Illinois wins Tug Fest

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By Mary Louise Speer | Saturday, August 9, 2008 10:11 PM CDT | () comments

Joey Dagame, right, and Chris Bone, both of Davenport, work for some leverage on the LeClaire, Iowa, side during Saturday's 22nd annual Tug Fest that pits LeClaire against Port Byron, Ill. (Andrew Link/Quad-City Times) Buy this Photo

PORT BYRON, Ill. — Iowa tuggers are chewing over how they got completely left in the dust Saturday during the 22nd annual Tug Fest tug-of-war across the Mississippi River.

All 11 feisty Illinois teams triumphantly claimed victory in controlling the 2,700-foot rope against the Iowa side. Each side has 10 men’s teams and one women’s team.

“Go Daddy. Come on, Daddy.” Paige Sparrow, 7, of Moline cheered on her dad, tugger Chris Sparrow, during the Frey Classic Home Builders (Ill.) versus Genesis Systems Group (Iowa) pull.

“Go Chris. You can do this. Put your heart into it,” Paige’s cousin, Angela Flammini, 9, of Chicago, yelled.

The Illinois Tie-the-Knot wedding party, all newcomers to the tug pit, heralded their victory into winning a honeymoon trip to Mexico. The Tug-the-Knot double wedding ceremony and tug-of-war are both first-time events.

“It’s a lot harder than it looks. It was a lot of work,” Illinois bride Amber (Shipman) Taflinger admitted after Saturday’s bridal party tug-of-war. “I tried really hard. We tried really hard.”

Only one person in the Illinois side had previous experience, gained earlier in that same day, she said. Amber and her husband, Eric Taflinger, are excitedly looking forward to honeymooning at Riu Playacar resort in Mexico. They still have to apply for their passports, but getting married Friday as part of Tug Fest activities was a hassle-free way to start their married lives, she said.

“You get more room for all your friends this way,” said groom David “Worm” Allbee of Park View, Iowa.

Allbee and his new bride, Rachel Hedquist Allbee, both experienced tuggers, marched out onto LeClaire’s tug pit. They were joined by their wedding party: a bridesmaid and 22 male bridesmaids (men wearing dresses and formal gowns).

“More rope. More rope,” screamed spectators as the wedding party strained to control the rope.

And for a few minutes after the tug-of-knot ended, Iowa’s bride and groom thought they’d pulled off the victory. “We had people running which means we had rope and we were gaining rope,” the new Mrs. Worm Allbee said afterward.

The Tug-the-Knot wedding ceremonies and prizes were sponsored by KUUL-FM and local companies. The Allbees won a honeymoon at Timmerman’s Hotel and Resort, East Dubuque, Ill.

“They were the most beautiful wedding party I have ever seen and their moves were phenomenal,” Jane Lakeman, vice president for the LeClaire Tug Fest Committee, said.

The burning question on LeClaire minds’ is what do they need to do to dominate the event next year and bring the alabaster eagle trophy back home to Iowa. Port Byron claimed victory in both the 2006 and 2007 tugs.

“We’re sad,” Lakeman said of Iowa’s loss Saturday.

Volunteers donated their time to dig trenches and reshape LeClaire’s tug pit for the 2008 event. The pit features a longer runway and a sandy base.

“When you dig into dirt, you won’t slide like you do in sand,” said first-time tugger Tara Bebber of LeClaire. “When you dig into sand you slip forward. The other thing (is) we don’t have the current at our advantage. We’re a little upstream and the current is a little stronger so we have to fight it.”

First Central State Bank, the Iowa women’s team, had some new blood from the Big Mouth Mickies roller derby team. “We’re happy we improved some with our distance,” Bebber said philosophically.

The city desk can be contacted at (563) 383-2450 or newsroom@qctimes.com.

Results

Iowa vs. Illinois teams

Wallbridge Equipment Installation, 18 feet 11 inches vs. Duey’s Corner Tap, 39 feet, 7 inches

Riverview Roadhouse/Mickelwright Catering, 14 feet vs. Rediger Auction Service, 57 feet, 3 inches

The Long Awesome Line, 6 feet, 3 inches vs. Guither Tree Service, 67 feet, 10 inches

Healthwise Chiropractic Center, 20 feet, 8 inches vs. Peacock’s Tavern, 40 feet

Genesis Systems Group, 28 feet, 7 inches vs. Frey Classic Home Builders, 37 feet, 10 inches

First Central State Bank women’s team, 17 feet, 11 inches vs. Hillsdale Storage women’s team, 40 feet 9 inches

Blackhawk Bank & Trust, 0 vs. Black Fabrication Inc., 60 feet

Keith & Co. Screen Print Sportswear, 12 feet, 6 inches vs. Exelon Nuclear, 45 feet, 9 inches

Fullmer’s Fish & Bait, 15 feet, 3 inches vs. Weaver Contracting Co., 41 feet

C & W Trucking, 0 vs. Michlig Agricenter, 60 feet

EmbroidMe, 6 feet 4 inches vs. Larson Pump Co., 50 feet, 1 inch

*Iowa teams listed first