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367--California: Norcal Strongman Competition @ Site News     Aug 07 2006 - 14:32 PST Cherie writes: The 3rd Annual Norcal Strongman Competition was held on the shore of Santa Cruz Beach on August 5, 2006. Hundreds of spectators gathered to watch the strongmen (and strong ladies!) compete in 5 events: the clean and press, the tire flip, the sandbag carry, dead-lift reps, and finally…the dramatic boat pull. The top 4 contestants finished the day off with a one-on-one tug of war. We spent the day watching sweat pour, muscles bulge, and men achieve amazing feats like dragging boats (with their passengers!) across the hot Santa Cruz sand. The Strongman is not only a will of muscles, it is a will of minds. Expertly announced by pro athlete Shannon Harnett, this was one crazy event to watch! In the Heavy Weight division the winners were: 1. Evan Hansman, 2. Fred Cordova, and 3. Jaco Vlok from The Freak Factory. In the Light Weight divison Ty Roberts took first place followed by Chase Pierson in second and Fernando Palazzo in third. Kristin Rhodes took the women’s competition beating second place finisher Marilyn Mickey and Kanas strongwoman Michelle Smith. Read Complete Story Click on each picture to see it full size. read comments (0) | write comment| views: 24443    | rated: 0.0    printer-friendly version   Cherie with Strongwoman announcer Shannon Harnett, 10-time Highland Games World Champion and member of the US Bobsled team. But really, who is in better shape? The 3rd Annual Norcal Strongman Strength Competition was held near the boardwalk in Santa Cruz, California on August 5th. Jaco Vlok at 6'4" and 308 pounds competes in the "Clean and Press" for repitions. When I dare to be powerful, to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.--Audre Lorde Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity.--Louis Pasteur Kevin Kinzy, the heart and soul of the Freak Factory, competes in the Clean and Press. Kevin Kinzy makes it look easy. Fred Cordova. "Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men! Do no pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for power equal to your tasks."--Phillips Brooks The lift. The push. Jon Hergert. "Never, never, never give up."--Winston Churchill 2006 Norcal Strongman Heavy Weight Champion Evan Hansman. "It’s a very funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it."--William Somerset Maugham Pro althele Shannon Harnett's thighs. The Strongman Competition isn't just for men. Michelle Smith drives from Kansas to California to compete in Strongman. The smallest of all the competitors, Marilyn Mickey was one of the crowd favorites. Marilyn Mickey is lifting a 110-pound log over her head, and doing multiple reps. Marilyn Mickey's face of determination. In the tire flip, massive tires weighing 650-pounds are flipped 5 times (end over end) down the beach. Lightweight Pro Scott Brengal was the main judge and score-keeper. "It’s a very funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it."--William Somerset Maugham Strategy: Get a hold of the tire, dig into the sand, and flip. The only way to find the limits of the possible is by going beyond them to the impossible.--Arthur C. Clarke Strongman spectator. There is no doubt that these are strong men. Agony etched into the competitior's face. Nothing great will ever be achieved without great mean, and men are great only if they are determined to be so.--Charles De Gaulle What do you want to do this weekend? Watch big guys flip tires across the beach? Raw strength is a beautiful thing. Nothing great will ever be achieved without great mean, and men are great only if they are determined to be so.--Charles De Gaulle Marilyn Mickey took 2nd place in the women's competition. In this competition, your inner strength must match your outter strength. Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments.--Jim Rohn It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.--the Buddha Shannon Harnett won the masters nationals for OLYMPIC LIFTING in 2005. The next event is the grueling Sandbag Carry. He who lives without discipline dies without honor.--Icelandic Proverb Go as far as you can see, and when you get there you will see farther.--Orison Swett Marden It takes two "big" volunteers to pick up the Heavy Weight sandbag. How far can you carry a bag of sand (while walking in the sand?) Hold on tight. The man who can drive himself further once the effort gets painful is the man who will win.--Roger Bannister It is for us to pray not for tasks equal to our powers, but for powers equal to our tasks, to go forward with a great desire forever beating at the door of our hearts as we travel toward our distant goal.--Helen Keller A big man, a big blue sky, and a big bag of sand. Finished! Hamish Moir. "A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's heaven for?"--Robert Browning Justin Hunter is in the moment lugging a 250-pound bag of sand across the beach. Stop thinking in terms of limitations and start thinking in terms of possibilities.--Terry Josephson Hold on, Kevin. Three of the competitors in Strongman were strong women. A brief pause. First place winner Kristen Rhodes gives it all she's got. Don't ask for a light load, but rather ask for a strong back.--Proverb A big shot is a little shot that kept shooting.--Anonymous Cherie and Caitlyn...if you could only see how strong our hearts are! We can't flex too much, or we'll bust the seams in our shirts. Future "Strongman" in training. That's one strong boy! Watching the Strongman was Brook's idea. Kevin. Shannon Harnett, the Strongman announcer. Dead lifting 500-pounds. What counts is not necessarily the size of the dog in the fight--it's the size of the fight in the dog.--Dwight D. Eisenhower Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goals.--Anonymous The successful man is the average man, focused.--Anonymous The will to prepare is more important than the will to win.--Levell Edwards Is there a strong man inside everyone? Strongman Michael Germanis knows that there is one inside of him. Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.--Joshua J. Marine Difficulties are meant to rouse, not discourage. The human spirit is to grow strong by conflict.--William Ellery Channing Michael Germanis using every ounce of his incredible strength. Strongmen havin' fun. How many reps can you do? Finding the power within. Kristen Rhodes did an incredible 12 reps in the deadlift competition. The face of Fernando Palazzo's pain is also the face of persistence. There is no doubt the Marilyn is a powerful force to reckon with. Spectators Kevin and Brook. "This was worth waking up early for!" Kevin with pro athlete Shannon Harnett. But the real question is: Who weighs more? Birds flock to strongmen like previous champion Kevin Kinzy. Kevin gets a parrot peck. The male species comes in all shapes and sizes. A day at the beach. Girls chillin' in a beached boat. A female volunteer is ready to get pulled down the beach by a strongman. This is one wild ride she won't forget. Let the pulling begin. When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.--Franklin D. Roosevelt Feel the pain, but don't let it dominate. The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person's determination.--Tommy Lasorda There is no water in this boat race. Brook, Kevin and Mike enjoy the Strongman Competition. Unless a man undertakes more than he possibly can do, he will never do all that he can.--Henry Drummond Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are.--Bernice Johnson Reagon Freak Factory's Kevin Kinzy is prepared to pull. Work spares us from three evils: boredom, vice, and need.--Voltaire Fortune favors the brave.--Publius Terence Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.--Confucius One step at a time. We are still masters of our fate. We are still captains of our souls.--Winston Churchill Ty Roberts. "Nothing is predestined: The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings."--Ralph Blum Marilyn was cheered by her husband, who was also entered in the Strongman Competition. You go girl! The final act was a Tug of War. Settling things the old fashioned way. The one-on-one battle between the strongest. Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.--George Herman "Babe" Ruth First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.--Epictetus Kevin pulls with all his might. Fall seven times, stand up eight.--Japanese proverb