West Australian State Champions

The first West Australian State Armwrestling Championships were held at the Italian Club in Perth last Sunday, 24 June. The competition was a huge success and very well organised with a professional feel and great atmosphere. There was plenty of action with live performances throughout the day to entertain the large enthusiastic crowd. A big screen ov displayed overhead and elbow cameras, giving the audience a great view of the intense action that took place at the table. Fantastic trophies were awared to all the place getters and the winners not only took home a beautiful trophy but the West Australian State Championship Title and Crown.

A big congratulations to Murray McKay, who promoted and organised the Championship Tournament. A former Champion Armwrestler himself, he promoted the tournament with the help of some fantastic sponsors including Total Health Performance, Guardian Landsdale Pharmacy, JKA Excavations, Powerhealth, Ian Diffen Joondalup & Canningvale, Orbit Fitness, Lock & Load Supplements, Ascoli Concrete, Miracle Recreational Equipment, Verifact, Elders Insurance and Keyfern Finance. Murray spent months, covering and perfecting every detail to make this tournament a class event of World Standards. The tournament was an outstanding success an a real credit to both himself and his organisational skills.

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Womens Under 67kg.

For the first time in Australian armwrestling a womens division was added to the event proceedings. In the under 67kg class Jade Hunt had a successful introduction to armwrestling winning her division undefeated and defeating Renae Wauhop twice in the finals to become the West Australian state champion in the Womens Under 67kg class.

Womens Over 68kg.

In the 2nd womens class of the day above 68kg, another newcomer Lisa Kulasalu was dominant on the table going through without defeat to become the Womens Over 68kg State Champion, and lining up an overall finals match with Jade Hunt. After 2 tough matches Jade finally prevailed to become the new Womens Overall State Champion, congratulations to both Jade and Lisa.

Mens 85kg Right Arm.

The Mens 85kg class was stacked with 12 entries and lots of very big arms and well built, ripped boys for their bodyweight. There were some tough matches in the line up but in the end Kyle Howarth won the 85kg State Championship crown. Kyle was dominant all day and didn't lose a match in his class with Seth Young and Chris Radford placing 2nd and 3rd behind him.

Mens 95kg Left Arm

Word had got out the Phil Rasmussen had flown in from Melbourne and was the man to beat. Phil was going in confident with some competition experience under his belt coupled with hard training. However, Aaron Smith was the clear favourite with his huge guns and natural left arm and he made short work of all his matches only losing to Phil in the finals to take 2nd place, with Phil going undefeated and taking the State Championship title in the 95kg class. Damian Mullen had also flown over from Melbourne and did great to take 3rd place both left and right in 95kg class and took home two nice trophies to show for his efforts.

Mens 95kg Right Arm

After convincingly winning the left hand class, Phil Rasmussen started as favourite in the right arm class which clearly made some guys nervous when coming up against him. Matthew Smith had other ideas however, and confidently won his first 3 matches slamming opponents straight to the pad to setup a semi-finals matchup with the resilient Damien Mullen from Melbourne whom had already had some wars but was still determined as ever. Matthew was just too strong for Damien who took 3rd place, and then went on to the finals where Phil made short work of the matches with 2 fast top roll pins. Overall there were some great matches, some long, some quick and some slip matches that had to go to the straps but in the end Phil prevailed undefeated to become the new West Australian right and left hand champion in the 95kg class.

Mens Over 96kg Right

There were some monsters in the Right Handed heavy weight class including Matt Bacon and the huge Sonny Johnson. Sonny had a full entourage of people cheering and screaming in support for him. He was easily 6"6 and 140kg+ and looked intimidating as he smashed through everyone without much trouble. The final in this class came down to big Matt vs Sonny with Sonny winning both matches in quick successive with a huge side hit.

Mens Over 96kg Left

There was only a small class of 4 guys in this division. Brendan Downes also from Melbourne won the first match easy and then lost to big Matt Bacon in a long war. Brendan then went on to face Marcus Chapman for a chance to face Matt in the finals, and after a long war in the centre of the table Brendan was unable to rotate through the wrist of Marcus and conceded the match taking 3rd place. Matt Bacon then went on to beat Marcus easily in the finals remaining undefeated and taking the Heavy Weight Left handed State Championship title.

Mens Overall Left

Phil Rasmussen had decisively beaten everyone in his left handed class without much resistence and was fresh going into the overalls match against the heavyweight winner Matt Bacon, the 130kg left handed monster from Perth. Phil got the jump and top rolled him well onto his side of the table but Matt was too strong and brought Phil back before they both locked wrists in a deep hook and Matt lunged into a huge shoulder press which was too much power for Phil to hold off. Matt had gone undefeated easily in the heavies and was surprised the lighter guy was giving him such a tough match.

Mens Overall Right

For the final and certainly most heavily contested event of the day the winner of the 95kg class Phil Rasmussen went up first against the Kyle Howarth, winner of the under 85kg class. Phil got the jump and top rolled Kyle straight to the pad, however commenting afterwards that the smaller guy had the strongest wrist he had encountered all day! As the lightweights hand fell into the pad rumbles went around a section of the crowd that it was the first time the man had lost a match, the old saying in Armwrestling rears its head again someone whos never lost simply hasn't armwrestled enough people!

Next Kyle was up against the heavyweight winner Sonny. Sonny's huge side hit finished off Kyle for the day in a split second and it really was a mis-match with the bigger man being perhaps double the smaller mans weight. Unfortunately for the light weight this match suffered him an injury walking away in considerable pain, perhaps a perfect example just to lay down as it was always going to end in tears.

Now it was Phil Rasmussen vs Sonny Johnson for the overall West Australian Championships. While sitting with sonny in the heavyweight brackets he commented that this competition was the same as 2005 champs, he walked through everyone easy, needless to say he was confident and perhaps a little too relaxed! The 2 stepped up and gripped up and it was immediately obvious the size difference between the two men, scary difference. Although Phil got a good grip, Sonny hit hard and took Phil to an inch off the pad with a lightening hit with 150kg of train-like momentum. But Phil had enough back pressure to stay in the match...just. Sonny was hanging off the table trying to finish Phil off, however Phil adjusted to a hook and started to drag him back to his side of the table.

The crowd making it obvious they were wanting an upset with a drunken man next to me commenting ''Phil must be the strongest man in the world''( I calmly set him straight about that as another Jim Beam was quickly extinguished).

After a few seconds Phil was able to take control of the wrists and managed to drive his hook through to get him well over his side of the table. Phil went into a shoulder press and finished him off after a long exhausting match. The big guy was clearly unhappy about his first career loss but Phil took the win and went one up!

The crowd were loving it!

Already by the second match both competitors looked exhausted but Sonny meant business and hit Phil like a sledgehammer driving a wedge into soft ground, it was quick and brutal . It was now 1-1. People had crowded up to the front of the Stage with cameras, screaming and cheering for the match that would decide who was to be the overall West Aussie Champ. Sonny was sweating profusely but pumped up and keen to win the final match of the day. Another big hit on Phil who stopped him 1 inch off the pad, holding his wrist and using back pressure to stop being defeated....He held in there for almost 10 seconds in what seemed like eternity. The crowd were insane! Suddenly, just when it looked like Phil was about to mount another counter attack, Sonny lunged forward and finished the match off, there was to be no Brzenk-like come back this time.

Sonny won the title and the Crown as the WA Overall Armwrestling Champion!

Keen on training in Perth?

Perth has two armwrestling clubs for anyone to go and practice, learn speed and technique.

Anyone and everyone is welcome so call:

MURRAY MCKAY - (North of the River) - 0433 164 380 or
RIK KAMANA - (South of the River) - 0452 486 588

Women's Right Arm

57 - 68kg	68kg +	OVERALLS
1. Jade Hunt	1. Lisa Kulasalu	1. Jade Hunt
2. Renae Wauhop	2. Trudy Hold	2. Lisa Kulasalu
3. Tanya Joshi	3. Tracy Read	-

Men's Right Arm Results

Under 85kg	85kg - 95kg	95kg +	OVERALLS
1. Kyle Howarth	1. Phil Rasmussen	1. Sonny Johnson	1. Sonny Johnson
2. Seth Young	2. Matthew Smith	2. Matt Bacon	2. Phil Rasmussen
3. Chris Radford	3. Damien Mullen	3. Ryan Scott	3. Kyle Howarth

Men's Left Arm Results

Under 95kg	95kg +	OVERALLS
1. Phil Rasmussen	1. Matt Bacon	1. Matt Bacon
2. Aaron Smith	2. Marcus Chapman	2. Phil Rasmussen
3. Damien Mullen	3. Brendan Downes	3. -

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