2018 October - King Kong - San Diego Venue - Hubgeezer

[Hubgeezer]

First, a word about Eric Roussin. The planning, logistics, and participation were really something. But the number of countries and continents working together effectively is practically incomprehensible. I suspect that only the temperament of a Canadian could successfully pull something like this off. Thank you Eric!

This was my second "King Kong" contest. The other time I participated was in 2016, in a tiny corner of a rock climbing gym 100 miles north of me, and the total of officials, onlookers, friends, and athletes was three. 

This time, two years later, there were 17 male competitors, 5 female competitors, an army of volunteers and judges, scores of people watching, all inside the San Diego Convention Center at the first San Diego "Fit Expo", with thousands of people present. Just a little different this time around. It was produced by Riccardo Magni and Odd Haugen. Saturday was Day One, and had some MAS Wrestling exhibitions mixed in a bit after some events of King Kong. On Day Two there was going to be a Vise Grip Viking Haugen/Armlifting contest. About a quarter of the group was participating. 

The schedule was a bit of a disaster. It ran late. How late? I think the staff that kept asking for King Kong to get wrapped up was intimidated by the size of some of the competitors. I can tell you that except for Convention Center staff, everyone had cleared out of the Center, all 5000 of them. Everyone except the King Kong people. Oh, I think about 45 minutes after closing time we made it out of there. From that perspective, we were lucky to finish. If we hadn't, that would have been more than "a bit of a disaster". 

Other than that, I think I enjoyed myself more than any grip contest I have ever been in, and that's 20 plus since 2004. Why? Most of the athletes were not necessarily "grip people", were wired into the competition, had a fresh attitude towards everything, and were clearly having fun. So, zero talk of "The Gripboard", who can do this or that, did you see this or that on Youtube. Nope, it was all in the moment, which was just plain fun. 

I am going to throw out some of the names, mostly unknowns to the grip world or the Gripboard, just because it was interesting. 

I'll start with Marianne Hunter-Chance. She is from Northern California, and I had met her in 2016 at a Vise Grip contest. She was there with her coach, Dali Zheng, who also competed. Marianne finished towards the very bottom of the competitors. Marianne is 79 years old! Nice lady. 

Then there was 74 years old Jim Stopponi, Sr. His son owns a huge supplement business. Jim, in his 70s, has lifted 73 lbs. on the IronMind Hub. You can see how he did. What the results do not tell you is that he was working a  booth and did not even participate in two of the events. He was an interesting character to boot.

There was a 20 something-year-old-fellow by the name of Lee Martin. He had never been in a contest before. He was clueless as to the implements. I believe he may be a quasi-neighbor of Odd's. He came in 28th overall, and 6th in his weight class. Think he has just a little potential? Real nice guy.

Aleksandr Filimonov, just turned 22, visiting from Russia. He was right behind Lee Martin at 29, came in 6th in the 93kgs class. He was quiet and almost invisible. Until he lifted. 

A few very athletic women in the group. Some of them were accomplished athletes in other sports. Very strong, and they did not crack the Top Half of the women competitors. What does that tell you about the level of the women in the King Kong competition? It's high! Speaking of high, I was talking to the top San Diego women's finisher, Alexis Stevens, who came in 17 of 32 overall of the women.  I doubt if she was five foot six. She had muscular upper legs that stood out. One of her arms was injured and she competed one-handed with her other arm in a sling. She was a "jumper". I asked what her best High Jump was in college. "Six feet", she answered. 

Derek Smith, age 32, looked 22. I think he was new to grip. He came in 41st. He must have been TWO meters tall. 

All wonderful people, with impressive results. 

Carl Myerscough set a new world record on the 2.5 Inch Crusher. He didn't do so well on the Moon Top, and I do not believe he was happy with his Jug pull. I would have never figured him for 12th place overall, I would have bet Top 5 for certain. But King Kong is a different animal. 

I finished 86th, which is pretty pathetic. Of the 85 gentlemen who finished higher than I, only Aldo Alberico had a worse Moon Top than my 128th place pull. Was Aldo at the Italian King Kong? I expected my Moon Top to be bad. I got the LAST Horne/World of Grip Moon Top in stock during August. I pulled 29 pounds on it the first time I touched it, and the second time, and the third, and the 8th - - I think that was the number of workouts that I had on it. In the contest, my best was my second attempt with 13.5 kgs, which is 29.7 lbs. My third and fourth attempts were failures at 14.5 kgs. Before the contest, I managed 14 kgs as a warmup, so I was hoping for a whopping 15 kgs. Two women beat me. Personally, I think the two of them, plus Elizabeth Horne, should write a book: "How to improve your Moon Top lift". There are dozens of guys on this forum who would probably buy it. I would.

I was happy with my Flask lift. I don't own a Flask, but for the first time in years (or maybe ever) I seriously trained pinch. I used my World of Grip Euro Pinch device that I purchased 10 years ago, adjusted it to the width of the Flask, and trained with it. I pulled 39 kgs on my last lift before time ran out on me. The Crusher. I owned one from 2011 to 2015. It (the 2011 model) was WAY tougher than the modern version. I figured since I had not been doing much with thick bar for years I would be lucky with 70kgs. Well, 70 kgs was EASY as a third attempt. Do I go for 72.5 or 75? I went with 75. I probably had 74 in me, just a couple inches away from a good lift. Damn. Lastly,  the Jug. I got this device roughly 8 weeks before the contest. It never did "season". I think the third time I tried it, I got a chalkless nondominant hand full lift of 84 kgs. The contest handle was "fully seasoned". Didn't help me any, as my last good lift was my third lift with 75 kgs. Don't know what to make of that.

Two years ago, I won the Over 50 King Kong category. This time around I came in 8th. Even if everything went right with all my lifts, I don't believe I would have finished higher than 6th in the Geezer division, and 60 ish overall. There are a number of World Class gripsters who are over 50 these days, and King Kong proves there are plenty pulling respectable numbers.

But as I said in the beginning, I had a fantastic time, and it was worth the two days 875 mile drive round trip. 

 

[Amy]

Great write up so far. Looking forward to your results. 

[Hubgeezer]

13 hours ago, Amy said:

Great write up so far. Looking forward to your results. 

Thanks. I finished it through the Edit function.

[climber511]

Thanks Mike!  I love seeing all the "geezers" participating.  I'm hoping to set a couple 70 to 79 age group records at Gripmas myself.

[Hubgeezer]

13 hours ago, Hubgeezer said:

 

I finished 86th, which is pretty pathetic. Of the 85 gentlemen who finished higher than I, only Aldo Alberico had a worse Moon Top than my 128th place pull. Was Aldo at the Italian King Kong? 

 

 

Yes, Aldo competed in Italy. He finished Number 1 at that venue.

[Hubgeezer]

2 hours ago, climber511 said:

Thanks Mike!  I love seeing all the "geezers" participating.  I'm hoping to set a couple 70 to 79 age group records at Gripmas myself.

Chris, remember when we laughed so much about being in our 50s? We were a rare breed at the time. No so any more!

[climber511]

And I'm really glad the sport has come so far.  Geezers forever! LOL