron and Stone
Turney, MO
September 9, 2023

Meet Director: Eric Todd

Meet Announcer: Eric Todd

Score Keeper: Chris Todd

Maker of barbeque and frankfurters: Stacey Todd

The One Official system was used for all lifts

Official: Eric Todd, Denny Habecker

Loaders: all lifters

All lifts are recorded in pounds, as is the total. Adj is the adjusted score after Lynch and Age adjustment.  All records are denoted with an asterisk *

Lifts: Cyr Press, People’s Deadlift, Anderson Press, Anderson Squat

Name	weight	weight class (kilo)	Age	Age Division	Cyr Press	People’s Deadlift	Anderson Press	Anderson Squat	Total	Points	Place
Women’s
Phoebe Todd	130	60	13	13	*35	*220	*80	*190	525	772.3	1st
Lilly Todd	152	70	14	14	*45	*235	*95	*220	575	728.6	2nd
Stacy Todd	185.2	85	40	40	*45	*300	*105	*300	750	707.4	3rd
Allison Lupo	194.8	90	57	55	*25	*200	*80	*160	465	497.8	4th
Men’s
Greg Cook	247.2	115	66	65	*70	*565	185	*405	1225	1251.6	1st
Denny Habecker	182.6	85	80	80	*50	*325	*125	*240	740	1087.1	2nd
Chris Todd	277.2	125+	44	40	100	425	235	455	1215	961.9	3rd
Tony Lupo	237.7	110	57	55	*90	*400	*155	*355	1000	960.9	4th
Lance Foster	239	110	57	55	45	315	115	200	675	646.8	5th
Dave DeForest	194.8	90	63	60	*55	315	140	*45	555	624.4	6th
Eric Todd	277.6	125+	48	45	*150	0	*300	0	450	369.5	7th

4th Attempts for record

Peoples Deadlift

Allison Lupo 220

Tony Lupo 425

Denny Habecker 335

 

Anderson Press

Stacy Todd 110

Tony Lupo 170

 

Anderson Squat

Lilly Todd 225