Performing what looked like a contortionist's act, Anchorage's Kyle Worl set a record in the swing kick Saturday at the World Eskimo Indian Olympics in Fairbanks.
The swing kick is a test of agility and balance, in which an athlete balances on both hands with a leather strap looped around his neck and both knees. With both legs extended in the air, he raises his body off the floor, kicks a suspended ball and then returns to the starting position.
Worl hit 63 inches to set a new record in the event, which made its WEIO debut in 2011. He also won the kneel jump and drop the bomb competition earlier in the week.
Worl's record was the second of the week. On Wednesday, Nick Hanson of Unalakleet — and American Ninja Warrior fame — set a world record in the men's scissor broad jump with a leap of 37 feet, 5 inches.
The 56th annual event began Wednesday and wrapped up Saturday night at the Carlson Center in Fairbanks.
It featured Native games like the ear pull and four-man carry as well as dance performances, Native arts and crafts and muktuk-eating and seal-skinning contests.
This year's WEIO was dedicated to Native sports icon Big Bob Aiken, who died in November at age 62.
(Results of events through Saturday afternoon)
Women's swing kick — 1) Crystal Worl, Juneau, 48 inches; 2) Erica Meckel, Fairbanks, 48.
Men's swing kick – 1) Kyle Worl, Anchorage, 63 inches (new record); 2) Jim Underwood Day, Invuik, NWT; 3) Phillip Blanchett.
Women's 2-foot high kick — 1) Erica Meckel, Fairbanks, 72 inches; 2) Autumn Ridley, Anchorage, 70; 3) Teri Johnson, Anchorage, 68.
Men's 2-foot high kick — 1) Andrew Keshevarof, Anchorage, 96 inches (2 misses); 2) Casey Ferguson, Anchorage, 96 (6 misses); 3) Kyle Worl, Anchorage, 94.
Women's blanket toss – 1) Marjorie Tahbone, Nome; 2) Amanda Phipps, Fairbanks; 3) Vanessa Tahbone, Nome.
Seal skinning – 1) Mary Kakoona, Shishmaref, 1 minute, 39.80 seconds; 2) Karen Tocktoo, Anchorage, 3:30; 3) Diana DuFour, Fairbanks, 3:36.
Drop the bomb — 1) Kyle Worl, Anchorage, 79 feet, 7.5 inches; 2) Isaiah Waghiyi, Savoonga, 71-2; 3) Aaron Ulroan, Chevak, 30-11.5.
Muktuk eating – 1) Charles Brower, Barrow, 1 minute, 11 seconds; 2) Nick Hanson, Unalakeleet, 1:11.15.
Women's Indian stick pull — 1) Michelle Wardlow, Seward; 2) Autumn Randazzo, Anchorage; 3) Rosemary Berg, Anchorage.
Men's Indian stick pull – 1) Sean O'Brien, Cordova; 2) Chris Kalmakoff, Anchorage; 3) Walter Hawkins, Anchorage.
Women's ear pull – 1) Mitsi Evans, Fairbanks; 2) Chelsea Morrow, Wasilla; 3) Sheila Randazzo, Anchorage.
Men's ear pull – 1) Linc Qimiq, Anchorage; 2) Jeffery Satterfield, Anchorage; 3) Aaron Ulroan, Chevak.
Women's Alaskan high kick – 1) Autumn Ridley, Anchorage, 78 inches; 2) Jaclyn Weston, Anchorage, 76; 3) Teri Johnson, Anchorage , 72.
Men's Alaskan high kick – 1) Casey Ferguson, Anchorage, 91 inches; Kyle Worl, Anchorage, 86 (2 misses); 3) James Wardlow, Seward, 86 (3 misses).
Women's Eskimo stick pull — 1) Michelle Wardlow, Seward; 2) Autumn Randazzo, Anchorage; 3) Rosemary Berg, Anchorage.
Men's Eskimo stick pull — 1) Sean O'Brien, Cordova; 2) Chris Kalmakoff, Anchorage; 3) Walter Hawkins, Anchorage.
Four-man carry — 1) Sam Strange, Anchorage, 112 feet, 6.75 inches; 2) Walter Hawkins, Anchorage, 92-7; 3) Ravell Northway, Tok, 26-6.5.
Fish cutting — 1) Marjorie Tahbone, Nome, 29.90 seconds; 2) Kelly Lincoln, Bethel, 29.32; 3) Davida Hanson, Unalakleet, 44.71.
Women's 1-hand reach — 1) Autumn Ridley, Anchorage, 56 inches, 0 misses; 2) Teyah Clark, Wasilla, 56, 3 misses; 3) Brittany Woods-Orrison, Fairbanks, 54.
Men's 1-hand reach — 1) Bernard Clark, Anchorage, 70 inches; 2) Casey Ferguson, 67; 3) Kyle Worl, Anchorage, 64.
Women's Race of the Torch — 1) Dorothy O'Donnell, Fairbanks, 19 minutes, 26 seconds; 2) Sidney Isom, Alamo, California, 21:57; 3) Shondiin Mayo, Fairbanks,23:45.
Men's Race of the Torch — 1) Forest Strick, Anchorage, 19 minutes, 3 seconds; 2) Darrell Sam, Huslia, 20:00; 3) Daniel Kokrine, Fairbanks, 20:06.
Women's kneel jump — 1) Amber Vaska, Fairbanks, 52 feet, 0.75 inches; 2) Erica Meckel, Fairbanks, 43-0.25; 3) Autumn Ridley, Anchorage, 42-0.75.
Men's kneel jump — 1) Kyle Worl, Anchorage, 65 feet, 0.5 inches; 2) Forest Strick, Anchorage, 53-0.25; 3) Martin Gardiner, Dillingham, 51-0.5.
Women's scissor broad jump – 1) Amber Vaska, Fairbanks, 26-1;
2) Erica Meckel, Fairbanks, 25-6.75; 3) Autumn Ridley, Anchorage, 25-0.25.
Men's scissor broad jump – 1) Nick Hanson, Unalakleet, 37-5 (new world record); 2) Andrew Kashervarof, Anchorage, 36-4.25; 3) Isaiah Waghiyi, Savoonga, 34-9.