Autumnfest seeks Mega War teams
WOONSOCKET — Feeling strong? Feeling quick when comes to the start of physical competition? Then you are probably a potentially great competitor for the Autumnfest Mega War face-off at World War II Veterans Memorial Park Columbus Day Weekend.
Mega War is a U.S. Marine-style tug-a-war competition organized for Autumnfest in recent years by Richard Savaria, a former Marine and this year’s Autumnfest Steering Committee Chair, and his wife Cheryl, Autumnfest sports coordinator, and draws both pumped up teams to face off on the heavy mooring line rope and their ardent supporters.
Mega Wars is set to be held on Oct. 7, the second full day of Autumnfest and begins with weigh ins and registeration at 11:30 a.m.
The event features two categories, the open division for adults and business competitors,
and the high school division for students willing to represent their schools in a bid for competition winnings.
“Mega War is the largest tug-of-war competition in New England,” Richard Savaria noted.
The fact that teams from high schools can sign up for free and attempt to win a grand prize of $1,000 in the championship round or $500 and $250 as second and third prizes makes Mega Wars a great way for students to “show off their school spirit and bring in some revenue from it,” Cheryl Savaria said.
The Open division, which has the same $1,000, $500, and $250 prizes for winning teams, requires a $100 team entry fee. There is no entry fee for the high school division.
Richard Savaria said the competition is limited to 10 teams for each category and a minimum of 5 teams per division are needed for the event to be held.
“The open division is great way for you to promote your business,” Richard Savaria said while noting that division has been a popular one with local companies looking to win bragging rights as competitors. When the 10-team limit in each division is reached, Savaria said no additional teams will be taken on so it is best for interested competitors to create their teams now.
The City of Woonsocket sets up bleachers at the field near the basketball courts off East School Street to allow spectators to cheer on their favorite teams. The cheering can get pretty loud when the rope pulls get evenly matched and a team needs that extra effort to take a win.
All Around Entertainment will be providing the DJ to get the crowd in the right mood to cheer their athletes on, Savaria noted. Principal sponsors are Ciro’s Restaurant and Tavern on Cherry Street and the Anchor car dealerships of North Smithfield.
The Marine-style rules mean that teams will find themselves in an unexpected arrangements before the pull begins if they have never participated in the Autumnfest Mega War competition before.
Each team member will lie down with their head to the rope and feet away on either side and be required to jump up quickly and begin pulling from a standing position when the tug-o-war begins.
Each team can total no more than 2,500 pounds in weight, checked with the weigh in at registration, and that means there could be an advantage to the more fit and quicker to the pull teams, according to Savaria.
The teams only have to pull the rope’s center mark a total of one-and-ahalf feet to score a win.
The competition is done on a double-elimination format with the two top teams facing off in the final round in each division.
“You have to lose twice to be eliminated,” Richard Savaria said.
As for the team make up, Savaria said teams with smaller and more fit members really may be able to get the snap on larger, muscled up teams since they will have quickness and greater numbers on their side.
Savaria is always willing to give a team a free demonstration of the tug-awar game with few tips whenever they want one, he said.
“There is a science to it and the lighter faster person has an advantage,” he said. “Some teams can get up and pull before the other team even touches the rope,” he said. And the distance of just one-and-a-half feet means that the team with quickness can get over the line before their foes are even aware that they have lost, according to Savaria.
More information on the Mega War competition is available on the Autumnfest website, Autumnfest.org and teams interested in signing up can reach the Savarias at rtsavaria@cox.net or by calling Richard at 401-527-8959.
Follow Joseph Nadeau on Twitter @ JNad75