Besides promoting sportsmanship, pouring out human energy through arm wrestling can even help prevent violence, believes the organizers of the NMI’s first Arm Wrestling Challenge that will be held in Club V on Friday and Saturday.
Hosted by Club V and Trench Tech Purebred Saipan, the Arm Wrestling Challenge 2009 will have part of its proceeds donated to Northern Marianas’ Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.
Club V’s Fernando Ureta said wrestling can also be men’s outlet when bad things happen and they need to release emotions without causing any damages.
That is why he believes bringing in arm wrestling as another kind of sport can support the campaign against domestic and sexual violence. And they want to give this support right in the very beginning that will also mark the birth of a new sport on the island.
Cash and in-kind prizes await the winners of each three divisions—heavyweight, middleweight and lightweight.
All division winners will bring home $200 cash from Pacific Trading Company while runner ups will get in-kind prizes from NTT Docomo. The other winners will receive consolation prices that include gift certificates and cases of Miller Lite beer.
The official weigh-in and last day of registration will be on Thursday, Nov. 26, from 5 p.m. and on.
The preliminary matches will be from 4 p.m., to 9 p.m., on Friday and the finals will be on Saturday. Registration fee is $10.
For his part, Trench Tech’s Cuki Alvarez said he is hoping to see a good turn out in the event. Launching the first arm wrestling, he said reconciles with his own idea of starting new sports on the island.
Alvarez said he is optimistic that arm wrestling challenge can grow bigger in the future. He is certain that this new sport is going to bring in new guys into NMI’s sports community.
“There are a lot of strong guys on the island who want to have something they can prove their strength. Only, they don’t want to get punched in the face, so this one’s for them,” Alvarez said.
