ARMED

WASILLA — Dan Hermans probably didn’t know what to expect when he walked into the Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center Saturday afternoon to compete in the Alaska State Arm Wrestling Championships.

The 40-year-old Wasilla man had arm wrestled before, nothing formal. But by the time Hermans left Saturday, he’d beat a former national champion and locked hands with 11-time world champion John Parton.

Hermans was one of about two dozen who tried their hand in the state championships, the state’s first official championship event in more than a decade. He was urged by event organizer, Alaska Fighting Championships promoter Sarah Johnston, to participate, and came out mainly for the experience, he said.

“Just to have fun,” said Hermans, proudly displaying his Wasilla roots wearing his Wasilla Warriors football T-shirt.

Hermans said he could see himself participating in an event like this again. He was in several matches. Late in the double-elimination tournanament-style event, Hermans managed to edge John Creekmore, a former national champion from Michigan who is now in the military and stationed at Fort Richardson in Anchorage.

“There are some good guys here,” Hermans said after locking hands with Creekmore for the second time.

In the final match of his class, Hermans helped give fans the longest, and arguably most exciting, match of the three hours worth of arm wrestling, using all of his might to try to overpower Parton, a grizzled arm wrestling veteran who has been arm wrestling longer than many of Saturday’s participants have been alive.

Parton ultimately prevailed, the winner of more than 20 national titles, and gave fans some added suspense.

Parton participated in the action, but was also on hand as the event’s honorary referee. He’s a longtime friend of another veteran of the sport, Greg Johnston, who is trying to resurrect the dormant championships and put together arm wrestling teams in Anchorage and the Valley.

The arm wrestling state championships were once a staple on the Alaska calendar, coinciding annually with Fur Rendezvous. But the group that helped host the state championships stopped coming to Alaska about a decade ago.

With help of his daughter Sarah, the AFC promoter, the Johnstons were able to put together Saturday’s event.

“The key is to get the ball rolling,” Parton said after signing Alaska State Arm Wrestling Championships T-shirts for a group of fans following the event. “Get some people fired up, not only about arm wrestling in Alaska, but arm wrestling in general.”

Zack Mohar is one of Saturday’s participants who was fired up.

“I’m hoping they’re going to continue to do this,” Mohar said.

The 24-year-old won his class and also had the chance to arm wrestle Parton.

“It’s awesome. I didn’t think that was going to happen at all,” Mohar said.

Mohar said his friends convinced him to sign up for the championships.

“I’d (arm wrestled) with friends. They pretty much got me to do this,” Mohar said.

There was a wide range of competition spread among the men and handful of women who participated.

Seasoned veterans such as Creekmore, Parton and Johnston were in the field.

Creekmore, 25, has been arm wrestling since he was a teen. He’s taken time away from the sport while serving in the military, but appeared to be back in old form on Saturday. Creekmore said there were some strong competitors, but experience in the sport is key.

Parton said he hopes to see more in the future.

“There seemed to be some strong guys, interested guys,” Parton said.

Throughout the event, Parton passed along advice to the more novice arm wrestlers.

“The main thing, arm wrestling’s a leverage game,” Parton said. “Really, the key to arm wrestling is controlling the hand. There is technique. It’s important to have strength to back that technique up.”

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/matsu_sports.