Gripping Showdown at NY Auto Show in Javits Center

BAYSIDE, NY (04/06/2009)(readMedia)-- The New York Arm Wrestling® Association announced today that the NY International Auto Show at the Jacob Javits Center (655 W 34th St. New York, NY 10001) will host the 32nd Annual White Castle NYC Big Apple Grapple International Arm Wrestling Championships on Saturday, April 18, 2009 at 12:30 p.m. in the Level 1-Special Events Hall. The event will feature some of the world's best arm wrestlers, both male and female, as they compete for a chance to be crowned NYC's "King or Queen of Arms." It is expected that over 100 athletes will participate in this event, coming locally from the five NYC Boroughs and Tri-State area to countries such as Turkey, Brazil, Korea and Russia.

Competition entry will be open to the public for a fee of $37 for pros and $27 for amateurs, which includes a free sponsor t-shirt and admission to the NY International Auto Show. Contestants should register and weigh-in by noon. General admission is $14 adults and $4 for children under 12. The event sponsors are White Castle, NY International Auto Show and Jacob K. Javits Center.

Over $5,000 cash and prizes will be awarded and the event offers 14 weight categories for both pros and amateurs with team competition divided by borough, state, and country.

"The NYC Big Apple Grapple International draws the best pro talent in the world and is the marathon of arm wrestling in NYC," said Gene Camp, founder and president of the New York Arm Wrestling® Association (NYAWA).

Among those expected to take part in the event is current "NYC Queen of Arms" Josee' Morneau from Winnipeg, Canada a world champion arm wrestler and ranked by ESPN among the strongest women in the world. Morneau will defend her title against top challenger Cynthia Yerby from Wolf, OK. Who won the NYC Queen of Arms titles seven times from 2000-2006 but was sidelined for the past two years due to medical reasons. Yerby has more than 30 arm wrestling championships on her resume including 10 world titles. Another champion expected to compete is current New York City's "King of Arms Travis Bagent from Charlestown, W. Virginia, a highly ranked world arm wrestling legend; winning more than 50 championships around the world.

For more information about the NYC Big Apple Grapple, fans may visit the New York Arm Wrestling® Association's website at www.nycarms.com or call 718-544-4592 - (END)

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Contacts: Gene Camp (NYAWA) - 718-544-4592 - Photos, Press Pass inquiries, exhibitions available

NY International Auto Show: NY Auto Show - Chris Sams (212) 560-9494 or (917) 359-1394

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