D'Arcy-Garbutt Cup 2013

3rd April 2013 was the inaugural D’Arcy-Garbutt Cup, contested between Wakefield Weightlifting Club and Featherstone Weightlifting club.

The venue was at Wakefield College’s Thornes Park Campus, the new permanent home of the Wakefield Club, and the Theatre proved to be an inspiring place for the competitors, many of whom were at their first event. Named in honour of each clubs’ founding members, Jack Garbutt and Les D'Arcy, the trophy was to be awarded to the team producing the best totals from their three top lifters. Each club nominated six lifters to represent their club, with a diverse range of ages from 18 to 70, demonstrating that weightlifting truly is a sport for all.

There was no better example of this than thirteen year old Molly Dyas, representing Featherstone, who lifted as an exhibition in the intermission. She completed five out of six lifts and achieved a total of 38kg in her first match at 36kg bodyweight, a great start for the youngster proving she's one for the future.

The first group of six lifters were largely debutants, except the experienced Michael Butterworth, who had only a few days previously won at the British Masters in Bristol, putting in an excellent display posting a 133kg total. The competition got off to a flier with two Wakefield Lifters, Mark Helme and Sam Sheen, getting personal bests in the Clean and Jerk. Featherstone’s big hope in this group was Martyn Riley, an experienced lifter who was hoping for a big performance. Unfortunately he hadn’t recovered from a back injury sustained in training the week before and he wasn’t able to post the total he is capable of. However debutante Michael Hall showed promise posting a 140kg total. Wakefield lifter Sam Sheen followed up his personal best jerk with an excellent 160kg total and his teammates Andy Phillips and Mark Helme posted solid totals of 158kg and 161kg respectively.

In the 2nd group, following Molly's exhibition lifting, it was time for the big hitters to come out. Wakefield had two experienced lifters to come in Sean Glover, posting a massive 245kg total at 91kg bodyweight, and current British Masters Champion Paul Sheen who was a little down from the previous week’s victory! Featherstone’s final three lifters were relatively inexperienced, relying on the well-respected Mark Wager, the multiple-times British Master champion posting a 245kg total to lead them home supported by debutantes James Scott and Hayden Luke, who also posted solid totals of 148kg and 158kg respectively.

Wakefield in the end put in a solid performance to win the first of hopefully many editions to this now planned annual event. It was a brilliant advertisement and promotion of weightlifting in the area and Les D'Arcy and Jack Garbutt would be proud!

Many thanks to Alan Lomax for refereeing and to Nick Hall and Mark Helme for supporting lifters in warm up area.

For photos from the day's lifting click here. For the results, click here.

Report by Martyn Riley