To follow up on the previous update regarding Dale Hollow State Park going through immediate emergency reconstruction at the park, I have polled many of the lifters coming to nationals about where to have the National Meeting.
The two choices I proposed were the SKD Distillery, after the tour or Angie’s Family Restaurant, a locally owned family restaurant that serves southern style country cooking. Before proposing this option to the lifters, Lynne and I went and had dinner at Angie’s Family Restuarant. It met the criteria we need and then I invited the lifters attending nationals to share which option they liked best. In an overwhelming response, the lifters chose Angie’s Family Restaurant by an 80 to 20 percent margin. I think this was conclusive and I will be setting up the 2025 USAWA National Meeting in the side room at Angie’s Family Restaurant for Friday, July 18.
Here is the planned itinerary for Friday, July 18:
– 2:00 – 4:30 pm we have a tour scheduled for Southern Kentucky Distillery
– 5:30 – 8:30 pm we will have the 2025 National Meeting at Angie’s Family Restaurant.
2025 marks the return of the Club Championship which had not been contested since 2019. This is a great format where clubs total their top three lifters to form an adjusted total and bragging rights as the strongest club of the year.
From 2010-2012 it had been hosted at Ambridge Barbell Club. From 2013-2019 it had been contested at Ledaig Heavy Athletics. Beyond the host clubs only four other clubs had competed in the Club Championship (Atomic Athletics, Dino Gym, Habecker’s Gym and Joe’s Gym).
In 2025, we tried something different allowing lifter to lift live at High Country Vigour or submit results remotely. There was only one taker with Clark’s Championship Gym submitting an entry.
Also new since the last time the event was hosted, was the 1.33 gender modifier. Women had competed in the past but were at a disadvantage when contributing to the team total.
Clark’s Championship Gym brought a full squad of (11) athletes lifting in Missouri and Michigan, including powerhouse, Randy Smith. The team included (3) Junior athletes, (2) Open athletes and (7) masters athletes. Clark’s Gym also had the oldest and youngest athletes at 70 years old and 10 years old respectively. Notably absent was Abe Smith, defending National Overall Best Lifter and Athlete of the Year, who was recovering from some injuries. Surprisingly present was Tony Lupo competing with a bad shoulder and torn pec and Randy Smith competing with a recent hamstring injury.
High Country Vigour had (4) athletes lifting in Colorado, (3) seasoned masters athletes and (1) newcomer who is calmly starting to set records in the 16–17-year-old age group after a birthday in February.
In Colorado, we had some exciting lifting and fourth attempts for records. Nisha had an impressive 50-pound Zercher after some really sketchy warm-ups. Jarrod had a massive 102-pound fourth attempt Turkish Get Up which is an all-age class record at 100kg (he also owns the 85kg and 95kg all age class records). Kim had a scary moment with a missed Turkish Get Up that came down on her non-lifting wrist. She showed tremendous courage finishing the meet with not only a solid 143-pound competition deadlift, but also a fourth attempt 153 pounds to extend her all age class 60kg record.
We also had some amusing struggles with the Turkish Get Up. Nisha’s technique went from the ground to a squat stance without passing through a kneeling position. Sanjiv’s final attempt somehow had both knees on the ground before going into a kneeling position and driving up.
Top Individual Lifts
Best Dumbbell Snatch – 95 pounds by Jeff Wenzel
Best Zercher – 335 pounds by Jeff Wenzel
Best Turkish Get Up – 92 pounds by Jarrod Fobes
Best Deadlift, Fulton Bar, Ciavattone Grip – 268 pounds by Randy Smith
Final Standings:
1st – Clark’s Championship Gym
2nd – High Country Vigour
Clark’s Gym having won the Club Championship has earned the option to host the 2026 Club Championships.
Meet Results:
USAWA Club Championship
High Country Vigour
Lakewood, Colorado
April 5, 2025
Meet Director – Sanjiv Gupta
Officials – Jarrod Fobes, Sanjiv Gupta, Bill Clark, Tony Lupo, Dave DeForest, Jeff Wenzel
Scorekeeper – Sanjiv Gupta
Lifts: Snatch, Dumbbell, One Arm; Zercher; Turkish Get Up; Deadlift, Fulton Bar, Ciavattone Grip
March was a busy month with meets being held in Massachusetts, Kentucky, Missouri and Colorado. Randy Smith earned lifter of the month for March by shining in the Colorado Single Arm Challenge and Jeff’s 50th Birthday Bash. He was first overall in the Single Arm Challenge with a massive 420 pound unadjusted total at 198 pound bodyweight and 70 years of age. During Jeff’s Birthday Bash, he completed four of five lifts with an impressive 130 pound Roman Chair Sit-up.
Randy has records dating back to the 2003 National Championship and has competed in 16 National Championships and was the best lifter in 2015. He is a member of the Century Club with 144 records. 31 of those are National Records, which puts him at 5th behind some pretty impressive company.
Most recently he has taken a role on the USAWA Advisory Committee which was tasked with better understanding the membership.
This is the 4th time Randy has earned Lifter of the Month with past recognition in July 2014, June 2015 and October 2021. Congratulations Randy!
