33rd Annual Empire State Golden Arm Tournament of Champions Announces Results

On Saturday, November 18, arm wrestlers converged on New York City's Port Authority Bus Terminal to compete in the 33rd Annual Empire State Golden Arm Tournament OF Champions. The proud sponsors were Supercuts, Clear Wireless Internet and Ironmind® Captain's of Crush® Grippers.

Before the matches began, the New York Arm Wrestling Association (NYAWA) event organizer Gene Camp paid tribute to one its own, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Shaun Lin from Staten Island, a former arm wrestler who won the Empire State Championships in 2007. Tragically, Lin was killed last month during training exercises aboard the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Frank Drew when he fell into the James River in Newport News, VA. Three of Lin's brothers were on hand and they were presented with a new arm wrestling table. Adjacent to the competition tables, a photo of Lin in uniform was posted on the wall.

Michael Selearis, an arm wrestling champion, who grew up in Elmhurst, New York, remembered Lin's grappling prowess. "He was very intense, very focused," said Selearis. "You could see it in his eyes." Selearis said that Lin has inspired at least one of his family members to grapple. "One of his brothers came up to me," said Selearis. "He says 'I want to compete. I want to wrestle in Shaun's memory.'"

Just after 1pm, the competition led off with Gene Camp. "Welcome to the Port Authority Bus Terminal!" announced Camp to applause from the midday crowd that was eager to begin.

This year's competition featured more female competitors than "ever": 110 pound national title holder Valerie Beach, 27, from Wilton, New Hampshire discussed her mindset between matches. "You have to find your focus and your center," said Beach. "If you don't believe you're going to do it, you won't do it." While grappling, Beach wears flamboyant earrings and says that she wants to project a strong, feminine image. "I want women to see an image and say that I can do that," said Beach, a bartender-waitress and model.

Instead of walking the runway now, Beach - who often practices against men because of the shortage of female arm wrestlers in Wilton - paces wildly before and after matches, often intimidating her opponents by shouting and slamming the table. Competing against women much larger than her self, Beach wound up coming in third place in the women's open division. In the title match of that same category, Joyce Boone from Brooklyn upset Winnipeg's favorite daughter, 10-time Canadian women's champ Josee Morneau who also captured the title of NYC Queen of Arms last year at the NYC Big Apple Grapple International, the premiere arm wrestling championship in NYC. The victory was extremely gratifying for Boone, who broke her arm at this event in 1997. "It's a wonderful comeback story," said Camp. "Joyce practiced every single day. She's truly the most dedicated female arm wrestler in the association. She deserves this."

In the men's tournament, all eyes were on West Virginia's own Travis Bagent, who has been featured on ESPN, as well as in the popular arm wrestling documentary, "Pulling John." A crowd favorite, Bagent fist bumps fans and competitors a like. After winning matches, Bagent strikes a Hercules pose. Not surprisingly, Bagent, 34, won the left handed super heavy weight men's division. In the right handed event, Bagent was upset, losing to Giorgi Gelashvili, a native of the Republic of Georgia, who now lives in Brooklyn. According to Camp, Gelashvili is the City's best arm wrestler hands down.

However, Bagent and Gelashvili were overshadowed by a much smaller, quieter man, Roman Tsindeliani, who moved to New Jersey from Russia just a year ago. Despite weighing just 150 pounds, Roman was able to win seven weight classes. The only match that Tsindeliani lost during the day was to Bagent, who has more than 150 pounds on him, in the overall left handed category. "Roman is the best weight for weight arm wrestler I have ever seen," said Camp. "I've been doing this for 33 years and I've never seen anything like it."

After one of his many victories, Tsindeliani, speaking through a translator, was asked about his training regimen, Tsindeliani, who works as a driver, refused to reveal much though. "I have no secrets," Tsindeliani replied. "I train like everyone does."

OFFICIAL 2010 Empire State
Golden Arm Tournament of Champions
Nov. 18, 2010 RESULTS
Right PRO Results

PRO - 154 (R) Weight Class
*1ST PLACE Roman Tsindeliani Russia
2ND PLACE Angelo Zimmerman South Carolina
3RD PLACE Taka Kono Woodside, NY
PRO- 176 (R)Weight Class
1ST PLACE Roman Tsindeliani Russia
2ND PLACE Tony Patterson New Bedford, MA.
3RD PLACE Erkan Ilbak Turkey
PRO - 198 (R) Weight Class
1ST PLACE Roman Tsindeliani Russia
2ND PLACE Mike Hall Bronx, NY
3RD PLACE Lajos Konya Hungary
PRO - 225 (R) Weight Class
1ST PLACE Roman Tsindeliani Russia
2nd PLACE Greg Gavin Babylon. NY
3RD PLACE Kenny Smith Severn, MD.
PRO - 226+ (R) SUPER HEAVY
1ST PLACE Giorgi Gelashvili Brooklyn, NY.
2ND PLACE Travis Bagent Charlestown, W. Virginia
3RD PLACE Mike Ayello Deer Park, NY
Left PRO Results
PRO - 154 (L) Weight Class
*1ST PLACE Roman Tsindeliani Russia
2ND PLACE Dariusz Wisnieski Poland
3RD PLACE Oleh Frankivsky Ukraine
PRO- 176(L)Weight Class
1ST PLACE Roman Tsindeliani Russia
2ND PLACE Erkan Ilbak Turkey
3RD PLACE Tony Patterson Ma.
PRO - 198 (L) Weight Class
1ST PLACE Roman Tsindeliani Russia
2ND PLACE Lajos Konya Hungary
3RD PLACE Richard Calero Puerto Rico
PRO - 226+ (L) SUPER HEAVY
1ST PLACE Travis Bagent Charlestown, W. Virginia
2ND PLACE Giorgi Gelashvili Brooklyn, NY
3RD PLACE Kevin Nelson Holbrook, NY
WOMEN RESULTS

PRO WOMEN - 143 (R) OPEN
1ST PLACE Ana Kenah Manhattan
2ND PLACE Dianne Fillion Winnipeg, Canada
3RD PLACE Ilya Dall Whitestone, NY
PRO RIGHT WOMEN OPEN 143+
1ST PLACE Joyce Boone Brooklyn, NY
2ND PLACE Josee Morneau Winnipeg, Canada
3RD PLACE Valerie Beach Wilton, NH
PRO LEFT WOMEN OPEN 143+
1ST PLACE Josee Morneau Winnipeg, Canada
2ND PLACE Ana Kenah Manhattan, NY
3RD PLACE Valerie Beach Wilton, NH

Amateur Right RESULTS

AMATEUR - 154 (R) Weight Class
*1ST PLACE Ozan Sari Turkey
2ND PLACE Mike Bye East Hampton, NY.
3RD PLACE Andrew Mazey Alabama
AMATEUR - 176 (R)Weight Class
1ST PLACE Ilhom Huseynov Russia
2ND PLACE Adam Katz Westfield, NJ.
3RD PLACE Devin Worrell Corona, NY
AMATEUR - 198 (R) Weight Class
1ST PLACE Joefrey Cortes Puerto Rico
2ND PLACE Danny Nolan Deer Park, NY,
3RD PLACE Bekhruz Ikramov Russia
AMATEUR - 225 (R) Weight Class
1ST PLACE Jon Taveras Lindenhurst, NY.
2ND PLACE Joefrey Cortes Puerto Rico
3RD PLACE Raul Baez Brooklyn, NY
AMATEUR - 226+ (R) SUPER HEAVY
1ST PLACE Daniel DeSoto Fresh Meadows, NY
2ND PLACE David Milburn Jamaica, NY
3RD PLACE Gary Roberts California

Amateur LEFT Results

AMATEUR - 154 (L) Weight Class
*1ST PLACE Ozan Sari Turkey
2ND PLACE Mike Bye East Hampton, NY.
3RD PLACE Andrew Mazey Alabama
AMATEUR - 176 (L)Weight Class
1ST PLACE Devin Worrell Corona, NY
2ND PLACE Mike Bye East Hampton, NY.
3RD PLACE Jovid Opipov Russia
AMATEUR - 198 (L) Weight Class
1ST PLACE Joefrey Cortes Puerto Rico
2ND PLACE Danny Nolan Deer Park, NY,
3RD PLACE Bekhruz Ikramov Russia
AMATEUR - 226+ (L) SUPER HEAVY
1ST PLACE Michael Bissman Flushing, NY,
2ND PLACE David Milburn Jamaica, NY
3RD PLACE Dan Desoto Fresh Meadows NY
Left Overall: - Travis Bagent over Roman
Right Overall: Georgi Gelashvili Refused vs. Roman
Women Right Overall: Ana Kenah over Joyce Boone
Women Left Overall: Josee Morneau
New York State Arm Wrestler of the Year: MIKE AYELLO
Captain's of Crush MVP Awards:
Roman Tsindeliani - Travis Bagent - Josee Morneau - Ana Kenah
*Arm-Star Awards: Won Right and Left Handed
Roman Tsindeliani - Ozan Sari - Joefrey Cortes
Sanctioned By: New York Armwrestling®

 

Need more Broadway Theatre News in your life? Sign up for all the news on the Winter season, discounts & more...