CHRONOLOGY OF THE TOP Female ARMWRESTLERS ON THE PLANET (RIGHT ARM)
Women have taken part in organized armwrestling competition dating back at least 50 years, when the Petaluma World Wristwrestling Championship first included a women’s division. During this time, many women have had tremendous success in the sport. This chronology is my attempt to identify who would have potentially occupied the #1 world ranking (open weight, right hand) throughout the years, had an impartial ranking system been maintained since the women’s competition first began.
The basic rules are simple: a puller gains the #1 spot by either beating the person who is currently #1 or by winning a class in which the top-ranked puller participated. A puller can also lose her rank after a 12-month period of inactivity or absence from major competition. To develop this list, I used the same logic I applied when I managed the In the Hook North American rankings for over five years.
The chronology is based on my analysis of event results from the past 50 years. Historical tournament results are often incomplete, and so anything perceived as an error in this timeline may be due to incomplete knowledge. I welcome discussion pertaining to the list's accuracy, and I am willing to describe the thought process I used for any particular adjustments. I am certainly open to updating the list should a convincing argument be made.
Note that results from all types of armwrestling events were considered, including sit-down and stand-up wristwrestling as well as sit-down and stand-up armwrestling.
World Ranking Timeline
Below are the dates when the #1 world ranking would have switched hands, as well as the person who would have gained the ranking.
February 7th, 1964 – Barbara Sappington, a 21-year old show girl from San Francisco wins the inaugural women’s division at the 1964 World Wristwrestling Championship in Petaluma.
January 28th, 1966 – After winning the World Wristwrestling Championship again in 1965, Barabara loses her ranking due to 12 months of inactivity, and it is assigned to the winner of the 1966 championship: Susan Dior, a go-go girl from Penngrove, California.
February 3rd, 1967 – Mickie Novas, a secretary from Oakland, California, takes the ranking by winning the 1967 World Wristwrestling Championship. Susan Dior was not present, and had not competed since winning the 1966 tournament.
May 1st, 1970 – After three back-to-back world titles, Mickie Novas loses here ranking due to inactivity. The number #1 ranking is bestowed to 1969 runner-up Linda Iverson of Boyes Hot Springs, California, who wins the 1970 World Wristwrestling Championship.
May 14th, 1971 – Emily Matterazzo, a 37-year old police department matron from Bedford, Massachusetts, takes the ranking by winning the 1971 World Wristwrestling Championship. Linda Iverson competed in the event, but lost in the semi-finals.
May 20th, 1972 – Fran Ayers, a 27-year old bartender from Kennewick, Washington, beats Emily Matterazzo on her way to winning the 1972 World Wristwrestling Championship, earning the top ranking.
May 19th, 1973 – 18-year old Seattle, Washington, native Jill Edwards finishes ahead of Fran Ayers when she wins the 1973 World Wristwrestling Championship.
May 18th, 1974 – After a year of no known activity, the ranking is assumed by California’s Donna Myers when she wins the inaugural WWC National Wristwrestling Championship at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Donna would go on to also win the World Wristwrestling title later that year in Petaluma.
December 28th, 1974 – Student Vicky Vodon (5’8½“, 155 lbs) beats Donna Myers in the finals of the inaugural World Professional Armwrestling Association (WPAA) U.S. Pro Armwrestling Championships at Busch Gardens in Los Angeles, California, and in doing so becomes the #1 ranked female amrwrestler in the world.
April 5th, 1975 – Jill Edwards regains the ranking by beating Vicki Vodon twice at the WPAA Pacific Northwest Championships in Kennewick, Washington.
October 11th, 1975 – Newcomer Cel Rutledge, a 32-year old lab technician and shot-putter from Concord, California, wins the 1975 World Wristwrestling Championship among a super-stacked field that included four former #1 ranked pullers: Fran Ayers, Donna Myers, Vicky Vodon, and Jill Edwards. Cel beat Jill in the finals to take the top spot.
October 9th, 1976 – After a year of no known activity, the ranking is assigned to 6-foot tall 28-year old weaver Mildred Choplick of Fairfax, Iowa, as she wins the 1976 World Wristwrestling Championship.
September 24th, 1977 – 16-year old Cindy Baker, daughter of the great Moe Baker, defeats Mildred Choplick and wins the WPAA World Championships in Houston, Texas. The Bakers become the first family to have two members occupy the top ranking.
December 12th, 1978 – After a year of no known activity, Cindy loses the ranking and it is re-assumed by Mildred Choplick, who is the reigning World's Wristwrestling Champion in the Unlimited division.
October 13th, 1979 – 30-year old Modesto, California, waitress Pam Carter (5’8”, 160lbs) beats Mildred Choplick at the 1979 World Wristwrestling Championship to win the world title and the #1 ranking. Pam would go on to win four World Wristwrestling Championship titles in a row, during which time she recorded no known losses.
October 13th, 1984 – Pam’s reign comes to an end when she loses the middleweight division final of the World's Wristwrestling Championship. The ranking is assumed by 6’3” 245-lb college shot-putter Dot Jones, winner of the unlimited division and unbeaten in all of her armwrestling and wirstwrestling matches to date.
July 26th, 1986 – Dot Jones suffers the first loss of her competitive career to 19-year old French-Canadian Liane Dufresne at the Over the Top World Championships. Liane becomes holder of the top spot in the rankings, and keeps it for the next eight years. Though she does not face Dot again during this time, she does amass a long list of major titles, including multiple WPAA and World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) world titles, the 1991 Super Bras-de-fer world title, and the 1994 Golden Bear title.
August 26th, 1994 – Liane Dufresne and Dot Jones finally have their first rematch since Over the Top at the Yukon Jack World Championships in San Francisco. Dot wins the match, a fourth Yukon Jack title in a row, and takes back the #1 ranking.
September 14th, 1997 – After a year of no known activity following her win at the 1996 Yukon Jack World Championships, Dot Jones loses her ranking. It is assumed by Russian Vika Gabakova, the reigning WAF super-heavyweight World Champion. Vika would go on to hold the top spot for six years, during which time she had no known losses.
November 16th, 2003 – After a year of no known activity following her amazing 9th WAF world title in a row (1994-2002), Vika loses her ranking. It is assumed by Russian Irina Skaeva, winner of the super-heavyweight division at the European Championships that had been held in July. Irina would go on to win the European title in 2004 and 2005, recording no known losses during this period.
June 12th, 2006 – After a year of no known activity, Irina Skaeva loses the #1 ranking. It is assigned to 41-year old Canadian Joyce King who had recently defeated Russia’s Lilia Khamidoullina, the reigning WAF super-heavyweight world champion at Ultimate Armwrestling III in Las Vegas two months earlier.
November 4th, 2006 – Brazil’s Gabriela Vasconcelos takes the top spot when she wins the 2006 80 kg WAF world title in Manchester, England, finishing ahead of Joyce.
December 6th, 2008 – After winning another WAF world title in 2007, Gabriela loses the ranking to Lithuania’s Egle Vaitkute, who wins the 80 kg class at the 2008 WAF World Championships in Kelowna, Canada.
March 8th, 2009 – At the inaugural World Challenge in Sweden, 70 kg Russia’s Irina Makeeva beats Egle Vaitkute and wins the event. In doing so, she is declared “The Best Armwrestler in the World”.
December 3rd, 2011 –Sweden’s Heidi Andersson reaches the pinnacle of the armwrestling world when she defeats Irina Makeeva at the 2011 WAF World Championships in Kazakhstan.
March 8th, 2012 – At the 2012 World Challenge, Egle Vaitkute finishes at the top of the standings, ahead of Heidi Andersson. Once again, she becomes the #1 ranked female puller in the world.
July 28th, 2012 – Irina Makeeva beats Egle Vaitkute to win the inaugural A1 Russian Open World Armwrestling Grand Prix. Irina would again win this prestigious event in 2013.
May 22, 2020 – After dominating the sport for most of the 2010s, Irina Makeeva loses the world number one ranking following a year of inactivity. The ranking is assumed by Egle Vaitkute, the last person who had defeated her and who had also been dominant in her respective class for many years.
August 6, 2022 – Gabriela Vasconcelos defeats Egle Vaitkute by a score of 3-0 at East vs. West 4.
January 21, 2023 – Slovakia's Barbora Bajčiova earns the number one ranking in defeating Gabriela Vasconcelos by a score of 3-2 at East vs. West 6. At just 22 years of age, she becomes recognized as the top female armwrestler in the world.
Researched and Written by Eric Roussin
February 7th, 1964 – Barbara Sappington, a 21-year old show girl from San Francisco wins the inaugural women’s division at the 1964 World Wristwrestling Championship in Petaluma.
January 28th, 1966 – After winning the World Wristwrestling Championship again in 1965, Barabara loses her ranking due to 12 months of inactivity, and it is assigned to the winner of the 1966 championship: Susan Dior, a go-go girl from Penngrove, California.
February 3rd, 1967 – Mickie Novas, a secretary from Oakland, California, takes the ranking by winning the 1967 World Wristwrestling Championship. Susan Dior was not present, and had not competed since winning the 1966 tournament.
May 1st, 1970 – After three back-to-back world titles, Mickie Novas loses here ranking due to inactivity. The number #1 ranking is bestowed to 1969 runner-up Linda Iverson of Boyes Hot Springs, California, who wins the 1970 World Wristwrestling Championship.
May 14th, 1971 – Emily Matterazzo, a 37-year old police department matron from Bedford, Massachusetts, takes the ranking by winning the 1971 World Wristwrestling Championship. Linda Iverson competed in the event, but lost in the semi-finals.
May 20th, 1972 – Fran Ayers, a 27-year old bartender from Kennewick, Washington, beats Emily Matterazzo on her way to winning the 1972 World Wristwrestling Championship, earning the top ranking.
May 19th, 1973 – 18-year old Seattle, Washington, native Jill Edwards finishes ahead of Fran Ayers when she wins the 1973 World Wristwrestling Championship.
May 18th, 1974 – After a year of no known activity, the ranking is assumed by California’s Donna Myers when she wins the inaugural WWC National Wristwrestling Championship at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Donna would go on to also win the World Wristwrestling title later that year in Petaluma.
December 28th, 1974 – Student Vicky Vodon (5’8½“, 155 lbs) beats Donna Myers in the finals of the inaugural World Professional Armwrestling Association (WPAA) U.S. Pro Armwrestling Championships at Busch Gardens in Los Angeles, California, and in doing so becomes the #1 ranked female amrwrestler in the world.
April 5th, 1975 – Jill Edwards regains the ranking by beating Vicki Vodon twice at the WPAA Pacific Northwest Championships in Kennewick, Washington.
October 11th, 1975 – Newcomer Cel Rutledge, a 32-year old lab technician and shot-putter from Concord, California, wins the 1975 World Wristwrestling Championship among a super-stacked field that included four former #1 ranked pullers: Fran Ayers, Donna Myers, Vicky Vodon, and Jill Edwards. Cel beat Jill in the finals to take the top spot.
October 9th, 1976 – After a year of no known activity, the ranking is assigned to 6-foot tall 28-year old weaver Mildred Choplick of Fairfax, Iowa, as she wins the 1976 World Wristwrestling Championship.
September 24th, 1977 – 16-year old Cindy Baker, daughter of the great Moe Baker, defeats Mildred Choplick and wins the WPAA World Championships in Houston, Texas. The Bakers become the first family to have two members occupy the top ranking.
December 12th, 1978 – After a year of no known activity, Cindy loses the ranking and it is re-assumed by Mildred Choplick, who is the reigning World's Wristwrestling Champion in the Unlimited division.
October 13th, 1979 – 30-year old Modesto, California, waitress Pam Carter (5’8”, 160lbs) beats Mildred Choplick at the 1979 World Wristwrestling Championship to win the world title and the #1 ranking. Pam would go on to win four World Wristwrestling Championship titles in a row, during which time she recorded no known losses.
October 13th, 1984 – Pam’s reign comes to an end when she loses the middleweight division final of the World's Wristwrestling Championship. The ranking is assumed by 6’3” 245-lb college shot-putter Dot Jones, winner of the unlimited division and unbeaten in all of her armwrestling and wirstwrestling matches to date.
July 26th, 1986 – Dot Jones suffers the first loss of her competitive career to 19-year old French-Canadian Liane Dufresne at the Over the Top World Championships. Liane becomes holder of the top spot in the rankings, and keeps it for the next eight years. Though she does not face Dot again during this time, she does amass a long list of major titles, including multiple WPAA and World Armwrestling Federation (WAF) world titles, the 1991 Super Bras-de-fer world title, and the 1994 Golden Bear title.
August 26th, 1994 – Liane Dufresne and Dot Jones finally have their first rematch since Over the Top at the Yukon Jack World Championships in San Francisco. Dot wins the match, a fourth Yukon Jack title in a row, and takes back the #1 ranking.
September 14th, 1997 – After a year of no known activity following her win at the 1996 Yukon Jack World Championships, Dot Jones loses her ranking. It is assumed by Russian Vika Gabakova, the reigning WAF super-heavyweight World Champion. Vika would go on to hold the top spot for six years, during which time she had no known losses.
November 16th, 2003 – After a year of no known activity following her amazing 9th WAF world title in a row (1994-2002), Vika loses her ranking. It is assumed by Russian Irina Skaeva, winner of the super-heavyweight division at the European Championships that had been held in July. Irina would go on to win the European title in 2004 and 2005, recording no known losses during this period.
June 12th, 2006 – After a year of no known activity, Irina Skaeva loses the #1 ranking. It is assigned to 41-year old Canadian Joyce King who had recently defeated Russia’s Lilia Khamidoullina, the reigning WAF super-heavyweight world champion at Ultimate Armwrestling III in Las Vegas two months earlier.
November 4th, 2006 – Brazil’s Gabriela Vasconcelos takes the top spot when she wins the 2006 80 kg WAF world title in Manchester, England, finishing ahead of Joyce.
December 6th, 2008 – After winning another WAF world title in 2007, Gabriela loses the ranking to Lithuania’s Egle Vaitkute, who wins the 80 kg class at the 2008 WAF World Championships in Kelowna, Canada.
March 8th, 2009 – At the inaugural World Challenge in Sweden, 70 kg Russia’s Irina Makeeva beats Egle Vaitkute and wins the event. In doing so, she is declared “The Best Armwrestler in the World”.
December 3rd, 2011 –Sweden’s Heidi Andersson reaches the pinnacle of the armwrestling world when she defeats Irina Makeeva at the 2011 WAF World Championships in Kazakhstan.
March 8th, 2012 – At the 2012 World Challenge, Egle Vaitkute finishes at the top of the standings, ahead of Heidi Andersson. Once again, she becomes the #1 ranked female puller in the world.
July 28th, 2012 – Irina Makeeva beats Egle Vaitkute to win the inaugural A1 Russian Open World Armwrestling Grand Prix. Irina would again win this prestigious event in 2013.
May 22, 2020 – After dominating the sport for most of the 2010s, Irina Makeeva loses the world number one ranking following a year of inactivity. The ranking is assumed by Egle Vaitkute, the last person who had defeated her and who had also been dominant in her respective class for many years.
August 6, 2022 – Gabriela Vasconcelos defeats Egle Vaitkute by a score of 3-0 at East vs. West 4.
January 21, 2023 – Slovakia's Barbora Bajčiova earns the number one ranking in defeating Gabriela Vasconcelos by a score of 3-2 at East vs. West 6. At just 22 years of age, she becomes recognized as the top female armwrestler in the world.
Researched and Written by Eric Roussin