Ed Zercher Strength Classic 2026 and Record Day, Columbia, MO

DATE –  Weekend of January 24-25, 2026

WHERE – Clark’s Gym, Columbia, Mo.  and remote (hybrid).

USAWA/IAWA MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED. (Onsite registration available).

WEIGH-INS – 8 A.M. each day.

ENTRY FEE – None.

ENTRY DEADLINE –  10 P.M. Tuesday, January 20, 2026 via e-mail to yeoldclark@gmail.com.

AWARDS – Certificates.

OPEN TO THE WORLD – All competition in Clark’s Gym is hybrid. You may compete in your local gym or in the friendly confines of Clark’s Gym in Columbia, Mo. To compete remote, you must enter by 10 p.m. on  Tuesday of the weekend involved or your results will not be accepted. You must send all results to Bill Clark via e-mail only at yeoldclark@gmail.com not later than 10 p.m. on the Tuesday following the meet.

Included on the reporting form must be the name of the official(s) involved. DO NOT send your remote results to the USAWA. They must be approved by the meet director first. If you have no officials, your results will be included in the final tabulation of the competition and be eligible for meet awards – but not records. Your honesty is the key to all competitions.

OFFICIALS – Must accompany remote results to be eligible for records.

REPORTING DEADLINE – All remote result must be received by e-mail by 10 p.m., Tuesday, January  27, 2026.

THE LIFTS

  • DL – Heels together
  • Hack lift
  • Steinborn lift
  • Zercher lift
  • Leg press (non USAWA lift)
  • DL – one hand
  • DL – one-hand thumbless
  • Hip lift
  • Harness lift
  • Hand-and-thigh lift
  • Neck lift
  • Bench press feet in air.

One Ton Pentathlon Challenge

Date: 13 – 14 September 2025

Location: Clark’s Gym, Columbia, MO and Remote

Weigh–In time: 8:30 am

Lifting begins: 9:30 am

Meet Director: Bill Clark

The Lifts:

  • Anderson Press
  • Anderson Squat
  • Hackenschmidt Press
  • Kennedy Lift
  • Peoples Deadlift 
  • How to enter: OPEN TO THE WORLD – All competition in Clark’s Gym is hybrid. You may compete in your local gym or in the friendly confines of Clark’s Gym in Columbia, Mo. You must send all results to Clark’s Gym via e-mail only at yeoldclark@gmail.com not later than 10 p.m. 16 September 2025.

Included on the reporting form must be the name of the official(s) involved. DO NOT send your remote results to the USAWA. They must be approved by the meet director first. If you have no officials, your results will be included in the final tabulation of the competition and be eligible for meet awards – but not records. Your honesty is the key to all competitions.

OFFICIALS – Must accompany remote results to be eligible for records.

Record day: You can enter up to five record lifts. 

Remote lifting: To compete remote, you must enter by 5:00 pm 6 September 2025 or your results will not be accepted. 

Memberships: You must be a USAWA Member, membership applications will be accepted at the meet. 

Awards: There will be a best lifter award for men and women. 

Contact: Clark’s Gym, email: yeoldclark@gmail.com. 

2025 USAWA Award Winners: Newcomer of the Year

The 2025 USAWA newcomer of the year is Allison Lupo (see below). Allison joined the USAWA after being dragged around to watch my competitions. In her youth she was a tennis and softball star. She’s been athletic all her life. She found out she has a real talent for the USAWA’s unique brand of lifts. Allison learns the techniques real well and real fast. Better than other members of the household! She has a keen eye for what is a good technique and what is a good lift. She turned the latter talent into becoming a referee. She’s always been strong and has managed to pile up over 200 USAWA records! She surprised our gym one day by doing the Mansfield Lift which has not been done by someone we’ll just say in her age group. She’s a valued part of the Clark’s Gym team. In her daily life, she manages the kitchen at Our Lady of Lourdes elementary school, and her strength and endurance helps keep the cafeteria in line. She also manages to keep her household in line. A guy can be thankful to have a strong and beautiful spouse. Congratulations to Allison as the 2025 USAWA newcomer of the year

Results: Clark’s Gym Record Day

August 5, 2025

RECORD DAY – AUGUST 2-3, 2025

Participation in record days as stand-alone or as part of weekend competitions offered by Clark’s Gym continue to be quite popular.

We had a record 27 lifters (five gyms and two countries) involved on a day when there was also a record day in Lebanon, Pa., that surely drew some lifters from the local record day.

Here are the results:

From Clark’s Gym

Lisa Gore.   Age – 59.  Bwt. – 217.

Dinnie lift – 306.

Hackenschmidt floor press – 135.

Saxon deadlift – 85.

Dumbbell to shoulder – 80.

Allison Lupo.   Age – 59.   Bwt – 197.

Team clean and push press – 150.

Deadlift – one-leg -left – 50.

Deadlift – one leg – right – 50.

Deadlift – Inch bar – two hand – 2×47 – 94.

Team Ciavattone deadlift – 390.

Tony Lupo.    Age – 59.    Bwt. – 243.5

Team clean and push press – 150.

Foot press – 1,335.

Bench press – Fulton bar – 215.

Clean and jerk – two dumbbells – 2 x 60 – 120.

Team Ciavattone deadlift – 390.

Dave DeForest.    Age – 65.   Bwt. – 179.

Lurich lift – 390.

Deadlift – Fulton bar Dumbbell – Right – 126.

Thor’s hammer – 28.

Side press – left – 50.

Side press – right – 50.

Janet Thompson.   Age – 67.    Bwt. – 164.5

Cheat curl – left – 20.

Cheat curl – right – 20.

Crucifix – 2 x 10 – 20.

Deadlift – dumbbell – left – 100.

Deadlift – dumbbell – right – 100.

Travis Djuren.  Age – 43.   Bwt – 365.

Reeves deadlift – 405.

Foot press – 1,435.

Deadlift – Inch bar – left – 147.

Deadlift – Inch bar –  right – 147.

Riley Wenzel.    Age – 20.    Bwt. – 158.

Maxey press – 135.

Foot press – 1,180.

Piper squat – 135.

Habecker lift – 225.

Goerner stroll – 210.

Logan Wenzel.     Age – 10.   Bwt. – 73.

Piper squat – 28.

Foot press – 230.

Deadlift – three-inch bar – 85.

Deadlift – Fulton bar – 75.

Deadlift – one leg – left – 28.

Jeff Wenzel.    Age – 50.     Bwt. – 228.

Piper squat – 305.

Maxey press – 185.

Foot press – 1,710.

Goerner stroll – 270.

Clark’s Gym Officials:

Allison Lupo.

Bill Clark.

Tony Lupo.

Dave DeForest.

Jeff Wenzel.

From High Vigour Gym, Colorado

Team lifts:

Diya Gupta.    Age – 18.     Bwt. – 108.1.

Nisha Gupta.      Age – 16.   Bwt. – 89.5.

Bench press – alternate grip – 70.

Bench press – hands together – 70.

Bench press – one arm -left – 30.

Bench press – one arm – right – 30.

Bench press – reverse grip – 70.

Sanjiv Gupta.     Age – 54.    Bwt. – 210.7.

Continental to chest – 165.

Continental snatch – 115.

Reflex clean and jerk – 135.

Reflex clean and push press – 245.

Goerner stroll – 270.

Jarrod Fobes.       Age – 48.   Bwt. 217.7.

Snatch – one arm – left – 65.

Side press – left – 65.

Zercher lift – one arm – left – 165.

Swing – dumbbell – left – 86.

Cheat curl – dumbbell – one arm -left – 89.

Colorado officials:

Sanjiv Gupta.

Jarrod Gupta.

Ontario, Canada.

Chris Frappier.    Age – 60.   Bwt. – 218.

Vertical bar – 2 bars – 2-inch – 150.

Vertical bar – l bar – 2-inch – left – 90.

Vertical bar – l bar – I inch – left – 150.

Lurch lift – 285.

Joe Somfay.    Age – 80.    Bwt. – 190.4.

Jefferson lift – little fingers – 85.

Vertical bar – 2 bars – two inch – 140.

Vertical bar – 2 bars – one inch – 210.

Vertical bar – 1 bar – left – 115.

Vertical bar – 1 bar – right – 120.

Jeremy Law.    Age – 44.   Bwt. – 268.2.

Vertical bar – two bars – two inch – 225.

Vertical bar – two bars – one inch – 220.

Vertical bar – one bar – two inch – left – 120

Vertical bar – one bar – one inch – right – 125.

Canadian officials:

Those lifting plus Kyle Frappier.

Buffville, Kentucky, Gym.

Patrick Hadley.    Age – 54.   Bwt. – 92.8 kg.

Reflex bench press – 250.

Bench press – dumbbell – left – 105.

Bench press – dumbbell – right – 105.

Clint Poore.   Age – 51.   Bwt. – 107.0 kg. (??) Report had a typo.

Reflex Bench press – 415.

Bench press – dumbbell – one hand – right – 130.

Bench press –  dumbbell – one hand – left – 120.

Aaron Rains.    Age – 32.   Bwt – 95.6.

Reflex bench press – 335.

Bench press – dumbbell – one arm – left – 125.

Bench press – dumbbell – one arm – right – 130.

Turkish get-up – 105.

Kentucky officials:

Clint Poore.

Patrick Hadley.

Frank’s Barbell Club – Walpole, MA

Lilliana Jones    Age  9    BWT   60 kg

Reverse Curl – 28.5 lb   13 kg

Finger Lift – Middle Right  – 32 lb   14.5 kg

Finger Lift – Middle Left – 32 lb      14.5 kg

Finger Lift – Index Left – 27 lb        12.25 kg

Fringer Lift – Index Right – 27 lb     12.25 kg

Jessica Hopps    Age 41    BWT 80 kg  

Finger Lift – Middle Right  – 75 lb     34 kg

Finger Lift – Middle Left – 75 lb      34 kg

Finger Lift – Ring Left – 55 lb        25 kg

Finger Lift – Ring Right – 55 lb     25 kg

Finger Lift – Index Left – 57 lb        25.8 kg

Dan Jones       Age 41      BWT 85 kg

Bench Press, One Arm Right – 56 lb     25.5 kg

Finger Lift – Ring Left  – 100 lb         45.5 kg

Finger Lift – Middle Left – 112 lb      50.9 kg

Finger Lift – Index Left – 100 lb        45.5 kg

Finger Lift – Index Right – 112 lb    50.9 kg

Wade Marchand      Age 56   BWT 75 kg

Finger Lift – Middle Right  – 102 lb     46.3 kg

Finger Lift – Middle Left – 97 lb      44 kg

Finger Lift – Ring Right – 77 lb        35 kg

Finger Lift – Index Right – 77 lb     35 kg

Finger Lift – Index Left – 77 lb        35 kg

Nils Larson       Age 65        BWT 115

Bench Press Hands Together – 226 lb  102.7 kg

Bench Press Alternate Grip – 156 lb    70.9 kg

Bench Press One Arm Left – 56 lb       25.5 kg

Bench Press One Arm Right – 56 lb       25.5 kg

Bench Press Reverse Grip – 156 lb      70.9 kg

Carl Puzin        Age 68      BWT 105 kg

Finger Lift – Middle Right – 97 lb      44 kg

Finger Lift – Ring Left – 67 lb        30.5 kg

Finger Lift – Little Right – 52 lb     23.6 kg

Squat, Overhead – 45 lb              20.5 kg

Pull Over Press, Wrestler’s Bridge – 45 lb   20.5 kg

Frank Ciavattone     Age 70    BWT   125 kg

Finger Lift – Little Right  – 80 lb     36.3 kg

Finger Lift – Little Left – 75 lb      34 kg

Finger Lift – Ring Right – 80 lb       36.3 kg

Finger Lift – Middle Right – 100 lb     45.5 kg

Finger Lift – Index Right – 100 lb        45.5 kg

Massachusetts Officials

Frank Ciavattone

Wade Marchand

Nils Larson

LATER THIS MONTH.

The IAWA World Postal must be completed not later than August 31. Clark’s Gym had won the three-man team competition in 2021-22-23, but fell to second place in 2024. We hope to return to the top and have at least three teams in the mix – including a female squad.

The entire Clark’s Gym team is eligible to lift,regardless of where you live, but your lifts must be judged on site.

Rest up for a couple of weeks and we will gather in the air-cooled comfort of Clark’s Gym later in the month to take on the world.

2025 Award Winners: Sportsman of the Year

Look up the word sportsman in the dictionary, and one of the definitions is a person who behaves sportingly, which is to say in a fair or generous manner. This describes the 2025 USAWA Sportsmanship Award winner David DeForest (pictured below). Many of us would also think of someone who is accomplished in the sport as well. Dave has more than 350 USAWA records which ranks 6th all-time and first in Clark’s gym. When he competes, it is with a “quiet intensity” that does not let the weight get the best of him. As a 30+ year veteran, his lifting techniques are often near perfect. At a meet, Dave will do what is asked of him without complaint. And you’ll never hear him be overly vocal or dramatic during his W’s or L’s on the floor. In Columbia, Dave is always available to the newer lifters in our gym to answer questions, help us improve technique, to load and spot, or to referee even if it means coming in when he’s not necessarily competing. He is also very humble about his own accomplishments, preferring instead to highlight his teammates. Dave is more than just another person in Clark’s gym. These days he’s enjoying the title grandpa and makes a mean apple cider from his apple orchard. That is not to be said (mean) in the academic sense! Congratulations David DeForest!

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