NEW YORK
ARM WRESTLING ASSOCIATION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For information contact: Gene Camp at (718) 544-4592

e-mail: nyawa@aol.com website: http://www.nycarms.com

MANHATTAN, NY. January 20, 2000. The New York Arm Wrestling Association (NYAWA) will present the Y-2000 Empire 'Golden Arm' Championship at Madison Square Garden’s Theater Lobby on Friday, February 4, 2000. Registration and weigh-in will begin at 10 AM and starting time is 12 PM.

Custom statue trophies will be awarded to first, second and third place in each weight class and the New York ‘King and Queen’ of Arms (MVP’s) will be crowned.

The Empire ‘Golden Arm’ Championship is the final event of the New York ‘Golden Arm’ Series. Nine preliminary Pro-Am championships were held last year at New York's most popular street festivals, fairs, amusement parks, race tracks, beaches and major tourist attractions in each of the five boroughs, Long Island and upstate New York.

There are no residency requirements to compete. Over 130 of the best amateur and pro arm wrestlers have qualified from all over New York, the tri-state area and from as far away as Brazil. 1,143 contestants competed in last year’s New York 'Golden Arm' series. Men and women in eleven weight classes will compete in the finals and spectators are invited to watch this exciting event for FREE.

These finalists are expected to take the challenge to unseat the current champions, who are New York’s best arm wrestlers: last year’s newly crowned ‘Queen of Arms,’ a 16-year-old phenom, open-class champ Jayme Fernandez of Sayville, LI, and New York’s ‘King of Arms,’ super heavy-weight champion Bobby Buttafucco from Rockville Centre, LI, who has won 12 years in a row. Other current title holders are: 135 lb. Christine Scheurich from City Island, Bronx, (11 years); 200 lb. Jason Vale from Whitestone, Queens, (9 years); left handed super heavy-weight Mike Selearis from Elmhurst, Queens, (3 years); two first time winners were, 150 lb. Will Marini from Manhattan and 175 lb. Steve Black from Whitestone, Queens. In the Masters 50+ class, 54 year old Stan Banford from Wales, MA won for the third straight year. Three new weight classes have been added this year: the men’s 132 lb. (right handed), men’s 175 lb. (left handed) and women’s 112 lb. classes.

The Empire 'Golden Arm' Championship is the oldest and most prestigious arm wrestling event in New York," said Gene Camp, president of the 22 year old NYAWA. "This is the first finals of the new millennium and the first time Madison Square Garden has ever hosted an arm wrestling event. It will feature the very best arm wrestlers in New York State and top challengers from around the world, all hoping for the NYC victory," according to Camp, "The Y-2000 final is extremely competitive, featuring the best arm wrestlers in the sport. The current champions certainly, have their work cut out for them, this year."

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ARMWRESTLING.COM- Dave Devoto (707) 537-7373