It’s nearly non-stop on the Scottish Highland Games circuit: Sebastian Wenta picked up another win this weekend and Rusty Price notched another pair of victories–Francis Brebner called the action for IronMind.


Highland Games Review: Tain, Assynt and Cortachy
by Francis Brebner
 
America’s Rusty Price is still going strong after a month of throwing on the Scottish Games circuit and is showing no signs of slowing down, as confirmed by the Games held this past weekend.
 
2011 Tain Highland Games
 
The Tain Highland Games was a real climax as both Price and England’s Olympian shot putter Scott Rider went head to head in the open stone. In the warm-ups Rider and Price looked equal in performance, but in competition it was Rider who launched the winning throw of 56’ to Price’s 54’.
 
In the thrilling 22-lb open stone, Rider and Price tied at 45’ 3”.
 
Rider won the 28-lb. weight-for-distance with a gracious throw of 84’ 4”, well beyond Price’s second-place mark of 76’ 3”.  But Price was not to be denied a win, taking the 22-lb. at 103’ in spite of close efforts by Rider and Sinclair Patience.
 
Price pulled out another win in the 16-lb. hammer  with 126’ 8” but had to work hard for it as Rider was right behind at 126’ and Jason Young at 124’.
 
Rider won the caber with a perfect 12:00, and Price took the 56-lb. weight-for-height at 15’ 2”, clinching the overall win, with Rider taking second.
 

2011 Assynt Highland Games
 
The Assynt Highland Games in the Northwest of Scotland had a top turnout of heavy athletes, with Price having practically a clean sweep of the events.  Local hero John McLeod had one of his best performances on home soil, establishing four local ground records.
 
Price first won the 16-lb. open shot with a putt of 54’ 4”.  He produced another magical winning throw of 45’ 0” in the 22-lb. shot, bringing appreciative gasps from the spectators. 
Looking great in the warm-ups for the 28-lb. weight-for-distance, Price unleashed the leading throw of 80’ 1/2”.  Not stopping there and looking very comfortable in his form, Price took the 56-lb. weight-for-distance with 41’ 8” with a very dour weight.
 
In the 16-lb. hammer, McLeod and Price went toe-to-toe, Price taking the win with a throw of 136’ to McLeod’s tremendous 134’ for a very respectable second place and a new local record.
 The 22-lb. hammer was the sixth win straight for Price at a distance of 103’ 2”.
 
The caber was won by Scotland’s Bruce Robb with a perfect 12 o’clock toss.  Price came back in the 56-lb. weight-over-bar, winning at 15’, for an almost clean sweep of the day.
 
Price said, “I am having the best time of my life touring all over Scotland, and winning overall is any athlete’s dream when competing in Scotland.  I am looking forward to my next competition against England’s Scott Rider, going head to head in the open stones once again; this is what brings out the best in me—competing against the best.”
 

2011 Cortachy Highland Games
 
The Cortachy Highland Games in Scotland attracted a large field of heavies, and local spectators were more than delighted with the presence of the monster international athletes as these Games mainly attract local entries.
 
The dynamic duo from Poland, the Wenta brothers, were in good form throughout the day and gave America’s Rusty Price a fair challenge.  For Price this was his fourth straight Games.
 
The crowds cheered as Lukas Wenta ripped out a winning throw in the 16-lb. open stone with 53’ 9”; second was brother Sebastian Wenta at 52’ 8”, followed by Price in third at 50’ 10”.
 
It was S. Wenta’s turn to win in the 22-lb. open stone, which he did with a sensational putt of 47’ 6”.  The threesome went all out in the 28-lb. weight-for-distance, with S. Wenta pulling ahead for the win with 81’ 5”.
 
Price won the 16-lb. hammer at 132’, with S. Wenta’s technique looking smooth in the warm-ups.  The 22-lb. hammer was a total surprise as S. Wenta chalked up his third win over Price with a nice throw of 104’ 7”.
 
The caber event was a shootout, finally won by L. Wenta’s perfect 12:00 toss.  Price took revenge in the 56-lb. weight-over-bar, which is usually dominated by the Polish duo, winning at 15’10”.  However it was not enough to dislodge S. Wenta from taking first place overall, with Price in second and L. Wenta in third.
 
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