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MN USAPL NEWS
World Games and Raw Nationals 2009 Report.
Two major events and we have Minnesota at both this year.
World Games Kaohsiung, Tapei
Two of our finest traveled to the other side of the world to represent the United States and Minnesota at what is considered the Olympics for Powerlifting. This is because the World Games is Part of the International Olympic Committee and is attended by 20 different countries with an assortment of events along with Powerlifting.
What also makes this event unique is that the weight classes are reduced to 4 and done by wilks to determine placing.For the heavyweight division we have Nick Tylutki coming in at 6th place with a 870 kilo total. This is despite being able to post a limited number of attempts which included a 350 kilo squat.
Multi World and National Champion and veteran to the World Games placed 4th place in the superheavyweights. Met with some challenges in the opening squat and 1st and 3rd attempts in the bench, but returned with his signature deadlift of 387.5 giving him the 4th place finish. Nick and Brads efforts helped secure a silver for team USA at this event.
Brad Gillingham
Squat: 382.5
Bench Press: 265
Deadlift: 378.5
Nick Tylutki
Squat: 350
Bench Press: 215
Deadlift: 325
For full results go here.
Raw Nationals Charlottesville Virginia.
Meet Report: 2009 USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals Dates: July 24-26, 2009 Location: Charlottesville, Virginia By: Joe Warpeha The second-ever USA Powerlifting Raw Nationals just wrapped up and I have to say the event was an overwhelming success and has built on last year’s inaugural event. There were over 170 lifters at this year’s competition which is up from last year. The meet directors say that there would have been over 200 lifters if they would have allowed people to register after the deadline. Meet directors John Shifflett and Will Morris ran an outstanding event. The accommodations provided by the Doubletree Hotel were first rate. For those interested in American history, the host city of Charlottesville, Virginia is full of it ranging from Thomas Jefferson’s home (Monticello) to Civil War battles to the nearly 200-year-old University of Virginia (founded by Thomas Jefferson). The warmup area and platform were first-rate and the platform equipment included ER combo racks and Ivanko bars and plates.
This report will focus on the lifters representing Minnesota including two from just over the border in Superior, Wisconsin. Two platforms were run on Friday to accommodate the 80-or-so lifters competing on the first day. I lifted in the afternoon session on Friday in the Open-181 class and went 7 for 9 with 303-319-435-1080 which was good for 4th place in the Open. For me, those were numbers within the range I was expecting and I was happy getting all of my first and second attempts and going 3 for 3 in the deadlift and tying a personal best. And no, I did not mix up my squat and bench numbers - my first 10 years in the sport was as a bench-only lifter and I have only been training the squat for about a year-and-half so I still have a lot of work to do. As difficult as it is getting used to squat training, I am really enjoying becoming a better-rounded lifter.
Ray Law and Robert Trettin are both from Superior, Wisconsin but I consider them part of the Minnesota family. Rob just graduated from Carleton College in Northfield, MN and Ray will be moving to Duluth in a few weeks. Both were also crucial in making the Twin Ports Raw Open run as well as it did (Ray was the announcer and Rob was a platform spotter). Ray and Rob are both relatively young at 24 and 22, respectively, but had a great powerlifting upbringing coming up through Wisconsin’s high school system. Both of these guys lifted in the 220’s on Saturday afternoon - Rob went Junior and Open and Ray lifted in the Open. This was a very deep and competitive class with 16 Open lifters.
I think Ray Law came up a bit shorter than he had wanted with 440-303-501-1245 but I know this is just the beginning for him. I saw him squat 500 and pull 550 just a couple of weeks before the contest so I know he is good for a lot more than his results suggest. His next planned meet is Hudson so look for big things to come from Ray Law. I have never personally known someone that really lives and breathes powerlifting more than Ray. I think with a few more meets under his belt Ray’s true abilities will become known. I also know that Ray was battling some injuries during his training cycle and I have no doubt that he was slowed down a bit by this as he had to take some time off from training and could not always go as hard as he wanted to. Ray has been instrumental in the planning for a powerlifting gym up in the Twin Ports area and hopefully within the next year that will come together and we can add a facility to that dying breed of powerlifting gyms.
Rob Trettin went 7 for 9 with 501-407-562-1471 and broke the Junior American record in the bench press as well as the Junior National Meet records for the squat, bench press, and total. Rob is one the calmest and collected lifters I ever seen in the warmup area and on the platform and really seemed to enjoy himself the entire time - if he was nervous, no one knew it. Rob picked up first place in the Junior division and sixth place in the Open on his way to a 410 Wilks score which clears the first hurdle on the way to the Arnold Classic (lifters need at least a 400 Wilks score to be eligible for selection). Rob weighed in 6 pounds light at 214 and has a lot of growing to do to fully fill out his frame. Look for big numbers from this technically proficient guy in the 220’s and 242’s over the next few years.
Twenty-four year old Ben Bittner rounds out the Minnesota contingent at this year’s Raw Nationals. I do not know Ben personally so I can only report on his numbers. Ben also lifted in the 220’s and went 7 for 9 with 446-281-622-1350. Ben had the fourth best deadlift in the very deep 220 class and I expect that we will be seeing great things from him in the future. Full results of the entire meet can be found here:
http://www.usapowerliftingforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=7729
Angela Simons (past Minnesota state chair and current secretary of USA Powerlifting) did everything but lift at this year’s Raw Nationals. As an official she did weigh-ins and equipment check and worked the scorer’s table. She also coached several lifters including multiple Open first place finishers. I can not think of anyone who does more in terms of volunteering on a yearly basis at local, national, and international meets. I know meet directors, technical secretaries, and lifters all breathe a collective sigh of relief when Angela shows up because there is not a single role she can not perform. Next year’s Raw Nationals will be held in Denver, Colorado in July. I have no doubt that Minnesota has some of the strongest lifters in the country. I am convinced that Minnesota could field a team at next year’s Raw Nationals that would easily win the team title. I can already think of men and women in each weight class that would place in the top three and many that would win. I will probably bring up the topic when the new year starts to see what the interest level is. The only thing that changes after this year’s Raw Nationals is that single-ply, neoprene knee sleeves are the only style of knee sleeves allowed - this went into effect for all raw lifting in USA Powerlifting beginning Monday, July 27, 2009. Also, to qualify for Raw Nationals, lifters need only a raw total in a meet sanctioned by USA Powerlifting.
On a side note I have to say the most impressive thing I saw at the whole meet, and maybe the most impressive thing I have ever seen my with own eyes, was Jennifer Thompson bench pressing 281 pounds at a bodyweight of 131 pounds. She OPENED with more than a double bodyweight raw bench press. Earlier this year she bench pressed 286@130 which, as far as I know, is the greatest bodyweight to bench press ratio for a raw bench by a female in history. I met Jennifer at the meet and I can honestly say that I have never met a nicer and humbler person than her. She is truly a great representative of our sport. By the way, her squat and deadlift are also awesome and she won the best female lifter award. Her meet video has been posted here: