There will be lots of heavy lifting going on in Guelph this week.
The Canadian Powerlifting Union will be holding the Central Canadian Championships at the Holiday Inn on Scottsdale Drive Thursday through Sunday.
CPU president Mark Giffin said 270 lifters, both male and female, junior (19-23) and senior will be attending the event.
The Central Canadian Championships are considered a stepping stone towards the National Championships being held in Quebec in March, Giffin said.
It's the first time that a Central Canadian Championships have been held. There are championships in Western and Eastern Canada but a central event was established to accommodate the growing numbers of competitors and to allow people to compete without too much traveling.
"The sport has grown so much," said Giffin. "In 1997, the CPU nationals had 36 men competing. This year's nationals will have over 450 competitors."
He said the biggest jump in participation has been in the women's and junior ranks.
Many weightlifters will be attempting to hit the national qualifying standard at the Guelph event, Giffin said.
"People aren't just coming to qualify. The event is an opportunity for lifters to develop and experience the higher level of competition and the bigger event atmosphere," he said.
Giffin said the CPU currently has 2,400 registered members.
The CPU is a member of the International Powerlifting Federation and recognized by the International Olympic Committee, Giffin said.
As such they adhere to the strict anti-doping regulations and representatives of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport will be on site this weekend doing random tests on competitors.
Competitors compete in three lifts: squat, deadlift and bench press. Their combined total in the three is their score.
The event is open to spectators with an admission fee at the door. Lifting starts at 8 a.m. and there are two sessions daily.
More details can be found on the contest website.
