Gas City Grind powerlifting event the largest of its kind in Canadian history

By Ryan McCracken on August 19, 2017.

rmccracken@medicinehatnews.com @MHNMcCracken

Amber Hamilton has seen her sport of powerlifting grow exponentially over a span of just two years, and it’s showing no signs of stopping.

The third annual 100% Raw Powerlifting Federation’s Gas City Grind will make its way back to Temple Fitness Saturday morning, but this time it will produce the single largest field of its kind in Canadian history.

“I’m just proud that it’s so massive and that Medicine Hat gets to hold the largest competition in Canadian history,” said Hamilton, event director for the Gas City Grind and 100% Raw Powerlifting Federation Southern Alberta rep. “Since I started it has basically quadrupled in size. The very first Grind, (in 2015), that we had, we capped it at 30 lifters and this year we had to cap it and limit to 100 … We’re also the first federation, I believe, to hold a competition where there’s an equal men-to-women ratio.”

Lifters will compete in a variety of events and classes ranging from age to weight. The marquee full power event will feature squats, bench press, then deadlifting. Competitions will also be held in the strict curl and military press. Teams with at least six lifters can register to compete as a team as well as individually.

The action gets underway at 9 a.m. with lightweights and women’s powerlifting, with heavyweights and men slated to start at the afternoon. Hamilton says she expects things to wrap up at roughly 9 p.m.

While Hamilton says roughly 75 of the event’s 100 lifters will come from out of town, Medicine Hat boasts some big names in the business. Some of the locals to watch for include multiple world record holder Lisa Gervais and national record holders Cherisse Martineau and Shane Frey.

“We have Lethbridge coming, some from Red Deer coming and lots of our Calgary groups are coming,” she said.