The NSAF is exciting to announce it will host its third annual American JavFest on Friday-Sunday, July 7-9, 2017 at East Stroudsburg High School in Pennsylvania.
After the three-day format was shortened somewhat in 2016, the JavFest will return to a full weekend this coming summer, allowing more time for training, fun and games, the informative and entertaining roundtable with elite coaches and athletes, as well as the prep and elite competitions. The timing will likely allow elites who might be searching for IAAF World Championship qualifiers to chase those marks following the USATF Championships.
The JavFest is intended to be a stateside version of the great Pihtipudas Javelin Carnival in Finland. It is truly intended to share the joys of the javelin with throwers of all ages. The unique event allows athletes, coaches and fans of the sport to be fully engaged educationally, socially and competitively.
Last year, former NBNO All-American Curtis Thompson won the Men’s Elite division with 260-11, while two-time Olympic Trials finalist Kim Hamilton won the Women’s Elite competition with 186-6. The Prep Boys’ and Girls’ winners were Eric Garner (208-2) and Cambrie Campbell (135-1). Prep runner-ups Gavin Darcy (206-4) and Lillian Hill (130-10) both sophomores at the time – were invited to join the NSAF’s Project Javelin Gold after the weekend.
In 2015, NBNO champ Michael Biddle outdueled World Youth Team USA member Liam Christensen, 211-11 to 209-5 for the Prep Boys’ title, while Sophia Rivera edged Katelyn Gochenour, 159-9 to 159-6, in a battle of World Youth finalists (and NBNO 1-2 finishers). Christensen, Rivera and Gochenour all were (or are currently) Project Javelin members. The Elite titles went to Riley Dolezal (265-1) and Arianna Ince (170-11).
The scope of the JavFest goes beyond training and competition for high schoolers; it’s truly intended to share the joys of the discipline with throwers of all ages. There are youth competitions for under-10 and under-15 athletes, high school competitions and open competitions for collegiate and post-collegiate/open/pro athletes, and masters competitions. This will be a totally unique event that allows athletes, coaches and fans of the sport to be fully engaged educationally, socially and competitively. In fact, more than half of the Saturday program will be devoted to a “Javelin School,” sessions where athletes will be learning from some of the nation’s (and world’s) best coaches – in Project Javelin and beyond. Each evening will include receptions and other events to be determined. Finally, there will be a variety of events and activities for the general public to participate in, including throwing contests using various items, from baseballs to cell phones.
This will be a very special weekend for all things “javelin” and an exciting step forward for the mission of Project Javelin. We invite one and all to join us in East Stroudsburg the last full weekend of July!
