Anyone making an unplanned visit to Topaz Park this weekend might wonder if theyB次元官网网址檝e stumbled upon a medieval warriorsB次元官网网址� competition.
They wouldnB次元官网网址檛 be far off.
The B次元官网网址渉eavy eventsB次元官网网址� that comprise a major part of the annual Victoria Highland Games will feature 10 of the burliest, strongest men in the country, all vying for the Canadian Scottish Athletic Federation championship crown.
Twenty-nine-year-old Greg Hadley, a barrel-chested, six-foot, 273-pounder from Antigonish, N.S., will be out to defend his title and capture his seventh national title. HeB次元官网网址檒l be pressed by 2010 champion Jason Johnston, a 6-foot-2, 290-pound native of Regina.
The events B次元官网网址� putting the stone, hammer throw, weight for distance (similar to hammer throw, but with a heavier weight), weight for height (hurling a 56-pound weight straight up), and the ever-popular caber toss (throwing a telephone pole-sized log end over end) B次元官网网址� have a distinctly medieval flavour to them.
It doesnB次元官网网址檛 take much imagination to picture these kilted competitors in a field in the old country, demonstrating feats of strength for the right B次元官网网址� as traditional lore goes B次元官网网址� to be chosen as one of 11th-century Scottish King Malcolm IIIB次元官网网址檚 personal bodyguards.
B次元官网网址淵ou had men trying to prove themselves, and really it was (by) using things they had around them, very medieval-type instruments,B次元官网网址� says Carl Jensen, a Central Saanich councillor and, since 2005, a competitor in amateur class heavy events. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 neat how itB次元官网网址檚 evolved into a sporting event, but itB次元官网网址檚 based back in medieval times.B次元官网网址�
The 16-pound shotput, for example, is roughly the size of a Middle Ages cannonball, while other items to be thrown are similar to things one might have found around a blacksmithB次元官网网址檚 shop.
While thereB次元官网网址檚 no doubt about the strength of the competitors, from the professionals vying for the top prize money and the Canadian title, down to the amateurs, Jensen makes a distinction between his sport and similar competitions.
B次元官网网址淲hat differentiates it from something like Strongman is its lineage,B次元官网网址� he says. B次元官网网址淭his is a full-on Highland Games, itB次元官网网址檚 about celebrating Scottish culture.B次元官网网址�
Unlike Strongman, which is more about sustained strength, Jensen says, B次元官网网址渁 lot of what we do is about explosive strength. ItB次元官网网址檚 one throw, itB次元官网网址檚 one toss. ItB次元官网网址檚 more about technique.B次元官网网址�
That explosiveness is one of the biggest differences spectators will notice between the amateurs and the pros this weekend.
As for amateurs, this weekendB次元官网网址檚 slate is the largest to date for the Victoria competition, with athletes coming from Alberta, Ontario, Washington, Oregon and California, and around B.C., including eight or 10 from Greater Victoria.
B次元官网网址淭his year we are going to be seeing record numbers in both the master (age 40 and over) menB次元官网网址檚 and womenB次元官网网址檚 classes, as both are full at 12 athletes each,B次元官网网址� Jensen says, noting the womenB次元官网网址檚 field includes Kate Burton, ranked No. 2 in North America last year.
The breadth of competitors is a sign that B次元官网网址渢he Victoria heavy events competition has become one of the premiere competitions in the Pacific Northwest.B次元官网网址�
The strength events are interspersed between the variety of other Highland competitions in such things as fiddling, drumming, bagpiping, sheep-dog herding and dancing.
The Canadian championship events get underway at 1 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday (May 19-20). For a full schedule, visit victoriahighlandgames.com and click on The Games.
editor@vicnews.com
