THE OBX OPEN (2023) WRITE UP:

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     The OBX Open is always one of the most popular competitions in North Carolina and It always seems to draw a lot of first-time lifters as well as a lot of master lifters.  As a sideline we always have the teen v/s master bench challenge.  I do like to give credit to the top 'over all' lifter in each weight class.  If you scroll down, you will find a list of past champions as well as a list of OBX Meet records.

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     (105 AND UNDER):  At 105 Jeremiah Skinner would squat an OBX meet record 154 pounds, he would bench a meet record 105 pounds and Jeremiah would pull a meet record 209 pounds for a meet record 457 total.  This would earn Jeremiah his third consecutive OBX title in the bench and powerlifting BUT hold on.  In the curl Jeremiah was once again matched up with last year's champion Gracie Bushee.  Jeremiah would curl 44 pounds on his third attempt (a men's meet record), but Gracie would curl a girl's meet record 47 pounds which would give Gracie her second consecutive OBX Curl title.  Also hitting big numbers was Gabbi Saunders who would deadlift an OBX meet record 193 pounds in the 88 pound class.  Gabbi would also set the 88 class meet record with a 369 pound total.  How talented was this class, Gabbi would take home the best lifter youth award (powerlifting) for the girls and Jeremiah would take home the best lifter youth award for boys (powerlifting).   

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    (123) At 123 we had the legendary multiple state, national and world champion John Ammons competing.  How good is John?  John would take home his fifth OBX bench title, his fifth, powerlifting title AND John would curl an OBX meet record 100 pounds which earned John his sixth OBX curl title.  

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     (132) We had a lot of lifters from Virginia and at 132 Virginia would break through as Jordan Baird would post the top powerlifting and the top bench at the OBX Open.  For the curl Reagan Charlton would break the OBX meet record on her way to becoming a back-to-back OBX curl champion.  Reagan is also quite the announcer. 

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     (148)  Ben Zak would take home his fifth OBX powerlifting title and he would curl an OBX meet record 121 pounds to take home his ninth curl title (always weird writing about yourself), BUT the guy who impressed everyone, and not just because he had cool shoes, was  Kejajuan Collington who benched an insane OBX meet record 325 pounds to win the bench division.  WOW!!!  

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     (165) At 165 we had quite the battle.  Master lifter John Permelia and teen lifter Hayden McMurray both squatted 325 pounds.  It was a tie going into the bench.  John would bench 226 pounds to move into the lead.  This class was coming down to the deadlifts.  Hayen would pull 369 pounds to close the gap, but it wasn't enough, John Permelia would take home the overall powerlifting title at 165.  John would also post the top bench.  In the curl the top lifter was the incredibly strong Madison Berry.  How strong is Madison?  Madison took home the best lifter teen award.  

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     (181) At 181 we had multiple state and world team member David Sobota competing.  No surprise at all, David would take home his second OBX Open powerlifting title and he would take home his second bench press title and David would take home the best lifter master's award.  In the curl, once again, it was the girl's leading the way.  Mackenzie Grace Taylor would curl 95 pounds which not only smashed the existing OBX record, but it's just the tip of the iceberg for what Mackenzie can curl.  This was Mackenzie's THIRD OBX curl title!!!  BIG NEWS:  Mackenzie would squat an OBX meet record 352 pounds, she benched a meet record 198 pounds and she pulled a meet record 386 pounds for a meet record 937-pound total which easily won Mackenzie the best lifter women's award.  Mackenzie almost always wins best lifter.  Also, at 181 we had the return of the legendary Gloria Knight-McNeil.  Gloria would take home the best lifter master's award for the women.  

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     (198) We had a nice battle at 198 between Jeffery Klugh of North Carolina and Hayes Ambrose of Virginia.  In the end Hayes seemed to have a little bit more in each lift which would allow Hayes to take home the 198 OBX powerlifting title.  One of my favorite lifters, Barry Capps, loves to come up from South Carolina to compete with us.  Was the trip worthwhile?  I think it was as Barry would take first overall in the bench and first overall in the curl.  Way to represent South Carolina, Barry.

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     (220)  This was the biggest class of the day and in the end, it came down to two masters; Michael Dalton and Ed Brown, both from Virginia, battling for top honors.  Much like the last class, it was close, but Ed had a little more in each lift which would allow Ed to take home his first OBX powerlifting title and his first OBX bench title.  Rematch 2024???  

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     (242) There is always one lifter who makes you say, "Thank you for not being in my weight class."  That lifter, without a doubt, was Michael Oliver.  Michael pulled an OBX meet record 701 pounds to earn his second OBX powerlifting title.  Micheal would also take home his second bench title.  Finally, Michael curled an OBX meet record 206 pounds to take home his second OBX curl title.  In case you're wondering, Michael had no problem taking home the best lifter award!!!  

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    (275)  At 275 the teens from Virigina struck again as Liam Emory would take home his first OBX powerlifting title.  Winning the bench and the curl was the always camera shy, but popular, Bernie Rhodes who is also from Virginia.  

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     WOMEN:  In some cases, the women beat the men in the overall, but I do like to recognize the top four women overall.  The only lady to finish in the top four by K formula for all three categories (bench, full meet AND curl) was Mackenzie Grace Taylor.  Mackenzie finished in the top four in all three events last year as well.  Two women made the top four in two categories.  Gloria Knight McNeil finished in the top four for bench and curl and Madison Berry finished in the top four for bench and powerlifting.  Finishing in the top four for one category was Gabbi Saunders and Sadya Cardenas who made the list for powerlifting, Jennifer Zak and Reagan Charlton who made the list in curl and Veronica Paylor who made the list in bench.

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     TEEN V/S MASTER BENCH CHALLENGE:  Last year the teens won the challenge (8 to 6), so this year was the test to see if the masters could regain their title.  The teens won all the women's weight classes except one and they also won the first two men's classes which gave the teens a (6-1) lead.  The master's had to win EVERY single remaining weight class to win, and the master's did just that.  In the end the master's edged the teens (7 to 6).  As for the series, the old folks truly rule as the masters are 9 and 1!!!  

      Hope to see everyone at the OBX Open in 2024!!!!