On 2nd October in Ekaterinburg the first World Armlifting Championship finished. The main organizer was the WAA federation (World Association Armlifting) established in 2010. The Championships took place during a sports festival "Golden Tiger 5", while which almost all disciplines associated with strength sports presented themselves. It should be emphasized that our young, but turbulently developing sport, not only did not disappear in a broad festival program, but I would even say that it graced it attracting many viewers, and among them members of the "Golden Tiger", competing in other sports. We all watched with a great interest their uncompromised struggles, and who knows, maybe next time we will see them in armlifting tournaments?! Among the spectators gathered around the platform on which the strongest armlifters were fighting, after all, there were no indifferent people

About 40 players attended by the competition, but as they say, not quantity, but quality determines the success of the event. Ladies were the first. " FIT MAX UKRAINE" team was represented by Tatiana Saprina (51 kg) in a light weight class of up to 60 kg and Irina Postnikowa (60 + class). Tatiana managed to get through eliminations only, 28 kg, but it gave her the third place. The first and the second place won Russian women: Nadezhda Wasiura - with a score of 40.5 kg and Nina Samsonov - 28 kg, but she was lighter than the Ukrainian, and ranked the second. More interesting battles took place in the 60+ category. Here our champion faced a strong and titled armwrestler Svetlana Tikhonov, but our Irina did not get scared of neither her titles, nor the fact that her opponent was almost 45 kg heavier. The Russian weighted 116.6 kg. She managed to pull out the victory of the inhabitant of Crimea and lift 55.5 kg with an incredible effort. Irina lifted 53 kg and ranked the second. It was a really a nice moment for Irina when 53 kg she lifted became a new absolute record of Ukraine in the women's category.

The competition were continued by men, first in the masters 90 kg category. Wictor Bannikow lifted 58 kg, and Walery Trubin - 68 kg. An athlete from Ukraine Wiaczeslaw Gorbunov had to compete on alone, which negatively affected results he achieved. Unfortunately, between the approaches he did not have enough time to rest. As a result, he lifted 90 kg, but the result was not qualified. The competition ended with a modest result for him - 83 kg, but this result gave him the victory, and the next medal - gold to the Ukrainian collection. In the masters 90+ category a well-known Russian actor, athlete, showman Sieriej Badiuk (not long ago he at the championships in Moscow he lifted 103 kg, getting gold and the title of the International Champion of Sport), and 88 kg made him win.

Among the juniors Alexei Laptiew, taking part in 70 kg (starting weight 68.4 kg), who lifted 88 kg made a huge impression on everyone. So it was not a surprise that this result also gave him victory in the adults’ class. Ukraine was represented by Rustem Suleymanov in 90+ category, who the day before took part in the mass-restling competition and he won there the junior category, but unfortunately during these competitions his hand got injured. This, of course, reflected in the result - 78 kg, which is by no means translates into a real possibility of the player. Nevertheless, he manager to give the bronze medal to the Ukrainian team.

Three Ukrainians fought for medals of the 110 kg class, but none of them managed to take the gold away from a Russian armlifter -Chryczkin. Jewgienij Chryczkin – 1st place, our champion and a record holder of Ukraine Stanisla Saprin – 2nd place with the result of 103 kg, Siergiej Szugalej (Eupatoria) was 4th, Siergiej Didowik (Odessa), fifth.

Together with 110 kg category athletes performed in the super heavy category. The western region champion and record holder of Ukraine Igor Kupinski dominated. Igor lifted weights with such a lightweight, that there were no one stronger than him that day, he finished the tournament with the result of 110.5 kg. At the World Championships this result gave him victory in the 110 kg category and open category. Then he tried to break the record of Ukraine 114 kg, but he did not managed. One more Ukrainian player performed in this weight class - Andrej Szarkow (Symferopol), who also managed to achieve a wonderful result - 105.5 kg, but had to give the silver to a Russian - Maxim Popov. Popov - the second, Szarkow – the third.

The Ukrainian team won 2 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals. Team classification: first place Russia, second Ukraine, third Finland. The most important success, however, is that II World Cup in 2012 will be held in Ukraine. While assessing the performances of our team in Ekaterinburg, I think the players deserved B. And if something was not successful this time, after drawing appropriate conclusions, next time it will be possible to do better. And the next start is the AR Championship in Yalta on the Crimea! On November 19th Bristol hotel will open its hospitable doors to everyone who wants to test their strength and grip.

In conclusion we would like to thank Fit Max company for help and an excellent form, the President of the WAA - Alexander Filimonow for organizing and conducting the first-ever World Armlifting Cup, and the Organising Committee of the "Golden Tiger" Festival for the hospitality and an unforgettable feast of sport.