The Estevan community rallied together for a successful Armageddon arm-wrestling event this past weekend, with over 160 entries and 60 competitors. Desiree Desilva, with Southern Impact and member of the Saskatchewan Arm Wrestling Association’s executive board, shared her excitement about the event’s success.
“The event went good. Went smooth. It went fast,” Desilva said. “We had over 160 entries with between 60 competitors. So when that means people can pull multiple weight classes and they can use multiple arms, so when they say 160 entries, that means one arm in each class is an entry.”
Desilva expressed satisfaction with the atmosphere. “I think the overall feeling in the room was that it was a good atmosphere, it was good food,” she said. “We gave a lot of prizes away and, as far as I can see, it was well organized. It was... I know it was a good feeling. We were cheering on each other.”
The event, which took place at Fired Up Grill in Estevan, drew a strong crowd, with many spectators showing up to support the local arm-wrestling community. Desilva shared her gratitude for the community's support. “It felt amazing to have that community support. We just started our group here a couple years ago, and it has been growing and growing,g and people know more about it. So, it's nice to know that we packed Fired Up Grill, like, it’s so packed that we might have to get a bigger space.”
In terms of fundraising, the event also featured a successful 50/50 draw, raising $1,200 for the local club. Additionally, $2,500 in entry fees was raised to help fund Saskatchewan Arm Wrestling’s upcoming national competition. “We raise about $1,200 for our local club,” Desilva said. “Everything that was sponsored by our local community members, we kept that money into our club, and then all the entry fees that we got, that was $2,500, and that goes to Saskatchewan arm wrestling because we are planning nationals this year.”
Desilva shared her pride in seeing arm wrestling growing in Estevan. “The last time we had a big arm-wrestling group in the Estevan area was the 1980s,” she said. “So it’s nice to see it grow, and as a personal level, it’s nice to see that starting out of my garage with three people, turned into such a big event that is welcomed every year.”
Looking ahead, Southern Impact plans to continue building on this success. “For our group for 2026, we are going to host Armageddon as well,” Desilva said. “We’re hoping for 40 more competitors, at least. We’re hoping that we can get more sponsorships. We are hoping that everything goes as smoothly as it did on Saturday, and then we also hope to host our 2026 provincial in Estevan.”
As the local arm-wrestling community grows, the excitement for the nationals is also building. “Pretty much all of our group here in Estevan, which is 28 people, are planning to attend nationals,” Desilva said.
Desilva also extended an invitation to those interested in joining the growing sport of arm wrestling. “We practice on Wednesdays at 6:30 at the Flawless Sales and Services shop,” she said. “If they want to come out and see more and ask more questions, I’m always available to attend. It does not matter how old you are, it could be a three-year-old, it could be a 93-year-old. It does not matter to us.”
The Estevan community’s support for Armageddon, along with its continued growth, is a testament to the enthusiasm and spirit of arm wrestling in the region. With a bright future ahead, Desilva and her team at Southern Impact are already looking forward to next year’s event.