Flushing is gearing up for an arms race next month as the New York Arm Wrestling Association (NYAWA) is set to bring the 38th Annual Empire State “Golden Arm” Tournament of Champions, the official 2015 New York State Arm Wrestling Championships, back to Cheap Shots Sports Bar.
More than 100 of the best arm wrestlers are expected to compete for the chance to win over $3,000 in cash prizes and awards.
The competition will bring in arm wrestlers from all five boroughs, Long Island, upstate New York, as well as other states and countries including Puerto Rico, Canada, Russia, Turkey and others. The winners of the prestigious 2015 NYC Big Apple Grapple International and last year’s 2014 New York State Arm Wrestling Champions will also be in action, vying for this year’s crown.
“The 38th Annual Empire State ‘Golden Arm’ Tournament of Champions is New York City’s oldest, most prestigious sought-after title, since our beginnings in 1977,” said Gene Camp, founder and president of the NYAWA. “This event is very exciting to watch because of the captive cheering audience rooting for both their favorites and underdogs. The New York State Championships is loaded with top strong-arm talent that demonstrates awesome feats of brute strength, exhausting endurance, grimacing, verbal intimidation and miraculous demonstrations of shear power and will to win.”
The championship will be broken down into 25 amateur and pro weight class categories for men and women, including masters open classes for males, 45+ and 55+ years-old. Gold, silver and bronze four-dimensional custom NY State Arm Wrestling medallions and certificates will be awarded in each weight class, and the 2015 New York State Strongest Arm Most Valuable Players, male and female, will be named along with the presentation of the annual 2015 Arm Wrestler of the Year Achievement Award.
The arm wrestling kicks off at 1 p.m. at Cheap Shots Sports Bar, located at 149-05 Union Tpke. Competition is open to the public, ages 18 and over, and the event has no residency requirements. Entrance fees are $25 for amateurs, $35 for pros and $15 for women. Registration and weigh-in will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. Admission for spectators is $5.
The sponsors of the Empire State “Golden Arm” Tournament of Champions are Cheap Shots Sports Bar, Ironmind.com, Captains of Crush Grippers and New York Arm Wrestling Association.
For more information, visit the NYAWA website at www.nycarms.com.
