More than 300 athletes representing 17 countries converged on Las Vegas October 17-19 for the AAU World Powerlifting Championships, AAU World Indoor Feats of Strength Championships, and the AAU MAS Strength Challenge.  The three day meet was held in the ballroom at the Quad Hotel on the Las Vegas strip, and featured athletes of all ages.  Martin Drake, the incoming AAU Strength Sports National Chairman, served as meet director for powerlifting, Bill Weinstock, AAU Strength Sports Vice Chairman for Feats of Strength, served as meet director for the Feats of Strength world championship, and Odd Haugen served as director for the MAS Strength Challenge, one of the Feats of Strength events.

Competitors from outside the USA came from as far away as Afghanistan and India; competitors also hailed from Austria, Brazil, Canada, France, Iran, Korea, Mexico, Russia, Turkmenistan, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Israel, Egypt and Slovakia.  The huge delegation from India tied with the USA for the overall team title.  Team Mexico finished in second place and the great team from Afghanistan finished in third place.  This was Afghanistan’s second trip to the AAU World Championships in Las Vegas.

Equipment Raw, Challenge Barbell, Ivanko Barbell, American Barbell, The LINQ, Caesars Entertainment, Ken Ibbetson (Morgan Stanley), Fine Design, CSS Photo, Anderson Powerlifting and Fitness Cages Unlimited were key sponsors and supporters of the three-day meet. 

A stellar crew of International officials was anchored by the world's finest referee, Gordon Santee. Special thanks go to Karen Fultz, Henry Fultz, Bill Weinstock, Bill Ennis, Paul Gillott, Hal Pittman, Ray Anderson, Tony Rodriguez, Tom Hendron, Danny Bentley, Robert Herbst, Randy Nacarrato, Odd Haugen, Gordon Santee, Bill Croft, Dave Yancey, Patrick Mc Donnell and the amazing spotting and loading team.  Drug testing was performed by the Center for Drug Free Sports, which also conducts NCAA testing, and an AAU Strength Sports Board of Directors meeting was held to chart the way forward for AAU Strength Sports in 2015.   

Day one (Friday) featured all female lifters, as well as men 75 kg (165 lbs.) and below.  Forty-eight outstanding female lifters competed for world titles on day one!   Saturday was reserved for male lifters in the 82.5 and 90 kg. classes (181 and 198 lbs.), and Sunday featured lifters 100 kg (220 lbs.)  through super heavy weight. 

The Feats of Strength events were held throughout the day on Friday and Saturday, culminating with the awarding of Best Athlete Awards in the Men’s, Women’s, and Youth Categories.  There were also King and Queen of the Mega Lift Awards, given to the athletes with the greatest number of events using greater than prescribed poundage for repetition competition.  The MAS Strength Challenge was a new, but very popular Feats of Strength event at this year’s world championships. 

Powerlifting Best Lifters

Women' Powerlifting                                                  Ruth Coax

Women's Pushpull                                                      Winifred Pristell

Women's Deadlift                                                       Winifred Pristell

Women's Bench                                                          Patti McKee

 Men's Light weight Raw Powerlifting                       William Hoskens

Men's Light weight Raw Bench                                  Martin Drake

Men's Equipped bench 181 and under                       Martin Drake

Men's Equipped Powerlifting                                     Bob Grell

Men's Pushpull 181 and under                                   Bill Croft

Men's Deadlift 181 and under                                    Bill Croft

Men's Heavy Weight Equipped Powerlifting              Chad Drecksel

Men's Equipped bench 198 and above                       Jerry Homer Sr.

Men's Middle Weight Raw Powerlifting                    Ron Garofalo

Men's Deadlift 198 and above                                   Mayank  (India)

Men' Pushpull 198 and above                                    Mitch Owen

Men's Raw Middle Weight Bench                              Cicero Da Silva (Brazil)

Men's Raw Heavy Weight Bench                               Glen Tenove

Men's Raw Heavy Weight Powerlifting                      Ali Rafizada (Afghanistan)

Men's Strict Curl                                                         Glen Tenove

Feats of Strength Best Athletes

Women’s Best Athlete (Open)                                    Angelica Berti

Women’s Best Athlete                                                Angelica Berti

Women’s Best Athlete (Youth)                                   Allie Lazarus

Men’s Best Athlete (Youth)                                         Evan Pittman

Men’s Best Athlete (Open)                                         Jack Lynch

Men’s Best Athlete                                                     Jack Lynch

Men’s King of the Mega Lift                                       Loren McClurg (tie)                                                                     
                                                                                   Jack Lynch (tie)

Women’s Queen of the Mega Lift                              Bianca Luedeker

Women’s All Around   (Open)                                     Bianca Luedeker

Women’s All Around                                                   Bianca Luedeker

Women’s All Around (Youth)                                      Avery Miller

Men’s All Around (Youth)                                           Maximus Crofton

Men’s All Around (Open)                                            Jack Lynch

Men’s All Around                                                        Jack Lynch

MAS Strength Challenge Winners

Ladies                                                                          Liefia Ingalls

Men                                                                             Romark Weiss

Boys, 5-9                                                                     Connor Minix

Boys, 15-17                                                                 Christopher DeLouche