Date set and registration open for Dia de los Deadlifts

ALBUQUERQUE — Organizers have landed on a date, time and location for the Dia de los Deadlift competition, which is set for Nov. 2 at Riverpoint Sports & Wellness. Weigh-ins will be from 9-9:30 a.m., and then the competitors will take their positions and commence with the Day of the Deadlifts at 10 a.m.

This is the fourth year for this event, which benefits Locker 505, a local clothing bank for kids, and organizer Vanessa Valadez Anderson, also a personal trainer at Riverpoint Sports & Wellness, says she is hoping to help her community, spread the love of the sport, and have some fun.

“I started this event because [I] wanted to get more people interested in lifting,” she said. “Lifting can be for anyone. I also wanted to do something to raise funds for Locker 505 and give back to the community.”

According to the event flyer on ironpodium.com, a site that tracks and promotes deadlift, powerlift and bodybuilding competitions across the country, Dia de los Deadlifts is a “fun, one [repetition] max deadlift competition.”

The rules state athletes get three attempts to hit their maximum weight.

“Once you miss a lift, you cannot go down in weight, and you have [one] minute to get your lift [finished],” says the news release.

Last year, the heaviest overall weight lifted was 675 pounds by Albuquerque resident and celebrity powerlifter Estevan Lucero.

Anderson says early-bird registration just ended and, though she couldn’t give exact names yet, she was able to confirm at least one of those lifters will be from Corrales and two more Rio Rancho residents are slated to compete as well.

Locker 505 will be on hand to take donated clothing.

According to the news release, “Spectators are welcome to watch and cheer on the athletes as well as shop the vendor village. Cash or clothing donations at the door will be greatly appreciated.”

As of Aug. 9, ironpodium.com shows 52 spots (of 65) still open.

For more information and to register for the Dia de los Deadlifts event, visit ironpodium.com and type the event name in the search bar.