Inaugural Muscle 2 The Masses comes to High Wycombe

The event saw many weight enthusiasts across the county take on several lifting and endurance challenges, with the top five male competitors in both the novice and inters category booking their place at this summer’s Bloodstock Festival.

The level 2 lifters were pitted against weights including a 300kg - or 47 stone - deadlift. 

Bloodstock is a festival dedicated to heavy metal music, with there also being a ‘strongman’ event taking place this year.

The women who took part in Sunday’s event didn’t qualify for any festival but were awarded a medal.

Charley O’Flanagan, who co-organised the event with her husband Joe, said: “This in the first one we’ve ever done and even though it was very stressful, as it took six months to plan, we believe it was a great success.

“For our first event we had a good turn out of spectators and people who took part, and it was great to see so many people encourage each other.

“We had a few spectators come up afterwards and say it was one of the best competitions they’ve been to and the fact that everyone was egging each other on was great to witness.

“It’s incredibly difficult to lift the weights and do the challenges they did so to have that encourage from not just friends and family, but also strangers was great to see.”

The event saw many first-time weightlifters take part competitively with Argo Harbeneal, Bradley James, Scott Williams, Richard Harrop and Toby Yates all booking their places at Bloodstock this summer, as the quintet finished in the top five for the novice category.

Elsewhere, Dawid Pakulski, Phillip Manning, David Spurr, Brett le Cras and Ben Pascoe finished in the top five of the Inters category and will also take part at the Catton Hall & Park venue.

The festival is based in Derbyshire with Protein Cloud, Muscle Ammo and Heavy Metal Lifting being Muscle 2 The Mass’ sponsors.