and the bomb squad superflight, raw bench superflight and noholdsbarred superflight £1000 prizes
@ the arnold sports festival uk
ENTRIES OPEN 5th September – by invitation ONLY apart from the SuperFlights… and our International competitors GOING LIVE SHORTLY…..
What is this? This is the A/BPU British Bench Press and Deadlift Championships 2027. This is an internationally WPC sanctioned competition.
First- this is the British Championship for British qualified lifters to try and make top 3 places to qualify for the WPC and AWPC World Championships.
Second – this is also open to international competitors and competitors in the SuperFlights.
Third – the competition also has 3 SuperFlights with £1000 cash prizes. These are minimum points flights for equipped bench, RAW bench and deadlift. Please see the information below.
How do I qualify? For British competitors entering the British Championships, this is by invitation only by qualification at our qualifiers. International competitors – this is open to you without qualification. SuperFlights are by minimum points and not part of the British Championships and are open to British and International competitors.
When? 19-21 March
Where: The Arnold Sports Festival UK, National Exhibition Centre, Pendigo Way, Marston Green, Birmingham B40 1NT
What Time? Start Time 9.30am
Weigh in times: 9.30am to 11.30amand 3pm to 4pm for 24 hour weigh in. There is NO on the day weigh in. Location to be announced
Saturday: ALL BPU men and women, all equipped men and women (BPU and ABPU) AND The Bomb Squad Superflight (all equipped bench including open and international lifters) AND the NoHoldsBarred Deadlift SuperFlight.
Sunday: ALL ABPU women RAW classes , AND the RAW Bench Superflight.
Is this having the usual WPC International sanction? Of course, as always you be able to attempt European and World records as well as British
What do competitors get – British & International? What about my entrance into the Expo? What about my coach?
Details about your athlete entry, coach passes and more will be in your invitations.
However, ALL competitors will receive a 3 DAY PASS – YES – 3 DAYS AT THE ARNOLDS included in their entry. However, this year the Arnold Sports Festival UK has added £33 per competitor so the entry fees have increased. Each competitor can purchase 1, yes only one, coach pass (has to be named) at the time of entry and this coach pass will give that coach 3 days………. oh yeah baby……… 3 days entry at a seriously reduced costing of £33. These will give early access.
Your entry fee exclusively for the A/BPU covers the following:
Your entry into the internationally sanctioned A/BPU Single Lifts British Championships 2027 – the only gateway to the AWPC Worlds in the USA and the WPC Worlds in Poland.
3 days entry into the Arnold Sports Festival UK with your athletes pass picked up at the weigh in booth.
A 3 day coach pass (one only) giving early access for an additional £33 instead of £91.
All other supporters must go through the Arnolds Expo ticket outlet to purchase their tickets for the days they wish to come: https://arnoldsportsuk.com/tickets/
BRITISH COMPETITORS – THE A/BPU BRITISH SINGLE LIFTS CHAMPIONSHIPS 2027
How do I enter?
As always for both our British Championships it is by qualification ONLY and therefore invitation only for our British A/BPU members. Your entry form link is in your invitation.
Exceptions to this are our international guest lifters and those entering the SuperFlights, yes we are bringing them back, more to come on this.
The first invitations have gone out to the current A/BPU Single Lift British Champions of 2026. Then, when our qualifiers for 26/27 start at the end of August, invitations will go out after each qualifier.
How do I qualify?
a) At an A/BPU 26.27 qualifier by hitting the qualifying totals for single lifts. This can also be achieved by hitting those QTs within your full power total as well as competing single lifts.
b) Be the current A/BPU British Single Lifts Champion from 2026 defending your title
c) Be current 2026 WPC or AWPC World Champion in the appropriate single lift category and class.
d) By winning your class at the A/BPU United Kingdom Powerlifting Games 2026 at the FitXpo, NEC.
British qualified competitors who are equipped bench, you all go in the Bomb Squad SuperFlight, We are not accepting any non-qualified British competitors in the Bomb Squad. British competitors do not have to have qualified for the RAW Bench SuperFlight or the No Holds Barred SuperFlight.
IMPORTANT RE YOUR COACH PASS! AND YOUR OWN TICKETS
ATHLETE ENTRY PASSES
Included in your entry fee is your 3 days Expo pass which also allows you early access. This is automatic. You will need to show ID at weigh ins, or if you are picking up your pass outside our your weigh in slot, for instance if you are competing on the Sunday and want your pass at the Friday weigh ins to go to the show.
COACH PASSES
I cannot reiterate this firmly enough. IF you wish to get a coach pass you MUST do this at the time of entry. You CANNOT buy it later – under any circumstances. The coach/person you are selecting MUST have their name entered on the entry form. You cannot change this, or make amendments to it after the entries close. You can amend the name up until the entries close but you CANNOT buy it after you enter.
You also cannot buy it after your entered under any circumstances at all. Please do not ask – you will have to buy them a normal ticket through the Arnolds portal.
SUPPORTERS AND EXTRA PEOPLE
All other persons will require a ticket for the Expo through the Arnold Sports Festival, we do not have any input, dealings or influence on tickets or pricing. To get your support tickets the link is here: https://arnoldsportsuk.com/tickets/
We welcome all international competitors. In 2026 we had competitors from Australia, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Hungary, France and the USA. We are expecting more this year!
There are 2 ways an international can enter.
You can enter the normal flights and go head to head with our British lifters! BUT as it is their British and qualifier for the AWPC and WPC Worlds, they will also be calculated on the top 3, as well as against you.
You can enter our SuperFlights (if you qualify). If you are an equipped bench press competitor, then you will automatically go into the BombSquad equipped bench SuperFlight, and there is no qualifying
If you are a member of a WPC country license holder, we welcome you to come and attempt World and European records. If you are not then you will not be eligible to attempt records, however we can guide you through the process to take an individual membership with the WPC directly. Please email us on emma@britishpowerliftingunion.co.uk
IMPORTANT RE YOUR COACH PASS! AND YOUR OWN TICKETS
ATHLETE ENTRY PASSES
Included in your entry fee is your 3 days Expo pass which also allows you early access. This is automatic. You will need to show ID at weigh ins, or if you are picking up your pass outside our your weigh in slot, for instance if you are competing on the Sunday and want your pass at the Friday weigh ins to go to the show.
COACH PASSES
I cannot reiterate this firmly enough. IF you wish to get a coach pass you MUST do this at the time of entry. You CANNOT buy it later – under any circumstances. The coach/person you are selecting MUST have their name entered on the entry form. You cannot change this, or make amendments to it after the entries close. You can amend the name up until the entries close but you CANNOT buy it after you enter.
You also cannot buy it after your entered under any circumstances at all. Please do not ask – you will have to buy them a normal ticket through the Arnolds portal.
SUPPORTERS AND EXTRA PEOPLE
All other persons will require a ticket for the Expo through the Arnold Sports Festival, we do not have any input, dealings or influence on tickets or pricing. To get your support tickets the link is here: https://arnoldsportsuk.com/tickets/
THE BOMB SQUAD EQUIPPED BENCH SUPERFLIGHT £1000 winner takes all! SATURDAY 20 MARCH
The Bomb Squad is an equipped SuperFlight for our qualified British competitors AND also any equipped international benchpress competitor.s The Bomb Squad overall title will be calculated on Glossbrenner points of bodyweight and weight lifted AND age and gender adjusted, meaning that anyone can win, they just need to have someone calculating the points of the competition as they go.
The British Championships Bomb Squad competitors are the equipped bench press competitors (not including sling shot). normal rules of trying to take podium in your class for our members who qualified. This qualifies you for the WPC or AWPC World Championships and the aim for the British title.
You will automatically be included with our “open class” Bomb Squad SuperFlight which will also include international competitors and non members. Those who are NOT part of the British, and are Superflight competitors only, will be pointed out before your flight so you know who you are competing against in the British title competition, and who you have to beat in the Superflight Bomb Squad.
Records can only be taken if the competitor is a current 2027 member of the A/BPU or of a WPC International Country affiliate.
SUPERFLIGHT RAW BENCH – SUNDAY 21 MARCH – £1000 winner takes all
This flight is not part of the British Championships placings. If you are competing in the British Championships, this is a seperate event and you will have to lift twice.
What happens in the SuperFlight?
1) The SuperFlight is “open” so non members and international lifters can compete. Records can only be taken if the competitor is a current 2027 member of the A/BPU or of a WPC International Country affiliate.
2) This is a minimum points qualification flight:
QUALIFYING CRITERIA
115 Glossbrenner Points – for both women and men. This is age, gender and bodyweight adjusted. OR a qualifying recorded bench at competition within 2 years of 200kg for men, and 110kg for women regardless of points.
3) The winner of the SuperFlight is determined from the greatest Glossbrenner points of weight lifted, bodyweight, age and sex adjusted. So anyone can win, you cant just stroll in to this one!
NO HOLDS BARRED DEADLIFT SUPERFLIGHT – SATURDAY 20 MARCH – £1000 winner takes all
Deadlift Superlfight with a twist.
This is a chance for the deadlift with straps people to get their game on. WPC rules apart from the straps – meaning no hitching, throwing, ramping and so, a clean lift using suits if you want to – multiply, single ply and RAW all going head to head.
Biggest points wins – sumo allowed – so if you’re a strongman then learn to lift PL style, and if youre a PL lifter, stick those straps on! No figure 8s, hands must remain in contact with the bar at all times until the bar is motionless on the ground. READ the WPC rule book and make sure you know the powerlifting rules for deadlift!
Records can only be taken if the competitor is a current 2027 member of the A/BPU or of a WPC International Country affiliate.
Qualifying criteria:
180 glossbrenner points, age, gender and bodyweight adjusted OR 300kg competition result recorded in the last 2 years for men, and 200kg for women.
PRELIMINARY FLIGHT TIMES
Preliminary Flight Times
These will not be published until after the entries close on the 28th February
(These will not be final until after each weigh in closes and will be posted on the Facebook Event Page the evening before each competition day, and on sheets in the venue on the morning of the competition. The FINAL times and flight order will be posted then, and you NEED TO CHECK this to make sure you have not been moved or that flights may have been merged. YOU MUST CHECK THE FINAL FLIGHT TIMES THE NIGHT BEFORE. Normally this will be by 9pm.
OFFICIAL A/BPU British Single Lifts T-shirts!! TO COME
Want to let people know you competed at the Arnolds? Keep your eye on this space!
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THINGS YOU NEED TO DO AND KNOW – MEMBERSHIPS, RECORDS AND QUALIFYING TOTALS LINKS
Entries will close to all our qualifiers as soon as we are full automatically.
To update your membership details on a competition, tell us you are changing a class or other at comp, that you will not be attending or anything else please use the following form: https://form.jotformeu.com/92526810123349
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