Thirty men competed in five events on Saturday, April 9th, at the J.F. Hurley YMCA during the fourth competition for Strongest Man at the Y.  Though the day was chilly for spectators, it was perfect for the competitors whose feats of strength were on display time and time again.  
When the final whistle blew the winners and runners up were determined:
In the under 175 pound class there was a tie for first place between Alex Rollins and Chris Connell, both of Salisbury.  
These young men split the $250 prize money.  Connell excelled in the Atlas Stone and One Arm Press while Rollins headed the field in the Fingal Fingers and Bus Pull.
Jeffrey Alexander of Charlotte led the field in the 176-210 pound class, beating the others’ time in the Atlas Stone and Fingal Finger events.  He pocketed $250 for his effort.  In a tie for second were Roger Mowery of Salisbury and Brandon Lambeth of Lexington.
At 211-250 pounds, Tra Farrington of Durham and Eric Hedgspeth of Charlotte ruled the day as they tied for top honors.  Farrington was tops in Atlas Stones, One Arm Press and the Bus Pull while Hedgspeth topped out in the Fingal Fingers and the Sled Push. This duo split the prize money for their considerable efforts.
In the over 250 pound class, Kemal Carmen from Burlington was the leader as he topped the list in Atlas Stones and Bus Pull.  Cedric Woriax and the towering Lucas Whaley (at 6 feet 10 inches) were Carmen’s main competition throughout.
There was a new master’s division added to the contest this time for competitors over the age of 40. Thomas Bowman of Graham dominated that grouping.  He led in four of the five events, cruising to victory.
Kenny Seagle, event coordinator for the meet, was pleased with every aspect of the day.  Seagle said, “As always, I am amazed at what these men can do. Whether it’s lifting a 325 pound atlas stone or pressing a 125-pound dumbbell with one arm above their heads. These men have superhuman abilities.  I look forward to the next contest in October to see what will be done next.”
Special thanks go to the sponsors of the contest.  They include Attorney James Davis, Cheerwine, F&M Bank, Cici’s Pizza, Baylee’s Steakhouse, Ryan’s, Marlowes, Lone Star, and Anson Castelvecchi of Silverback Strength Equipment.
View more photos of this event at the Y‘s Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/JFHurleyStrongMan