Expect the sticks and stones to fly at the upcoming IHGF Highland Games World Championships, when a top field of competitors hits Loon Mountain to see who’s going to leave as king of the hill—Francis Brebner has previewed the action for IronMind.


IHGF Highland Games Super Series:  Exciting Finish Coming Up
by Francis Brebner
 
The 2011 IHGF World Highland Games Championships, which will be held in Loon Mountain, New Hampshire, USA on September 16–18, is promising one of the best lineups of top pro athletes vying for the prestigious title of world champion:
 
1.  Scott Rider, England
2.  Craig Sinclair, Scotland
3.  Sebastian Wenta, Poland
4.  Hans Lolkema, Holland
5.  Greg Hadley, Canada
6.  Jason Johnston, Canada
7.  Harrison Bailey, USA
8.  Dan McKim, USA
9.  Mike Pockoski, USA
10.  Sean Betz, USA
11.  Matt Vincent, USA
 
With such an awesome field of stone putters—Rider and Wenta have putted close to or over 60’ in competition this year—this championships should prove to be one of the most exciting.  The new pro sensation Vincent, who put up an impressive performance earlier this month winning the IHGF World Amateur Highland Games Championships and earning pro status, will be making his debut at Loon Mountain, taking a huge leap from the amateur ranks straight into competing against the best guns in the sport.  However after watching this young lion in action, I don’t expect this move to intimidate this young rookie, but rather to bring out his best on this day.

The other title up for grabs will be the IHGF World Hammer Championships, held on Friday, September 16, which should be a privilege to witness first hand, with such notables as Pockoski, the current IHGF world hammer champion going against Scotland’s number one ranked hammer thrower, Sinclair, and not forgetting other big names, like McKim and Betz, who also have the ability to nail this championships.
 
The Pleasanton Highland Games, September 3–4, hosted by the San Francisco Caledonian Club and organized by athletic director Steve Conway of Scottish Heavy Athletics (SHA); and the Loon Mountain, New Hampshire Highland Games, led by athletic director Bill Crawford M.D., are undoubtedly are two of the elite Games in the U.S. and internationally.  As the finals of this year’s IHGF Super Series, these two events should produce nothing less than total excitement from start to finish.
 
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