Battle at Baywood 2 highlights feats of strength
The normal silence of Baywood Greens Golf Club gave way to grunting, yelling and cheering as 42 men and three women competed in the second Battle at Baywood Strongman Competition held at Baywood Greens March 22.
Participants battled in five competitions that tested their strength and endurance before the strongest men and women of the day were crowned. The event started with the Viking Press, a contraption that tests shoulder strength. Weight varied from 120 pounds for the women to 260 and 300 pounds for the light- and heavyweights.
Athletes then moved on to the car dead lift. Lewes Auto Mall supplied a 2014 Chevrolet Volt for the event. To successfully complete a rep, heavyweight competitors were dead lifting 700 pounds. The task was slightly less strenuous for lightweights at 590 pounds. Novices and even lighter weights took a crack at 500 pounds. Ethan Farkas, the overall heavyweight champion, lifted the Volt 11 times.
In the Conan's Wheel, athletes were required to hold a bar off the ground against their chest and walk 360 degrees as many times as possible. Again, the number for heavyweights was 700 pounds, while women tried 300, novices 500 and lightweights 600 pounds. Jason Dayberry, the lightweight winner, carried the 600-pound pole 193 feet, 7 inches.
Athletes launched 33-pound kegs straight up in the keg toss event. The goal was to clear a certain height five times as fast as possible. The height varied from 6 feet for women to 16 feet for heavyweights. Heavyweight winner Brian Fletcher completed the event in 12 seconds flat.
The final event of the day was the keg carry and load, which had competitors carrying a 150- to 280-pound keg a short distance and lifting it over a 48-inch-high bar.
In addition to Farkas winning the heavyweight competition, Anthony Morgan (novice), Todd Weller (lightweight 200), Jason Dayberry (lightweight 231), Art Boss (masters) and Alesha Ray (women) were also crowned champions.
The event was organized by Team Bix and Kyle Bixler. Bixler and his team will return to Delaware later this summer for the sixth Delaware's Strongest competition. A date has not yet been determined. For more information about Team Bix, go to www.teambixstrength.com.
Nick Roth is the news editor. He has been with the Cape Gazette since 2012, previously covering town beats in Milton and Lewes. In addition to serving on the editorial board and handling page layout, Nick is responsible for the weekly Delaware History in Photographs feature and enjoys writing stories about the Cape Region’s history. Prior to the Cape Gazette, Nick worked for the Delmarva Media Group, including the Delaware Wave, Delaware Coast Press and Salisbury Daily Times. He also contributed to The News Journal. Originally from Boyertown, Pa., Nick attended Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He’s won several MDDC awards during his career for both writing and photography. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, going to the beach with his family and cheering for Philadelphia sports teams.
