2016 September - National Capital Grip Championship (Part 1) - anwnate

[anwnate]

NCGC2

I should have wrote this a week ago.  The details are fading somewhat…but hopefully they are close.  

 

So April 16' rolled around and Tom Scibelli announced he was going to host a second National Capital Grip Championship, thereby creating an annual event.  In June, towards the end of SJ3 (with Tom in attendance) NCGC2 was announced…and based on the response, the event was going to be well attended.

 

The next 3 months passed fairly quickly.  After my first "sanctioned contest," I had a much greater appreciation for what a Grip Promoter does in preparation for a smooth competition.  Unbeknownst to most of us, Tom was working feverishly, attending to the hundred things he had on his "to do" list.  He squared up the implement weights, choked an entire set of grippers and cleaned out his basement for the comp…but these are just some of the "visible" signs of contest prep.  Most things go on behind the scenes.

 

At one point, Tom texted me with the first sketch he did for a Competition T-shirt.  It was pretty much badass.  To my surprise…he sketched it ON HIS PHONE!  Poof!  Mind blown. 

The closer we got to the comp…the more competitors signed up and the bigger the build-up got.  Dave Labbe signed on...which was pretty exciting.  Even with little "grip sport" experience, he could potentially set a record…the first time touching an implement.  I hadn't got to meet him, so I was pumped to see this "behemoth" in real life.  Additionally, Dan Fleming committed to coming all the way from Montreal, Quebec.  Whaaaa!?

 

To further the hype…it turned out there was going to be an Ironmind Red Nail Cert. to begin the day.  Anton Torrella had recently starting crushing FBBC Bastards in IMPs in as little as 7 seconds.  Since I was there when he bent his first nails, there was no chance I was going to miss this. 

 

Eventually, the numbers swelled from a 9 person contest in 2015…to a 19 person contest in 2016.  Even cooler, there were THREE women, FOUR Jr's and ONE Giant competing.  I'm pretty sure that combination is a record for a grip comp.  As it turned out, I ended up having heart surgery 3 weeks before the comp.  Because of this, I decided to attempt prudence (for once), and turn in my competitor status for the event. Since Mo Chakir and I live pretty close, we decided to carpool.     

 

Finally the day arrived (9/17/16).  I got up super early.  I like being outside in the quiet as the day begins. A cup of coffee in my hands, completes my moment of zen happiness.  Mo arrived at 7am and we got on the road right away.  The trip flew by uneventfully.  Somehow…I avoided a camera ticket in Maryland.  Although I've never been pulled over for speeding, I have donated to the Maryland highways several times via online bill/ticket pay.  

 

Anton called while we were driving…he was looking for food by Tom's house.  I wished him luck.  Time passed quickly as we talked a lot about grip.  Mo's nearly a complete newbie.  I got him started on it, just before SJ3.  He immediately picked up a 56lb block weight.  With a little bit of experience, his pinch could be stellar.  I had lent him some equipment so he could train the events, but grippers were still a mystery to him.  I think he had managed a 109 pre-comp.

 

So…for the second year in a row…I blew right by Tom's exit off the highway.  I feel like I should do it next year and cement the tradition.  My parking spot was obviously reserved for me (right up by the door), so I felt I should take advantage of it.  There were a number of people on the porch and damn…Tom's kids are growing like weeds.  I'd swear Jacob was taller since SJ3.  Speaking of which, they are some really good kids.  I must sound like a broken record to Tom, but they really impress me (which probably speaks volumes on your parenting).  I quickly ran into a tall wiry guy with a light scruff that encircled his jaw.  He had an infectious smile and seemed obviously happy to be there.  Those were my first impressions of the Canadian Dan Fleming.  Going into the house, I met up with Tom's wife and daughter and exchanged pleasantries.  Turned out she was visibly pregnant.  Tom's gonna be a daddy…again!  He and Martina will be blessed with a baby girl to even out the number of boys to girls.  Very cool.

 

Going downstairs to the gym (basement), it's impossible to remember who I met in what order.  Ace, Anthony, Amber, Brixton, Don, Gil, Maria, Pat, Patty, Tank, Tom…let's just go alphabetically.  I met up with Gil and he hooked me up with a non-shipped dub-hub and stirrup.  Soon after…the entire basement went dark (slight exaggeration), when the largest human I have ever seen in person (no exaggeration) came down the stairs and very nearly smashed a light bulb.  He spent the whole time hunched over.  Dave Labbe is at least 6' 7" and 313 pounds of shredded muscle.  When I say his arms are larger than my legs…I don't mean that in an exaggerated funny way.  I'm serious.

 

Turns out, Dave's shadow even lifts…and carried with it his father-in-law and armwrestler Gary Kessler.  I hadn't seen Gary since NCGC1 and it was good to say hello again.  I had recently talked about Gary with the Pick Up Artists (Charlotte, NC) and they gave him much respect.  There was the usual chat fiesta amongst all of us prior to the start time.  Eventually "Grape and Guts" and Michael Rabich returned and Tom attempted to wrangle us up by the grippers.

 

I should take a pause and mention one of the very cool things Tom employed in this contest.  He hooked up his laptop to a Big Screen TV (36"?) so everyone could follow along from afar.  Since I had asked Tom how I could help, he had sat me in front of the laptop.  I was to do data entry…and I was totally cool with that.  However, I wasn't all that familiar with Excel and almost always use a mouse, so I screwed up numerous times pretty much through the first two events.  Thankfully A. the TV was there so I had like 8 people bird-dogging me, and B.  I caught on eventually.  Someone (Pat?) taught me a neat trick with an "F4" key.  There was a weird little bug (to me) that would continue coloring a column if an arrow was used.  But as I said…I eventually caught on and was more of a help than a hindrance.  I also became a little needler to the competitors.  They'd come over to state their next lift and without fail, I tried talking them into something 1kg heavier.  It was all in good fun and I'm pretty sure no one who took my number failed because of the jump.  Anthony specifically should have taken my advice.  He nailed his attempts…probably leaving quite a bit on the table.  Here's the little corner I sat (and sweat in) for most of the comp.  

After Tom gave us the low-down, it was time for Anton to wreak some havoc on the "Red."  We all congregated over by the washing machine as Anton was wrapping over there.  Tom opened the package and took out the 3 Reds.  I was immediately confused.  These nails did not look like any Red I had seen in the last 4 years.  They were not "spirals."  They were not "spotted."  Basically…they didn't even resemble any CRS I've seen.  They pretty much looked exactly like Drill Rod.  I didn't make a big deal about it…didn't want to mess with Anton's head.  He had just obliterated an "M" Drill Rod and felt quite ready.  For the non-benders reading this…a Red is approximately between an "M" and an "N."  Basically, if Anton just smashed an "M" in 10 seconds…he should cert. the Red…even if it took 45 seconds.

 

Anton prepped the nail, got rid of the rubber bands and made minute adjustments to the pads in preparation for the kink.  He leaned back, tucked the nail under his chin and threw himself into the nail.  You could tell immediately there was something wrong.  There wasn't the movement that he (or us) expected.  He took another mighty swing at it.  It moved a tiny bit and froze.  After like 40 seconds, I counseled him to stop.  He could always start anew on another nail later.  He relented and inspected both the nail and his fingers.  I think the bar was moved to a 7-10deg wobble.  His right index finger was a little torn open.  Pretty much in shock…Anton headed upstairs to collect himself.  He may have had a beer or two (or ten) to dull the mental anguish.

 

I know that shock…intimately.  At my first CoC #3 attempt, I gave it my all in my first two tries.  At that point…a shock came over me with the realization that I pretty much failed.  Much like being surrounded by a bunch of gripsters, I had my wife, daughter, father-in-law watching my attempt…not to mention Steve Weiner as my referee. Sure I continued until my finger was completely torn up…but I never could get that last bit of the close.  Basically I was completely stunned.  For good or bad, I followed Anton upstairs and found him in that same stunned silence.  I suggested he change his hand placement slightly.  Not only would it take the pressure away from the tear, I believed it would offer him better leverage.  He decided he would calm down and make another attempt later in the comp.

 

Choked Grippers.  I thought this was a great choice for an event.  It's seldom contested and is very friendly to those who either have small hands, a poor set or train grippers infrequently.  Man…some crazy stuff went down here.  Knowing my own penchant for a large jump going from set grippers to choked grippers, I brought almost all of my heavy (200lb+) grippers.  Gil proved me right by closing my 223 (heaviest I brought) on his 2nd! attempt.  He basically had to sit out his other attempts.  I hear by dub Mr. Goodman as "the Gil-a Monster."  Dan Fleming closed "The Yeti" gripper (200lb CPW…very very hard number to acquire)…at 175lbs.  Damn!  I'd also like to include something that most people didn't know about.  Mo continued to close choked grippers after the event was over…ending on a successful CPW146 #3.  He's only touched grippers a handful of times…goes to show you how important setting is.    Even not participating…I loved the choked gripper event.  However, because it's seldom contested, not many people really knew what their best closes should have been.

BSS "Flask" (1HP).  As an onlooker, I can't say for sure…but the general consensus seemed to be that the humidity and/or the chalk situation seemed to drag the numbers down slightly.  Here again, Fleming continued to impress…matching Gil's 39kg pull.  Trying to avoid entry screw ups, I didn't see much of the event…but I got a real trip out of Maria.  Anyone thinking that ladies don't take this seriously, never saw Maria pace back and forth…pumping herself up for her next attempt.  Also, and I'm not gonna name names…there might have been a choice word that slipped out now and then from our lady competitors.  There was no "phoning it in" in this comp.

Continued in Part 2

[Squeezus]

Link to Part II for the lazy.