Veteran Athletic Director Ryan Seckman once again hosted the Women’s Highland Games World Championships at the Arizona Scottish Gathering and Highland Games, and Francis Brebner has filed a contest report with IronMind.


Danielle Curry won the 2014 Women’s Highland Games World Championships, hosted by the Arizona Scottish Gathering and Highland Games.  IronMind® | Francis Brebner photo


2014 Women’s World Highland Games Championships
by Francis Brebner
 
The 2014 Arizona Scottish Gathering and Highland Games, held this past weekend, celebrated its 50th anniversary and attracted fifteen thousand spectators over the two days of festivities.  A total of 135 athletes competed, covering pros, women, masters, novice and amateur A, B and C divisions, making this the biggest group of athletes to date.

Danielle Curry won the 2014 Women’s Highland Games World Championships, hosted by the Arizona Scottish Gathering and Highland Games.  IronMind® | Francis Brebner photo
 
The highlight of the games was the 2014 Women’s World Highland Games Championships, with a new sovereign being crowned.  The setting for the games was truly magnificent, with the heavy events being center stage and run like clockwork from start to finish.
 
The athletics was organized by Ryan Seckman and his crew.  Ryan has been the athletic director of the games for eighteen years and is the main individual responsible for bringing the heavy athletics to the level where it is today.
 
Eleven of the world’s top-ranked athletes were invited to compete in the Women’s World Championships, which was contested over nine throwing events.  The athletes included Mindy Pockoski, Danielle Curry, Beth Burton, Emily Burchett, Katie Steingraeber, Heather MacDonald, Jocelyn Davis, Stephanie Robbins, Ivory Carr, Josee Morneau, and Mona Malec.

In the first event Curry dominated with an outstanding performance, winning the 14-lb. Braemar stone with a putt of 34’ 1”; second was Davis at 31’ 4-1/2” and close behind in third, Robbins at 31’ 3-1/2”.
 
In the 11-lb. open stone, Pockoski took the win with a putt of 47’ 5-1/2”, followed by Curry at 44’ 2” with Robbins again in third at 39’ 8-1/2”.
 
The 14-lb. light weight-for-distance was a close event between Pockoski, the former world record holder, and Curry, both having throws in excess of 70’, with the win finally going to Pockoski, who nailed her second victory with a throw of 75’ 6”.  Curry was at 75’ 9”, and Burton took third at 70’ 1-1/2”.
 
The tables were turned in the 28-lb. weight-for-distance, with Curry marginally coming out on top with a best of 43’ 8-1/2” to Pockoski’s 43’ 1”; Burton again took third at 42’ 9”.
 
Moving on to the 12-lb. hammer, Curry and MacDonald were at loggerheads, with Curry claiming the win with a throw of 90’ 7” over MacDonald’s 90’.  Third place was Pockoski with 88’ 9”.
 
The 16-lb. hammer was a comfortable win for Curry with a throw of 78’ 5-1/2”.  Second came Davis with 75’ 5” and third, Pockoski with 74’.
 
The 28-lb. weight-over-bar ended in a tie between Burton and Curry at 17’ 6” with the win going to Burton, who had fewer misses; third place was Pockoski at 16’.
 
The 10-lb. sheaf toss was won by Steingraeber at a height of 25’, with second place a tie between Burchett and Carr at 22’.
 
The caber, 75 lb. and 15’ 8” in length, was won on degrees by Burton with a best of 85 degrees; second was Robbins at 80, and third, Curry at 75.
 
Overall points:

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