Arm Wrestling Challenge to take place at West Edmonton Mall
By Cheryl Walsh
EDMONTON— Alberta Arm Wrestling Association will be hosting its second annual arm wrestling tournament on Oct. 22 at West Edmonton Mall.
There will be various weight classes and matches, including the main event, which will be a super match between west Edmonton’s Kelly Leitch and Vancouver’s Marlon Hicks, said Jeff Miller, vice-president of the Alberta Arm Wrestling Association and tournament organizer.
- Kelly Leitch and Jeff Miller getting ready for a match at practice on Oct. 11, 2011. Photograph by Cheryl Walsh.
John Miazyzyk started the Alberta Arm Wrestling Association in Edmonton in 1979. Miazyzyk also co-founded the World Arm Wrestling Organization, and that same year he organized the first world competition in Wetaskiwin.
Leitch practises locally with his team, Edmonton Extreme, which trains together for two hours weekly.
Hicks is ranked first in Canada in the 70-kilogram weight class and Leitch is ranked eighth in Alberta in the 80-kilogram weight class. Miller knew Leitch wanted to go up against Hicks, so he arranged to have them compete in the super match.
Leitch won the first annual Edmonton tournament last year, but he was not part of the super match. Leitch has never competed against Hicks before, but his brother, Dustin Leitch, did last year in nationals and lost.
“You can tire yourself out in one match,” said Mark Harrison, Edmonton Extreme team member and previous national champion. “But that’s why you train.”
“Some matches can take a second, but a long match can last anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute,” said Leitch.
Arm wrestling is not all about bicep strength.
“It’s about positioning your hand so you get a good grip to take your opponent down,” said Miller.
“Arm wrestling, like most other sports, has a huge mental aspect to it,” said Miller. “Some days are good and some are bad, but it’s mostly about confidence and certainty that you are going to win no matter what.”
Cathy Morrison, a club member for over 20 years, will be announcing at the event. She has travelled to nine different countries for arm wrestling events.
“It has taken me all over the world,” Morrison said.
Leitch will be training up to the day before the event.
“I don’t want to relax for too long because I find I get weaker,” he said.
Arm wrestling is just a hobby for Leitch at this point, but he hopes that he will be able to participate in larger events like the Arnold Classic in the future.
The event starts at 1 p.m. on Oct. 22 at Newcap Stage in West Edmonton Mall. There will be a women’s division as well as a kids’ division, and the event is expected to last until 5 p.m.
