05-Apr-07: HUGE Strongman News for PA Fans/Competitors!

If you are a strongman fan or competitor in the Philly area, you are gonna love this news, posted by Al Thompson on the Marunde-Muscle message board:

PACIFICO FORD LIBERTY STRONGMAN CLASSIC TO HOST 105K NATIONALS
AND HEAVYWEIGHT TEAM COMPETITION - USA vs. TEAM WORLD
Two-time World Champion and and five-time Arnold champion
Zydrunas Savickas headlines an all-star strongman lineup

For immediate release For information contact:
April 3, 2007 Al Thompson - 267-254-4614
Dione Wessels- 314-565-5970

PHILADELPHIA - The Liberty Strongman Classic will be living up to its name this summer.

The fourth annual pro strongman event sanctioned by American Strongman Corporation (ASC) and IFSA-USA is shaping up to be one of the all-time great strength events in United States history, a classic.

The three-day event June 29, 30, July 1 - will feature the IFSA-USA 105K National Championship. The top 231-pound pro strongmen from all over the country will vie for the right to advance to the IFSA World Championship later this year and at least $5,000 in cash prizes.

In addition to a great 105K lineup, the heavies will be an once-in-a-lifetime event with Team USA vs. Team World for a total purse of approximately $15,000.

Team USA will feature IFSA world finalist Travis Ortmayer, IFSA finalist Derek Poundstone of Waterbury, CT, World Class ASC pro Jon Andersen, and former U.S. champion Van Hatfield from Utah.

Hometown hero Walt Gogola, a standout football player at Archbishop Wood and a long- time ASC pro, is on the team as the alternate, but will compete as will Team World's alternate.

Team World's lineup is literally the “Dream Team” of International strongman.

Zydrunas Savickas of Lithuania, five-time Arnold Classic Champion and two-time IFSA World Champion is on board as is Vasyl Virastyuk of the Ukraine, a former “World's Strongest Man” champion. In addition, IFSA world finalist, Andrus Murumets of Estonia is coming to the United States to take on a strong American team in the cradle of liberty, Philadelphia.

The Lagoon Entertainment complex, “Welcome America” in Fairmount Park and Daniel S. Frawley Stadium home of the Wilmington Blue Rocks - will serve as the host locations for this exciting competition.

The Lagoon in Essington, PA will host two events Friday night. The city's "Welcome America" events take place Saturday & Sunday afternoon in front of a possible audience of 22,000 to 30,000 per day. The crowd at the Blue Rocks game will be over 7,000 for Saturday night.

Team USA
Derek Poundstone
Travis Ortmayer
Van Hatfield
Jon Andersen
Walt Gogola- Alternate but will complete

Team World
Zydrunas Savickas (confirmed)
Vasyl Virastyuk (confirmed)
Andrus Murumets (confirmed)
Mikhail Koklyaev (still unconfirmed, but athlete will be a top Russian)
Alternate TBA but will compete

-NAPALM-