Watch some of the region’s strongest athletes compete at the 2026 Wellington & Central Powerlifting Regional Championships, hosted by the Wellington & Central Powerlifting Association (WCPA).

Powerlifting is a strength sport made up of three barbell lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. Lifters have three attempts at each lift, with their best successful lifts combined for a total. Athletes compete in divisions based on age, gender, and bodyweight under strict judging standards.

The competition runs across multiple sessions over the weekend, with lifters grouped into flights within each session. All flights in a session complete squats first, then bench press, and finally deadlifts, rotating through flights for each lift. Competitors range from first-time lifters to experienced athletes, chasing personal bests and qualification totals.

Saturday 7 March 2026
Session 1 – Weigh-in 7:00am, lifting starts 9:00am
Flight A: Sub-Junior, Junior & Masters Women
Flight B: Sub-Junior & Junior Men

Session 2 – Weigh-in 12:00pm, lifting starts 2:00pm
Flight C: Masters Men
Flight D: Open Men (74kg, 83kg, 93kg)

Sunday 8 March 2026
Session 3 – Weigh-in 8:00am, lifting starts 10:00am
Flight E: Open Women
Flight F: Open Men (105kg, 120kg, 120kg+)

Session times are approximate and may vary slightly.

Spectators are free to attend and are welcome to come and go throughout the sessions. Drop in for a specific flight, support a friend or family member, or stay and enjoy a full session and see what powerlifting is all about.