2018 April - Bay State Bending Bash 1 - Carl Donati Jr.

[Buccos1]

Bay State Bending Bash 1
April 28, 2018

I have been dying to compete in a bending-only competition since the "Beast in the East" days (2011-12), which was the last real bending comp in the states.  So when there was talk about having a bending comp at Kevin's in Massachusetts, I was instantly excited and almost 100% from Day 1.  I remember talking after the BitE 2 about the next one, but as it turned out, it never happened and here it was 6 years later.  I am also keenly aware that I am not going to be able to keep doing this indefinitely, especially at a higher, competitive level, and as I approach the decade mark in active bending and my mid-40s, my days are numbered.  Essentially, I was as enthusiastic for this comp as I had ever been about anything else and was not going to miss it for anything.

When the events were announced, I was a little concerned about the braced events, as I had never done snapping.  And I knew Kevin and Don were already aces at it.  Also, I had not done 5/8" stock in years, and my best days with these bars were long past (2011-12).  I had not really planned on doing much of this either, aside from horseshoes, prior to the announcement.  So, when I started back up, all of the pains came back, and it was very humbling to be struggling with 5/8 x 30" stock.  The snapping was brutal, and I had spent almost 20 minutes trying to get my first 3/8" bar.  I stuck with this diameter throughout training, but was only able to get it in just under 10 minutes, so I knew that it would cost me in the standings.  But, as it turned out, snapping was a lot of fun and will definitely be a part of my future training.

Fast forward to departure day.  After having gotten the rental car and the kids squared away, we were off to Massachusetts.  This was my first trip into Connecticut and Massachusetts.  The ride turned out to be almost 11 hours, and we didn't get in to about 8:00.  This was mainly due to traffic backups in Connecticut, which made absolutely no sense.  We'd hit a traffic jam for 15 minutes, then it opened up, and then a few miles later, it backed up again.  There were no merge points or real reasons for the traffic, which was frustrating.  As soon as we got out of Connecticut, it opened back up.

We decided to stay in Worcester, which gave us a lot of things to do/places to visit etc.  (This was also a mini-vacation for my wife and I, as we don't get to do too much with two kids under 3.)  The trip to Kevin's in the morning was pretty quick and took about 35 minutes.  Immediately upon arrival, we were greeted by Kevin, Nate and Don.  Kevin's set-up was awesome, and it was obvious of the amount of time and effort he had put into making this happen.  Shortly after our arrival, everyone else started to arrive and we were ready to go.  

In the months leading up to this competition, everything went well and as planned.  I am not where I was years ago, but am happy with how my training went and where my bends were at (aside from snapping, which will continue to improve).  I was also very fortunate to avoid any serious injuries or issues in training.  

Double Overhand
435 - good
455 - good
pass

My training with double overhand leading up to the comp was OK.  I haven't really pushed it in years, but have aimed to stay in the 460-470 range.  The 435 was an easy first attempt and the 455 was pretty fast.  The next available bar was a 21/64 x 7" (475) which I decided to pass on, as it wouldn't have helped me in the standings after Don got the 500.  (Don killed it too, which was very impressive!)

Double Underhand
360 - good
390 - good
425 - good

I was happy with 425 and was probably good for a little higher on this day, but was happy to finish first in this event.  My mistake was opening a little too low, which could have hurt me if things went in a different direction.  But, all three bends felt really strong.

Reverse
280 - good
325 - good
pass

Throughout my entire bending career, I haven't spent more than a few weeks at a time with reverse.  Leading up to this comp, was the longest I had ever spent training reverse.  I was happy to have gotten 325 and might have been good for a little more, but it wouldn't have helped me in the standings.

Braced
5/8 x 30" - good
5/8 x 26" - good

With the comp. adrenaline, the 30" bar felt like I was bending 5/16" stock.  Prior to the past few months, I had taken years off from braced-bar bending, and progress has been slow and steady with the 5/8" stuff.  A few months ago, I was having some difficulty with 30-31" bars and a lot of pain.  This was a totally different experience than earlier in the decade and very humbling to be having trouble with bars that I used to bend with ease.  But, sticking with it and working through those early sessions reignited the passion for it and the technique and pain conditioning started to return.  In recent weeks, I was able to bend a 5/8 x 26" bar in just under 2 minutes.  But, it was a tough bend and I wasn't 100% confident going into this event, at this length.  As it turned out, the comp adrenaline, again, gave me a boost, and the 26" bar fell pretty quickly.  Unfortunately, I had some difficulty during the kink, and wasted too much time.  If I had kinked it on my knee (despite injury-related pain), it would have been close matching Don's bend.  

Snapping
5/16 x 12" - good

I knew going in that this event would be my weakness (in comparison to Kevin and Don).  I have bent 3/8" stock in training, but my best times have hovered around 10 minutes.  So, I decided to bypass the 3/8" stock and do the hardest 5/16" level, which I was able to get in under 2 minutes.  But, it was amazing watching Don and Kevin on the snapping.  

Overall: 2nd place

Final Thoughts

The event itself was awesome and well worth the trip and training leading up to it.  It was great to meet some guys from the board for the first time too.  I knew going in that Don would be very tough to beat and he didn't disappoint, as he was strong all-around.  Congratulations again.  Neal is a beast and has a great future in bending.  I loved seeing the enthusiasm which was contagious.  Bill and Brandon brought a grill and supplied the meat which was awesome and much-appreciated.  Kevin was a great  host and put a ton of time into this, which turned out to be an epic event.  It was great to see Anton and Jose again and Anton kept things lively, with his commentary throughout and his intensity.  Nate was taking pictures and videos throughout the day, which was appreciated, as these things don't happen that frequently.  It was a blast and very much appreciated from all-involved.  Hopefully, this happens again, and everyone is able to train well, stay injury-free and compete!

[Anton.Torrella]

It was great seeing you again Carl - your double underhand was real impressive and after the kink you wrapped up that 5/8 x 26" like it was a joke - I was impressed how tactical you were with your selection even in the midst of battle - I'm still amazed how after the steel snapping you whipped out those horseshoes for some post-comp bending - you beast! It was a great time, stay strong, and look forward to seeing you again at the next comp!

[Buccos1]

1 hour ago, Anton.Torrella said:

It was great seeing you again Carl - your double underhand was real impressive and after the kink you wrapped up that 5/8 x 26" like it was a joke - I was impressed how tactical you were with your selection even in the midst of battle - I'm still amazed how after the steel snapping you whipped out those horseshoes for some post-comp bending - you beast! It was a great time, stay strong, and look forward to seeing you again at the next comp!

Thanks Anton!  It was a blast.  Couldn't have been happier to get a chance to compete again.  You killed some crazy steel too.  Awesome to see the intensity during the bends!

[Anton.Torrella]

Hah thanks!

[Buccos1]

Here is the braced event.  Not close to the shortest bar I've done, but definitely the fastest.  The comp adrenaline made a huge difference!  (Sorry about the poor quality phone video.)

5/8 x 26" A36