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Sergey Danielyan, 17, took the first match of the competition.
“I know I can do my best,” Danielyan, of Los Angeles, said. “I was training for arm wrestling in Armenia,”
Before Danielyan came to the United States from Armenia six months ago, he trained every day with an arm wrestling mentor, he said.
Danielyan’s focus mirrored that of the 75-plus professional and amateur arm wrestlers competing Saturday afternoon at the Residence Inn in Stevenson Ranch. Participants paid $25 to compete in the 2nd Annual Pull for the Kids Arm Wrestling Challenge to benefit the SCV Youth Project.
The event was brought to the SCV by John Burgeson, of the Professional Arm Wrestling Conference.
“Every time I can get arm wrestlers together for a chance to pull, that’s great,” Burgeson said. “But what sweetens the pot is we’re doing this for charity.”
Participants competed in their own weight classes and were carefully instructed by the referees on rules. The first is about safety and avoiding the “hurt arm position,” Burgeson said.
“(The referees) are looking to make sure they don’t get into a position where they can break their arm,” he said. “Number two, is to make sure the shoulders are square to the table. Third, is a false start.”
Last year, the competition brought in more than $4,000 for the SCV Youth Project and executive director Kim Goldman anticipated the same numbers this year. The project is a nonprofit organization which provides services and programs for local youth.
“It’s great because it gets the word out (about the project) and it’s something different,” Goldman said. “We all did this as kids. But who would have known you’d have a room full of arm wrestlers?”
Amongst the crowd of competitors was special guest John Brzenk, a legend in the world of arm wrestling.
“In 2000, the Guinness World Records book had me listed as the most successful arm wrestler that ever lived,” Brzenk said.
Brzenk’s father exposed the champ to arm wrestling as a kid. Brzenk started arm wrestling at age 12, he said.
“It’s about dedication and the desire,” said Brzenk, of Salt Lake City. “At first it was just to beat my dad and then it just progressed. I think starting at a young age helped me a lot.”
“I’m kind of the Tiger Woods of arm wrestling,” he added.
Dan Wardlay drove up from Temecula to test his strength against others. Wardlay, 52, had won two out of three matches with two to go at 3 p.m.
“At this level you got to really focus on the start and pay attention to where the guy’s hands are,” Wardlay said. “You got to forget about what the guy on the other side looks like and worry about yourself.”
Results from the competition will be posted on www.proarmwrestling.com by Monday, Burgeson said.
