Portland's Strongest Man & Woman Crowned
Tuesday, Feb 2, 2010
January 27th and 28th nineteen women and twenty-one men competed for the title Strongest Woman and Strongest Man at the Greater Portland YMCA. Coordinated by fitness specialist Jesse Wall, the event was designed both as a test of strength and fitness and also as a fundraiser, to raise money to purchase a new M6 climbing wall for the Greater Portland branch. Special thanks are due to our corporate sponsors for this event: Lobster Cooker Restaurant, Jesse Wall Fine Art, Coffee By Design, Burgess Advertising, and Brewer's Ledge.
Competitors participated in up to ten strength tests, including ascending bench presses, ascending squats, a timed flexed arm hang, a one-minute "clean and press" (where competitors had one minute to complete as many lifts as they were able) and an event calle
d the "three-minute plyo circut, consisting of throwing a medicine ball against the wall while squatting, stepping on and off a platform, and doing moving in and out of pushups from a standing position.
Spectator and YMCA board member Judy Katzel noted “I was very impressed at how the women competing supported each other. It was definitely competitive, but everyone in the room was rooting for each woman to do her best.”
Rebecca Brakeley took the title for the women, and Mat Fix won first place among the men. Other top finishers were Helen Foley (1st woman under 148), Bev Grant (1st place, women’s masters), Jamie West (1st man under 195), and John Ryan (1st place, men’s masters). Our congratulations to all the competitors!