Oxford University Powerlifting Club

 

Varsity 2009 - Oxford  [Update - Video is now available]

 

In short, it was a great day for all involved! 

This really was a phenomenal performance.  Dan Koffler hit a huge 376 wilks, just missing a big 270 pull.  Daniele Selmi was on fire yesterday, making his third deadlift of 270 look like an opener, while putting up solid squats and benches.  Robin trailed by a mere 0.7 point, hitting a big 525 total at 75kg, with a particuarly big squat of 177.5kg, approaching 3xbwt now.

Big Karl Seddon hit some solid numbers across the board, with a big 160 squat and 95 bench, as well as a 200 pull giving him a wilks score of 373.6.  Scott (the Red Baron) McLaughlan impressed everyone with a big 225 pull and 132 bench.  Matt Jones had an all-around solid day, making every lift look like an opener.  In particuarly, putting up a massive 240 dead lift and 142 bench, as well as a 200 squat.

Tristan (T-Dawg) Gray-Davies was an animal yesterday, slamming through a 180-/125/220 for easy PRs across the board.  Rob Pearce had a great day also, slamming through a particuarly nice 240 dead lift at 85kg bwt.

And last, but certainly not least, Adam ("no-pec") Sandel gave his all even though he wasn't able to bench press! 

The final scores were:

OUPLC 1147.38 WPTS
CUPLC 1108.00 WPTS

Attempts were well-chosen and little weight was left on the platform.  CUPLC fielded a solid team, and the food and drinks afterwards were jovial and enjoyed by all. 

In particular, I want to thank Charlie and Alasdair for managing the OUPLC team, and Tiffany and Jacob for running the meet so well.  Thank you Kate for running the camera, and Evren, Juan, Arash, David, and Simon for spotting and loading.  (If I've missed anyone, please accept my apology). 

This meet came together very well, despite last-minute changes in the venue and scrambling to get equipment.  We put off a professional meet, which I think equals or betters any IPF or BDFPA meet at the local or regional level that I've seen.  Next year, we'll make this thing official with IPF sanctioning and really push things up a notch.

OUPLC has come a long way in the last year.  We've come from a smattering of guys who casually work out to a highly cohesive unit of National-caliber powerlifters.  This year, we've gone to BUCS/BUSA and smashed the competition.  After a near loss at the Oxbridge Varsity match last year, we've come back to dominate Cambridge.  We have a number of squad and club lifters who are attending the IPF/BDFPA nationals this year, some of whom may even go to the IPF or BDFPA worlds.  As a club and a team, we have come together at meets.  Smacking each other, cheering for each other, roaring with emotion as one solid group. 

Now, before we get too proud of ourselves, let's get to back to it.  We've got some serious lifting to do between now and the Nationals.

 

 

- Luke Pike (OUPLC President)