ALBERTON – Even a bump to the head from a 300-pound log couldn’t derail Tyne Valley’s Mitch Kinch at the recent Atlantic Canada’s Strongest Man competition at Tidefest in East Hants, N.S..
Kinch had the overhead press all but locked in when his foot caught the edge of the platform, sending him and the log tumbling.
The sight of the log bonking him in the heat and the arm on the way down sent a shudder through the crowd at the East Hants Sportsplex, but Kinch was far from done.
The tumble came during the third event in the seven-event, two-day competition. Kinch ended up tying for fifth in the log press, an event he thought he had potential of winning.
“I got that lots of times before,” he insisted. He went on to place second in the final event of the day, the atlas stones, to sit second overall in the field of nine competitors.
Kinch held onto that position through the second day, winning the final event as he was the only competitor to complete the flip-carry-push event within the 90-second time limit. Even if he had won the log press and had managed that final quarter-inch of clearance on the largest atlas stone, it wouldn’t have been enough to overtake the eventual champion but it would have brought him close. He finished with 49.5 points, 10 back of the champion, Joey LaVallee.
The stumble, he admits has him looking for redemption in the overhead medley during the Prince County Exhibition’s Strongest Man in P.E.I. competition in Alberton on July 26. He’s also hoping to conquer all of Alberton’s Atlas stones.
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Mitch Kinch’s Strongest Man in Atlantic Canada results:
Truck pull, second.
Farmer’s Carry, third.
Log press, fifth.
Atlas Stones, second.
750-pound super yoke, fourth.
Car deadlift, third.
Flip-carry-push, first.
Overall, second – 49.5 points.
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PRINCE COUNTY EXHIBITION WILL CROWN NEW CHAMPION
ALBERTON – Organizer and six-time defending champion of the Prince County Exhibition’s Strongest Man in P.E.I. competition thinks this year’s competition could be the hardest of them all on him.
That’s because a torn bicep is keeping Alex Wallace out of the competition.
“I know exactly what it is going to be like” said Wallace, 38. “It’s usually a lot more work, because I can’t just sit back and do the events.”
Instead, he will be helping to set up each element of the five-event men’s competition, and the three-event women’s fitness competition.
The competitions take place Thursday, July 26, at 6 p.m., on the Prince County Exhibition’s event grounds in Alberton. Wallace is expecting at least six male and eight female competitors.
With Wallace out for this year, Mitch Kinch from Tyne Valley has emerged as the competitor to beat. The-six foot six-inch, 310-pound Kinch came oh-so-close to dethroning Wallace last year. He won the first three events before Wallace rallied in the final two events to edge Kinch by half a point.
Since then, Kinch has been tearing through competitions, finishing second overall in the Atlantic Canada Strongest Man competition at Tidefest last weekend in East Hants, Nova Scotia.
Though the result was impressive, Kinch admits he’s not satisfied.
“I’m tired of second,” he said, setting his sights on the title in Alberton.
Two other Islanders entered the competition in East Hants, N.S., recently and at least one of them wants to enter the Alberton competition. Mitch Illsley had to bow out of Tidefest after hyper-extending his knee during the yolk event. He’s been nursing the injury ever since, and believes he will be ready to get back in the competition ring on July 26.
George Kinch, usually a judge at the Prince County Exhibition, competed in East Hants and is preparing for the Canadian Masters in Waterloo, Quebec in September. He’s undecided about seeking the P.E.I. title. His nephew Mitch, and fellow competitor Illsley want him to enter.
Wallace said he is expecting the popular competition to attract at least three competitors from Nova Scotia.
Picking up on Kinch’s frustrations with second-place finishes, Wallace reminds him that he has been entering the Prince County Exhibition since 2003 and settled for several third-place finishes before taking first in 2009.
Wallace is taking his break from competition in stride.
“What I hope to get out of watching the competition is that I’m not satisfied to watch it,” he said, suggesting it will make him hungrier for next year.
Of course, it’s no secret that inch is hungry for this year, especially after falling a half point short last year.
Entries for the July 26 competition can be called in to Alex Wallace at West End Elite Gym, or to the Prince County Exhibition office.
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Events
This year’s men’s at Prince County Exhibition
(order of the events have not been finalized):
Men
1. Farmers Walk (Carry a pair of 250-pound weight for 50 feet and return with pair of 300-pound weights).
2. Press medley (press kegs and logs weighing from 200 to 260 pounds).
3. Axle deadlift (weights added to axle after each successful lift).
4. Tire flip (flip a 1200-pound tire as many times as possible in 75 seconds.
5. Atlas Stone lift (Stones of ascending weights must be placed on platforms).
Women
Farmers Walk.
Log press.
Tire flip.
