Here Come The Girls' Grand Final

The date is Sunday 8th September 2024. We are in St Ives Cambridgeshire at Nova Performance for the Grand Final of Here Come The Girls’.

This article is simply the on the day results. We will release the league article at a later date. One thing we didn’t want to do is miss the opportunity to give credit for the on the day results and performances.

So lets start by setting the scene. As athletes & spectators begin to arrive the atmosphere is popping already thanks to Lewis Byng and his Junior world record deadlift attempt. After witnessing the 380kg (yes three hundred and eighty kilos) fly up, Lewis narrowly missed the world record of 430kg despite the weight cleanly breaking the floor.
Continuing to set the scene, picture a packed out gym, with spectators wall to wall, and at the front by the open roller shutters, we have stands set up for the Buds Fitness Shop – https://www.budsfitness.co.uk/shop/ as well as a stand for Go For Yoke – https://goforyoke.com.
Opposite these stalls we we have an honesty box for Together We Lift, which on the raised an impressive £50 when combined with the profit from hoodie sales on the day also. The athletes had their own room to the side. This room in itself is inspiring, as you look up you can see the many trophies that have been won by Nova Performance Athletes over the years, including MC Matt Nice’s 2nd place trophy from Worlds Strongest Natural 2023 and most recent addition of our hosts Hannah Fitzgerald’s 1st place at the 2024 Worlds Strongest Natural.

Event 1 – Max Deadlift. Three nominated lifts.

Into event 1 of the day, which was a traditional max deadlift event which allowed each athlete to complete three nominated lifts.

Novice.
Irina opens the floor with a breezy looking 70kg before hitting a PB and taking the 80kg in her first ever strongwomen competition. As many were rattling through their 1st and 2nd lift’s another strongwomen beginner Sasha stood in the wings, saying nothing and simply watching on. Daniela, Jade and Ronique tie on 150kg, before seeing an outstanding debut lift from Sasha who not only got 160kg but also went on to pull 180kg to take an impressive heat win in her first ever event, in her first ever strongwomen competition.

Masters.
Reb once again giving away many kilos in weight compared to her competitors and in an event that often proves mass, moves mass Reb was happy with her 130kg, which was splitting points with Steffi in event 1. Up stepped Claire, for her much anticipated return to Here Come The Girls’ Strength League showing exactly what we were missing in Sawtry back in June. Pulling 150kg with ease before finally being defeated by the 160kg. Leaving Suze and Georgia to battle it out. Georgia pulled a PB at 160kg, and looked accomplished in doing so but that 170kg was glued to the ground. Suze then stepped up and pulled the 170kg with plenty still locked away if needed. Taking the event win.

Event 2. Axle overhead for reps.

Novice.
Novice was split into two weight options, a 30kg and a 40kg axle bar. With Irene, Nova, Lisa, Charleen and Rebecca taking to the 30kg. It was close between the ladies pressing 30kg however Charleen secured 10 impressive reps. This left Katie, Ronique, Jade, Samantha, Sasha, Ann, Anita and Daniela to battle it out on the 40kg axle.

Anita and Samantha were up first and both hit home impressive numbers, really setting the pace for the rest of the pack. Then it was the turn of current league leader Katie who put a real statement out breaking into double figures securing 10 clean reps despite missing one rep which somehow came loose on the pick up. Ann then stepped up and also secured an impressive 10 reps before Daniela came in and surprised herself with 11 reps!
With the event lead in Daniela’s hands overhead champ from leg 2 Jade stepped up and equalled Daniela’s score of 11 reps which was later matched by the powerhouse that is Ronique making it a three way tie for the event win between Daniela, Ronique and Jade.

Masters.
Reb was up first with her brand new Tuff Wraps elbow sleeves on (Elbow Sleeves) and Reb certainly found her rhythm with the second and third rep which at 45kg for such a light athlete is an exceptional score. Steffi then showed some real overhead experience throwing a massive 9 reps overhead, which pipped Claire who secured 8 reps.
Suze and Georgia then went and punched out 12 each, which was an event win tie for those two.

Event 3. Truck Pull.

Novice.
Up first with Irina who had never done anything like this before puller the Volvo XC40 21 metres in under 20 seconds!
Unbelievably the remainder of the pack were all then split by just four seconds before Jade stepped up and did a mental 13.60 seconds, only to be pipped by Daniela in a time 13.39 seconds.

Masters.
As with the novice category times were incredibly tight between all five ladies with Reb and Suze split by just 3 seconds. Georgia and Steffi separated by less than half a second!! The event win going to Claire who smashed home and impressive time of 13.80 seconds.

Event 4. Moving Medley.

An event that got very tactical as the event went on. This one had 8 individual implements to chose from, and you had just 60 seconds to get a combined weight over the line. This mean that Jade and Daniela in the novice, and Claire in the Masters had time to do some quick maths to workout what was the right implements to move to get the event win.

Novice.
With all bar one athlete opting to go for the 50kg farmers per hand to secure 100kg, we saw most athletes hit 200kg plus in weight moved in just 60 seconds which truly is an amazing performance when you consider the three punishing events that went before this one.
Once again an impressive heat win for Daniela finishing on 330kg, narrowly beating Jade who finished second on 315kg. In this even Katie and Ann tied on points on an impressive 285kg.

Masters.
In the masters, due to finishing fourth in the truck pull Suze went out second in the masters category and was the only women on the day to move five of the implements meaning that Suze finished on a total of 360kg in just 60 seconds which is mega impressive. Both Claire and Georgia took their attempts right to the wire, with Georgia’s sandbag JUST crossing the line on the whistle and judges counting it. Claire on the other hand was left cursing a slight fumble on the pick up as Claire went to carry the sandbag 98% of the way, only for the whistle to prevent Claire taking 2nd place in this event.

Event 5 – Sandbag Toss (or Throw bags)

In this event each athlete had to throw a 5kg, 7kg, 9kg and 11kg sand filled throw bag over a 3.6 metre tall scaffolding pole. To put that into context, the average height of our athletes was probably around 1.6 metres making this bar twice as tall as they are. This is an event that is solidly about technique, and as Matt Nice on MC duties pointed out, you certainly could see the field separated on this one between those who had practised it, and those who hadn’t. This is not an easy event to practice as many athletes wouldn’t have had the kit, or height within their gym to practise this event regularly.

Novice.
Irina gave it her all, and used up the full minute at no point quitting but unfortunately was unable to secure one bag. Lisa was up next launching the 5kg bag over in just 8 seconds, however Lisa really struggled on that second bag and had to settle for a super fast 1 bag for the event. We then had Nova and Rebecca launching both the 5kg & 7kg over the bar with Nova’s being on her final attempt as it sailed over at 58.27 seconds. Completing three bags we had Charleen (3 in 55.91), Sasha (3 in 46.78), Samantha (3 in 43.00), Anita (3 in 42.42), Ann (3 in 38.86), Katie (3 in 37.79) then Jade (3 in 19.22). Jade was absolutely rapid through the first three, but that fourth eluded Jade on the day and almost took out a photographer in the process. Ronique took 2nd place with all four bags in 56.20 taking it right up to her final attempt to get that 4th bag. Last up was Daniela. Daniela knew that all four bags would secure massive points, all four in 56 seconds would secure her yet another event win on the day. Showing no signs of complacency Daniela dispatched of all four bags in the fastest time on the day of 31.72 seconds!

Masters.
Reb up first got her first two in just 27 seconds, and looked really poised to get the third but unfortunately it just wasn’t to be on the day. Steffi then stepped up and was really explosive getting two bags in just 13.35 seconds, but like many before her that 9kg bag proved just a touch too much on the day. Up stepped Claire, who also got caught out by the 9kg bag, and completed in a time of 32.41. Georgia up next, with Coach Lapidge stood to her side keeping Georgia composed and reassuring her throughout Georgia tossed three bags in just 29 seconds whilst looking genuinely surprised at a what a tosser she was.
Last but not least Suze steps up to the mark, throwing an impressive 4 bags in just 33.08 seconds.

Event 6 – Stone to shoulder.

A final event that has blessed many strongman events in the past, the atlas stones are harsh. Athletes have given their all over 5 events in just 4 hours, and now the stones.

Novice.
Heading into the final event four points separated Jade (58 points) and Daniela (62 points). We then had a three-way scrap for that final podium position with 6.5 points separating 3rd place Ann (49 points), 5th place Ronique (42.5 points), with Katie nestled between them in 4th 46.5 points.

With two weight options, and 1 rep at the heavy weight beating multiple weights at the lighter weight half the field
went for the 30kg with many of the athletes getting between 4 and 7 reps. Anita then came in and was the first women to attempt 40kg knowing that just 1 rep would put her ahead of the six athletes before her. Anita got 4 reps inside 60 seconds putting her in the lead at this stage. Sasha was then next and matched the 4 set by Anita and then it was the battle for third place and Ronique was up first and got 7 reps, setting Ann and Katie with a target to hit. Katie was up next and despite getting it to shoulder for a 7th rep was judged by referee Adam not to have released her hand in time for the whistle meaning Katie finished on 6 reps at 40kg. Up next was Ann who knew that provided she beat or matched 7 reps that podium was hers which is exactly what Ann did. Ann got 7 reps at 40kg.

Then for the battle of first place, between Jade and Daniela. Jade was up first. As always in good spirits, smiling all the way walking to the stone. Jade went out and finished on 9 reps inside 60 seconds at 40kg. Whether or not at this stage Daniela and her partner John had worked it out but completing 7 reps would have been enough to secure 1st place on the day but leaving nothing to chance and wanting to finish on a high Daniela matched Jade’s 9 reps in the final event of the day.

Masters.
Heading into this one, though not mathematically over, it would have taken Suze to no rep, and for Georgia to win for Suze not to make it a clean sweep by winning Leg 1, 2 and 3 of this years Here Come The Girls’ Strength League however the final two podium spots could certainly be shuffled with Claire just 2.5 points off Georgia heading into this event.

Reb up first putting a stone that effectively is her body weight to shoulder, and doing so for 2 impressive reps. Steffi up next, and three strong reps from Steffi rounding off a great day. Then it was down to Claire, to see whether she could get enough reps to put pressure on Georgia for that second place. Claire managed 4 reps which gave her the event lead prior to Georgia and Suze having their attempts. Not wanting to let 2nd place go and to keep Suze honest Georgia gave it everything and managed 7 reps at 50kg in 60 seconds. Down to Suze, to complete the clean sweep. . . Could she do it?
Yes. . . A staggering 8 reps at 50kg and that was it clean sweep complete. Can anyone stop this women?

Thank you

Firstly, and most importantly thank you to the athletes for trusting us to pull together the event on the day, and giving your time to not only compete but also train towards this event. Without you these events obviously do not happen. Thank you also to the friends and family who came over and showed their support on the day. It was a fantastic turn out and an incredible atmosphere.

A massive thank you at this stage must go to newly crowned World’s Natural Strongest Women Hannah Fitzgerald for pulling together the event day, and ensuring they day ran so smoothly.

Thank you to Adam for allowing us to host the event in his gym Nova Performance, and use all their equipment on the day as well as be a loader and judge on the day.

Thank you to Ash Lapidge of ALFitness for travelling over from Atherstone to support the event, aid Hannah in point scoring, and be a judge and loader on the day.

Thank you to Stevie Dyer of Dyers Dark Room for the photos on the day, be sure to find him on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/dyersdarkroom?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Thank you to our MC Matt Nice for coming and providing commentary on the day and adding to the atmosphere throughout the day.

And last but by no means least, thank you to Go For Yoke for making the 7 hour round trip from Southampton to be at our event but also for sponsoring all three events throughout the year.

Article Written by Co-Owner and Co-Founder of Buds Fitness on 10th September 2024.

Here Come The Girls’ Women’s Only Strength League, final league results.

To read more about the league results with St Ives Include, click on the link below.

https://www.budsfitness.co.uk/here-come-the-girls-strength-league-final-results/

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