Area Sports by Michael Dashiell

Need a better spot to see the Irrigation Festival Parade but a car is in the way? Ask one of these guys to help.

The 2009 Jesse Marunde Memorial Invitational Strongman Competition brings some of the top Strongman competitors in the country to Sequim as they compete for prizes, respect and crowd adulation.

This year's lineup includes Sequim's own Breck Gault going up against Grant Higa of Maple Valley, Corey St. Clair of Boise and two muscle-bound participants from Las Vegas: 40-year-old Nick Best and 19-year-old Foster Parnell.

Events include a 1,000-pound car lift, log medley (lifting a series of increasingly heavier logs, dumbbells and axles), 900-pound tire flip and stones, a series of five concrete orbs ranging from 275-400 pounds.

Best, a former California state champ, set a world record Farmer's Walk last February at the Los Angeles Fit Expo. Foster, his fellow Vegas competitor, recently won the Super Heavyweight division at the Golden State Strongman Challenge in Fresno on April 18.

Event sponsors include: Ruddell Auto Mall, 7 Cedars Casino, Marunde-Muscle.com, Allen and Charters Construction, KC Construction and dotFit.

Event competitors honor Marunde, a professional Strongman since 2001 who competed in four World's Strongest Man events, placing second in 2005. He died in July 2007.

Marshall White of Port Angeles won the 2008 competition.



Jesse Marunde Memorial

Invitational Strongman

Competition

What: Showcase/competition of strength, including top Strongman competitors from across the country

When: 6-8 p.m. May 8

Where: At Blake Avenue lot in conjunction with festival's logging show

Competitors: Breck Gault, Grant Higa, Nick Best, Corey St. Clair, Foster Parnell