Ocracoke "Native" Wins the Belt

The Community Center was packed with spectators as tournament newcomers Wrestles With Bears and Ripped Reader put 2015 champ Fat Jesus in 3rd place.

Twenty-three wrasslers turned out for the 8th annual Women's Arm Wrestling Tournament. Some were familiar faces at the event, but this year's winner, Ocracoke resident Kimmy Hansen, was competing for the first time. Her winnings include a great photo opportunity, a year's worth of bragging rights, and very temporary custody of the WOVV championship belt. Proceeds from the competition benefit Ocracoke's own community radio station, on the air at 90.1FM or heard around the world at wovv.org. 

"What made me do it was a dream," Kimmy told me. "I saw it in a dream, I saw myself as a Native American warrior, and winning the tournament." 

Awake the next day, Kimmy googled arm wrestling and learned it was originally a Native American game. 

"I said 'okay', I'll do it," she said, adding that she has Native American heritage. "I wanted to be more soft and fluffy in my 40's, but you are who you are. When the ancient ones come to you, you listen."

Kimmy's toughest competition for the title was the Ripped Reader, whose meek and mild manner camouflaged arms of steel. Katelyn Murphy is visiting from Marietta, Georgia where she works in a bookstore, and spends her free time, not reading, but competing in mud runs and obstacle runs. She used to build those biceps with circus arts: aerial silks and pole fitness. Word to the wise: don't mess with a pole dancer! This was Katelyn's first visit to Ocracoke, and she took home a second place win! 

Melissa Owsley, forever and always to be know on Ocracoke as Fat Jesus due to the serendipitous wearing of a Hangover tee-shirt in her first tournament in 2013, dropped back down to 3rd place. She plans her annual trip to Ocracoke from Ohio to coincide with the contest, and is a great sport. She's been in the Final Four twice before, and once (2015) was the Champion!

Ocracoke never misses a chance to dress up, and the Costume Contest is highly competitive. This year had two clear contenders in Girl-Zilla (Chrisi Gaskill, unrecognizable until she giggled) and HB2, a hermaphrodite Harry/Bertha split personality paraded by Connie Leinbach. Everyone cheered when they (all three of them!) won 1st and 2nd place respectively.

The 3rd place prize went to three good friends, a walking advertising campaign for canned veggies: Jolly Green Julie, the Green Maven, and Kay Sprout. These ladies had witnessed the wrasslin' a few years ago, and when they realized they'd be back on the island for this year's bout, Kay and Maven agreed to the wearing o' the green to celebrate Julie's birthday. "The things you do for love," Maven laughed, then they all broke out in song. "We've been singing that all day."

Other costumes/alter egos include: the return of Fat Jesus (more reliable at coming back than her namesake), Lincoln Hawk, Super Hooper, Jazzilla, the Black Widow, Army Winehouse, Train Wreck, Toga Terri, Caffiend, Lady Clamelot, Bonny Read, Buckytown Breakdown, Buckytown Throwdown, and Buckytown Beatdown (yes, they planned it!)

Giles Russell officiated the event for the 5th year in a row. In 2013, he was the national champion at 198lb. left- and right-handed arm wrestling; in 2016, he's second in the nation. He's a pro and he's got the biceps to prove it! Giles wrestles all comers between the rounds of females, and keeps the competition going at the after-party at Dajio. 

The tournament was held in the Community Center – a venue change due to puddles, rain, mud, mosquitoes, thunderstorms, lightning, and other wonders of nature that make planning an outdoor event so much fun. Thanks go to: Bill Cole for his amazing announcing, Charles Temple for running the bracket, Tommy Hutcherson for providing the tunes, Aaron Gallaher for bartending, Tim Parker for bringing the eats, Sarah Fiore and Brad Yeatman for setting up the tables and chairs, Cindy Gaskill and Amy Johnson for selling the tee shirts and raffle tickets, Bob and Brenda Kremser and Nathan Modlin for working the door, the Variety Store and Dajio for sponsoring the event, and Devil's Backbone Brewing Co. for donating the beer. A lot of volunteer hours went into this fun and funky event. Thanks, y'all! 

Click on any photo below to enlarge it, then you can scroll through them all by clicking the "next" button in the upper right corner. Enjoy!