USAWA

This is the inaugural installation of the High Country Vigour Cup.  I originally wanted to do a simple record day to close out the season. With the excitement of the President’s Cup and the Gold Cup, it seemed like a fun idea for athletes to show off a special lift for themselves.  The local athletes did not disappoint, and we had an incredible (20) remote lifters join in the fun.

I admired Nisha’s courage on the Steinborn Lift.  After making 33 pounds and 44 pounds, she failed a 54-pound attempt.

Elijah shined with a third attempt on the pull up to get his chin over the bar with 20 pounds hanging from weight belt.

Kim’s Piper Lift seemed really solid at 80 pounds.  I realized just how solid when I tried to do the lift.

Jarrod’s pulling power is just amazing.  He held the 60-pound chin up to make sure he was clearly over the bar without any doubt.

It is harder for me to evaluate the remote lifters. 

Columbia, Missouri had some amazing lifts.  I have never performed a Back Lift or a Phumchaona Lift.  Lisa (Backlift – 700 lb) is an ALL age record.  Tony and Jeff improved their benchmarks on the Phumchaona and Travis Luther became the lightest athlete to set a record in the lift.

In a second batch of entries, Janet (Neck Lift – 155 lb), Allison Lupo (Carter Lift – 407 lb), Dave DeForest and Tim Market with Scott Lifts, Bill Clark with a phenomenal 200 lb Roman Chair Situp (the 5^th highest lift ever recorded), Dave Beversdorf (Deadlift 12” Base – 450 lb), Riley Wenzel (Jefferson Lift, Fulton Bar – 320 lb) and Logan Wenzel (Back Extension – 50 lb).

In a final entry, John Carter recorded the highest all ages, all weight classes Phumchaona lift at 1,227 pounds.

Pennsylvania had some impressive lifts as well.  The dumbbell cheat curl always puts a lot of strain on my biceps and Barry’s 45-pound effort is an improvement over his 2024 record at 40 pounds.  Not to be outdone, Jerome’s 225 Fulton Bar Hack Lift broke a long-standing record and is the ALL ages heaviest lift in the 110kg class.

Massachusetts had a solid crew of athletes as well.  Jessica Hopps, Dan Jones, Frank Ciavattone, Nils Larson and Wade Marchand decided to only perform record session lifts and did not offer a lift for the Cup. Unofficially, I was most impressed by Jessica’s Peoples Deadlift (209 lb.); Dan’s Bearhug (215 lb.); Frank’s Jefferson Lift, Little Fingers (115 lb.); Nils’ Bearhug (188 lb); and Wade’s Bearhug (188lb).

Best Junior Women – Nisha Gupta
Best Junior Men – Elijah Conley
Best Open Women – NA
Best Open Men – Travis Luther
Best Masters Women – Lisa Gore
Best Masters Men – John Carter

Now for the extremely subjective declaration of the winner:

1. John Carter – 1,227 lb. Phumchaona Lift
2. Bill Clark – 200 lb. Roman Chair Situp
3. Jerome Licini – 225 lb. Hack Lift – Fulton Bar
4. Lisa Gore – 700 lb. Back Lift
5. Jarrod Fobes – 60 lb. Chin Up

COMPLETE RESULTS:

Location: High Country Vigour, Lakewood, CO and remote
Meet Director: Sanjiv Gupta
Dates: November 7, 2025

Officials:  Sanjiv Gupta, Jarrod Fobes, Nisha Gupta, Jerome Licini, Barry Pensyl, Bill Clark, Tony Lupo, Jeff Wenzel, Dave DeForest, Allison Lupo, Jessica Hopps, Dan Jones, Frank Ciavattone, Nils Larson, Wade Marchand

As USAWA rules and IAWA rules are different, no lifts will be submitted for IAWA records.

NISHA GUPTA, AGE – 16, BWT. – 85.4 pounds (40 KG Class)
STEINBORN LIFT – 44 lb.
Records:
TEAM DEADLIFT (w/Sanjiv) – 315 lb.

ELIJAH CONLEY, AGE – 18, BWT. – 151.2 pounds (70 KG Class)
PULL UP – 20 lb.
Records:
CHIN UP – 20 lb.
HACK LIFT – 135 lb.
REEVES DEADLIFT – 120 lb.

KIM VAN WAGNER, AGE – 58, BWT. – 126.6 pounds (60 KG Class)
PIPER SQUAT – 80 lb.
Records:
HACK LIFT, FULTON BAR – 145 lb.
REEVES DEADLIFT – 100 lb.
CLEAN & PRESS, ALTERNATE GRIP – 65 lb.
CLEAN & PRESS, BEHIND NECK – 60 lb.

JARROD FOBES, AGE – 48, BWT. – 220 pounds (100 KG Class)
CHIN UP – 60 lb.
Records:
PULL UP – 40 lb.
SWING, 2 DUMBBELLS – 100 lb.
REEVES DEADLIFT – 281 lb.
PIPER SQUAT – 155 lb.

SANJIV GUPTA, AGE – 54, BWT. – 214 pounds (100 KG Class)
APOLLONS LIFT – 143 lb.
Records:
TEAM DEADLIFT (w/Nisha) – 315 lb.
SNATCH, FULTON BAR – 103 lb.
REEVES DEADLIFT – 280 lb.
PIPER SQUAT – 115 lb.

Officials: Sanjiv Gupta, Nisha Gupta, Jarrod Fobes

LISA GORE, AGE – 60, BWT. – 225 pounds (105 KG Class)
BACK LIFT – 700 lb.
Records:
RIM LIFT – 210 lb.
DEADLIFT, 3” BAR – 185 lb.
ANDERSON PRESS – 105 lb.
BENCH PRESS, ALTERNATE GRIP – 110 lb.
BENCH PRESS, REVERSE GRIP – 110 lb.

TRAVIS LUTHER, AGE – 32, BWT – 174 pounds (80 KG Class)
PHUMCHAONA LIFT – 1145 lb.
Records:
JUDD CLEAN & JERK – 115 lb.
DEADLIFT, ONE LEG, LEFT – 225 lb.
DEADLIFT, 3” BAR – 365 lb.

JEFF WENZEL, AGE – 50, BWT. – 224 pounds (105 KG Class)
PHUMCHAONA LIFT – 1155 lb.
Records:
RIM LIFT – 370 lb.
RECTANGULAR FIX – 100 lb.
HOLDOUT, LOWERED – 75 lb.
JERK, FROM RACK, BEHIND NECK – 140 lb.
JUDD CLEAN & JERK – 85 lb.

TONY LUPO,AGE – 59, BWT. – 244 pounds (115 KG Class)
PHUMCHAONA LIFT – 945 lb.
Records:
CARTER LIFT – 925 lb.
CONTINENTAL TO CHEST & JERK – 142 lb.
ANDERSON PRESS – 150 lb.
RIM LIFT – 285 lb.
SWING, 2 DUMBBELLS – 2×45 = 90 lb.

JANET THOMPSON,AGE – 68, BWT. – 164 pounds (75 KG Class)
NECK LIFT – 155 lb.

ALLISON LUPO,AGE – 59, BWT. – 196 pounds (90 KG Class)
CARTER LIFT – 407 lb.
Records:
BACK EXTENSION – 55 lb.
ROMAN CHAIR SITUP – 60 lb.
RECTANGULAR FIX, FULTON BAR – 30 lb.
CLEAN & PRESS – 50 lb.
CLEAN & SEATED PRESS – 40 lb.

DAVE DEFOREST,AGE – 65, BWT. – 184 pounds (85 KG Class)
SCOTT LIFT – 150 lb.
Records:
DEADLIFT, FINGERS, INDEX – 136 lb.
RIM LIFT – 255 lb.
CLEAN & JERK, BEHIND NECK – 115 lb.
CLEAN & JERK, FULTON BAR – 105 lb.
CLEAN & PRESS, FULTON BAR – 105 lb.

BILL CLARK,AGE – 93, BWT. – 204 pounds (95 KG Class)
ROMAN CHAIR SITUP – 200 lb.
Records:
ABDOMINAL RAISE – 25 lb.

TIM MARKET,AGE – 19, BWT. – 165 pounds (75 KG Class)
SCOTT LIFT – 150 lb.
Records:
SAXON DEADLIFT – 70 lb.
SAXON SNATCH – 50 lb.
BACK EXTENSION – 65 lb.
DEADLIFT, 3” BAR – 195 lb.
DEADLIFT, 12” BASE – 215 lb.

DAVE BEVERSDORF,AGE – 60, BWT. – 300 pounds (125+ KG Class)
DEADLIFT, 12” BASE – 450 lb.
Records:
PEOPLES DEADLIFT – 505 lb.

RILEY WENZEL,AGE – 20, BWT. – 150 pounds (70 KG Class)
JEFFERSON LIFT, FULTON BAR – 320 lb.
Records:
PINCH GRIP DEADLIFT, LEFT – 87 lb.
PINCH GRIP DEADLIFT, RIGHT – 87 lb.
HOLDOUT, LOWERED – 65 lb.
LATERAL RAISE, STANDING – 60 lb.
SCOTT LIFT – 170 lb.

LOGAN WENZEL,AGE – 10, BWT. – 76 pounds (35 KG Class)
BACK EXTENSION – 50 lb.
Records:
BENCH PRESS, ONE ARM, LEFT – 10 lb.
BENCH PRESS, ONE ARM, RIGHT – 10 lb.
BENCH PRESS, HANDS TOGETHER – 28 lb.
BENCH PRESS, TWO DUMBBELLS – 20 lb.
ABDOMINAL RAISE – 5 lb.

JOHN CARTER,AGE – 67, BWT. – 195 pounds (90 KG Class)
PHUMCHAONA LIFT – 1,227 lb.
Records:
CARTER LIFT – 1,327 lb.
WEAVER STICK, FRONT – 3 lb.
WEAVER STICK, BACK – 5 lb.

Officials: Bill Clark, Tony Lupo, Jeff Wenzel, Dave DeForest, Allison Lupo

JEROME LICINI,AGE – 67, BWT. – 238 pounds (110 KG Class)
HACK LIFT, FULTON BAR – 225 lb.
Records:
DEADLIFT, FULTON BAR – 250 lb.
RECTANGULAR FIX, FULTON BAR – 43 lb.
MAXEY PRESS – 43 lb.
WEAVER STICK, FRONT – 2 lb.
WEAVER STICK, BACK – 1 lb.

BARRY PENSYL,AGE – 77, BWT. – 125 pounds (60 KG Class)
CURL, CHEAT, DUMBBELL, RIGHT – 45 lb.
Records:
KENNEDY LIFT – 255 lb.
CURL, CHEAT – 76 lb.

Officials: Barry Pensyl, Jerome Licini

JESSICA HOPPS,AGE – 41, BWT. – 160 pounds (75 KG Class)
NA
Records:
PEOPLES DEADLIFT – 209 lb.
SNATCH, DUMBBELL, LEFT – 35 lb.
SNATCH, DUMBBELL, RIGHT – 40 lb.
PINCH GRIP DEADLIFT, LEFT – 36 lb.
PINCH GRIP DEADLIFT, RIGHT – 38 lb.

DAN JONES,AGE – 41, BWT. – 174 pounds (80 KG Class)
NA
Records:
CLEAN & SEATED PRESS, 2 DUMBBELLS – 111 lb.
RH Dumbell Strict Curl – G21 – 40 lb.***Not a USAWA lift, ineligible for USAWA Records
DEADLIFT, FULTON DUMBBELL, LEFT – 134 lb.
DEADLIFT, FULTON DUMBBELL, RIGHT – 124 lb.
BEARHUG – 215 lb.

FRANK CIAVATTONE,AGE – 70, BWT. – 271 pounds (125 KG Class)
NA
Records:
JEFFERSON LIFT, INDEX FINGERS – 170 lb.
JEFFERSON LIFT, MIDDLE FINGERS – 155 lb.
JEFFERSON LIFT, RING FINGERS – 155 lb.
JEFFERSON LIFT, LITTLE FINGERS – 115 lb.
BENCH PRESS, ALTERNATE GRIP – 125 lb.

NILS LARSON,AGE – 66, BWT. – 238 pounds (110 KG Class)
NA
Records:
BEARHUG – 188 lb.
DEADLIFT, FULTON DUMBBELL, LEFT – 124 lb.
DEADLIFT, FULTON DUMBBELL, RIGHT – 124 lb.
CLEAN & SEATED PRESS – 110 lb.
CLEAN & SEATED PRESS, 2 DUMBBELLS – 100 lb.

WADE MARCHAND,AGE – 56, BWT. – 165 pounds (75 KG Class)
NA
Records:
CLEAN & PUSH PRESS, DUMBBELLS – 100 lb.
CLEAN & SEATED PRESS – 106 lb.
BEARHUG – 188 lb.
DEADLIFT, FULTON DUMBBELL, LEFT – 115 lb.
DEADLIFT, FULTON DUMBBELL, RIGHT – 120 lb.

Officials: Jessica Hopps, Dan Jones, Frank Ciavattone, Nils Larson, Wade Marchand