2007 NAPF North American Regional Bench Press Championships
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The following is my report on the 2nd NAPF North American Regional Bench Press Championships that took place in Oranjestad, Aruba on October 26 & 27, 2007.
1. The competition was directed by Mr. William Woodley, the President of the Aruba Powerlifting Championships. Once again, William did a great job in organizing and directing this championship. 2. The equipment for the championship met all IPF specifications: ER Equipment w/safety stands, Ivanko bar/collars, as well as Ivanko/Eleiko weights. We used Joe Marksteiner's Scoring Program. Special thanks to Joe! 3. I would also like to extend a special thank you, once again, to the Aruba Weightlifting for allowing the Aruba Powerlifting Federation to use their equipment and for assisting with the overall direction of this championship. 4. Overall, 17 athletes from 6 member federations took part. The member federations being Aruba, Canada, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Mexico and USA. I have attached a copy of the results for your review and for Kalevi to update the rankings. 5. Upon investigation, the low turnout was attributed to the flights originating out of Central America and Caribbean having to connect through Miami. The USA now requires a [Transit Travel Visa] through Miami for citizens of the countries of the Caribbean and Central America. Needless to say, obtaining this [special transit visa is both costly and time consuming. 6. As for the championship, I split the lifters into 2 flights with a 10 minute break between groups for media purposes. The competition was highlighted by Dennis Cieri, from the USA and this year's IPF World Champion, successfully attempting a 275kg bench press, at 90kg. Over 12 regional records were set at this year's event. The spotting and loading was very good and the officiating was solid without any complaints. Most important, there was a great deal of camaraderie between the athletes, which was nice to see. The medal ceremonies were held at the conclusion of the lifting. 7. Key and important, I would like to note, yet again, for the second consecutive year in a row, there were NO bomb outs at this championship. At the technical meeting, the day before the competition, we spoke on the importance of selecting opening attempts the athletes were capable of making, and to ensure their gear [bench press shirts] fit correctly. Having a lifters meeting, prior to the competition is just one way to address the high rate of bombs that are occurring in the World and International Bench Press Championships. 8. The WADA/Anti-doping personnel from the Aruba Olympic Committee were on hand to handle the doping controls. All of the athletes completed the IPF Anti-doping control form. Overall, two [2] samples were taken, which exceeds the 10% threshold. The samples were sent to the Cologne Laboratory in Germany. Additionally, as part of the Aruba Federation's development, they are going to host 3 to 4 Anti-doping seminars for their athletes, next year, by their anti-doping organization. 9. The championship hotel and venue were first class. The Holiday-Inn Sunspree Resort was site of the championship and lodging. The competition was held in the Conference Ballroom of the hotel, which made it very convenient for both spectators and lifters. All pickups at the airport were made on time and without delay. There were NO inflated hotel room costs, and a plentiful and generous breakfast buffet was on hand for all guest and athletes during the course of our stay that was included with the price of the hotel room. The multiple restaurants in the hotel all were especially good. The hotel was located directly on the beach, no less than 40 feet from the ocean. I am enclosing a link to the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort: http://www.aruba.sunspreeresorts.com 10. The surrounding area around the hotel included numerous shops and restaurants. A paradise for sightseers. 11. The Aruba media, which included television, radio, and newspapers, were on hand to cover the event. So there was plenty of media exposure. Please find enclosed a link to the Radio Station's coverage of the event: http://www.magic965.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=537 12. On Saturday evening, at the conclusion of the event, a banquet was held, which included an awards presentation for best lifters and the top three teams. Certificates were prepared and given to each athlete. 13. Next year's championship will take in San Jose, Costa Rica. We are projecting a much larger turnout, somewhere between 60 - 70 lifters, as it will be located in Central America. Dr. Hugo Velasquez will be the competition director, and no doubt will do a superb job. A great competition and special thanks goes out to the Aruba Federation and Mr. William Woodley for directing a super competition! Robert Keller NAPF General Secretary IPF North American Region www.usapowerlifting.com/IPF-NorthAmerica |