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New York Arm Wrestling Association (NYAWA)
Contact:  NYAWA - Gene Camp (718) 544-4592 or E-mail - nyawa@aol.com

NYC BIG APPLE GRAPPLE XXIX HAS GLOBAL AND GRIPPING TALE!

NEW KING CROWNED - YERBY IS NYC QUEEN OF ARMS FOR 7^th YEAR
BUTTAFUOCO MASTER 40+ CHAMP FOR SECOND YEAR

HELD ABOARD THE INTREPID SEA, AIR & SPACE MUSEUM

Manhattan, March 27, 2006   ---- Awesome feats of strength, explosive raw energy and merciless demonstrations of power went on display in Gotham City as 225-pound Mamuka Pajisvili from Republic of Gerogia was unable to defend the NYC King of Arms Title and was overpowered by super heavyweight open champion Tim Bresnan from Lisbon, Ct. in the final overall matches for the King’s Crown.  Then in a surprise display of sheer power Georgian teammate Giorgi Gelashvili, the 200-pound and under champion beat two-time super heavyweight champ Bresnan in the day’s final overall match. Gelashvili was presented the prestigious NYC King of Arms Crown aboard the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum in a gripping 29th Annual NYC Big Apple Grapple International Pro Championships held last Saturday, March 25, 2006

NYC’s Queen of Arms Cynthia Yerby from Wolf, Oklahoma defended her title once again as she pounded the competition for her seventh straight year, beating Connecticut star Cindy Looney from Milford and multi-champion Dina Fortuna from Wading River, LI. The 2005 Empire State Champ Merline Berrouet from South Ozone Park, Queens wound up in forth place.

 The New York Arm Wrestling Association's annual NYC Big Apple Grapple featured some of the USA and Europe’s top competitors against New York area pro talent. In a recap, Giorgi Gelashvili took the title of 'NYC King of Arms' after first winning the 200-pound and under championship over second place Charles Link from Yonkers, NY and Steven Shliah from Highland, NJ placed third.

Last years King of Arms Mamuka Pajishvili won the 225-pound class, Frank Hirst from Griswold, Ct. was second and Long Island champion Kevin Nelson was third. Tim Bresnan from Lisbon Ct. captured the super heavy weight title for the second year against 2005 Empire State MVP champion Shaun Freeman from Maspeth, Queens who was second and Brian Tribble from Ridge, NJ was third. The most grueling and exciting match of the day went to Flori Dutra from Brazil and Gokhah Calisarisci from Turkey. It was sheer crowd-pleasing guts, tenacity and endurance. Dutra and Calisarisci battled to an even tie after two rounds as they both beat each other once, then in a fierce finale match Dutra finally won with a relentless overpowering win, as the audience overpowered the sound waves. Dutra was presented-hands-down -- the referees’ choice award named "Winners Never Quit". The large spectator audience, about two-thirds of them tourists who chanced on the event, echoed the referees, as they quickly and loudly signaled their favorites, during the fast-paced eight events for men and an ‘Open’ class for women. 

Gene Camp, president and the day’s emcee for The New York Arm Wrestling Association (NYAWA) termed this 06’ NYC Big Apple Grapple XXIX “Our most successful event ever in 29 years of our holding pro and amateur events. We drew the mightiest pro arm wrestlers from distant states and overseas to give homegrown pros their strongest challengers ever" Camp, billed today as The NYC Arm Wrestling Event of the Century. “It’s The NYC marathon of arm wrestling,” Camp added. The event was truly International, as contestants competed from the USA, Armenia, Romania, Russia, Brazil, Republic of Georgia, Germany, Sweden, Uzbekistan, Turkey and Ukraine.

The some new and familiar faces from abroad dominated the lighter classes the 150 pound weight class was won by a well-known arm wrestling superstar from Brazil Flori Dutra who won the event in 2004, Gokhah Calisarisci from Turkey was second and Alexander Kovalchuk from Russia placed third. Gokhah Calisarisci from Turkey also competed in the 175-pound class and captured first place, second was Aliakberov Djasur from Uzbekistan and 05’ Empire State and 27-time NYC Champion Richard Calero placed with a disappointing third. In the 175-pound left hand class Alexander Kovalchuk of Russia took first place, Angel Cosme from Flushing, Queens was second and Aliakberov Djasur from Uzbekistan, third. A former right hand NYC King of Arms Marcio Barboza from Brazil was unable to compete right handed due to an injury , but dominated the Open Left hand Championship by beating NYC left-hand national star Michael Selearis from Elmhurst, Queens who placed second and Empire State champ Kevin Nelson from Holbrook, LI was third. In the master’s 40+-class, Bobby Buttafuoco from Rockville Center a veteran Long Island star arm wrestler and former eleven-time NYC King of Arms beat Russian champ Alexander Pozdnyakov who took second place and 17-time champion Harry Wilson from Brooklyn finished third.

The team championship produced a 14-point tie between Brazil and Republic of Georgia and CT. was third with 13 points.

For more information on 2006 upcoming amateur and pro events call Gene Camp at (718) 544-4592 and visit the NYAWA website at nycarms.com “End”