Athletes are required to achieve qualifying standards in order to compete at the provincial, regional, and national level in Canada.
Provincial Championship Qualifying Standards
The BC provincial qualifying totals are equivalent to the CPU Regional qualifying totals. Click here to view the CPU Regional qualifying totals.
Qualifying totals must be obtained in the 24 months prior to BC Provincial Championships. Qualifying totals can be obtained in an IPF-sanctioned competition including BCPA and CPU competitions.
Some other notes on qualifying totals:
- Athletes who achieve qualifying totals as an Equipped lifter also qualify to compete as an Unequipped lifter at Provincials.
- Athletes cannot use a total from competing as an Unequipped lifter to meet the Provincial qualifying standards as an Equipped lifter.
- Qualifying totals for a Bench Press Only competition can be obtained from a Bench Press Only competition or in the bench press portion of a regular Powerlifting competition.
Regional and National Championship Qualifying Standards
Regional and National Championships are administered by the Canadian Powerlifting Union (CPU). There are three Regional Championships held by the CPU each year. BC athletes must compete in the Western Regional Championships, which also includes athletes from Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.
Both CPU and BCPA have requirements for athletes to compete at a CPU Regional or National Championship. The CPU maintains national qualifying standards and regional qualifying standards. Please ensure you meet these standards before registering for Regional or National Championships.
In addition to the CPU requirements, there are BCPA requirements to compete at a CPU Regional or National Championship as defined in our bylaws. Use the Qualifying Standards Guide to understand all of the BCPA requirements for competing at CPU Regional or National Championships.
Qualifying Standards Guide
Determining Your Qualifying Total
A qualifying total must be achieved within the defined period before the competition for which you’re qualifying. For example, BC Provincial Championships requires athletes to obtain a qualifying total in a sanctioned competition during the 24 months before the date of their BC Provincial Championships. The qualifying total can be obtained at any level of competition as long as the competition was sanctioned by the BCPA, CPU, a CPU-affiliated province, an IPF-affiliated member organization, or the IPF itself.
First, determine your age class at the time of the competition in which you will compete. For example, if you are a Junior athlete who will turn 24 next year then you will be competing in the Open class next year. If you wish to compete at BC Provincial Championships next year as an Open athlete, then you must achieve a qualifying total in the Open class even if you are currently a Junior athlete.
Next, you must achieve a qualifying total in one of the weight classes for that age class. You do not have to achieve a qualifying total for the weight class in which you intend to compete. You only have to achieve a qualifying total, for any weight class, defined for the age class for which you are attempting to qualify. For example, you do not have to obtain a qualifying total in the 93 kg weight class even if you intend to compete in the 93 kg weight class at the competition for which you intend to qualify.
Example 1
John is a Men’s Open 93 kg Classic athlete who wants to compete at BCPA Provincial Championships next year in the Open class. He looks at the BC qualifying totals chart to find the qualifying totals for Open athletes. Since he has competed for years in the 93 kg class, he expects to compete in his next competition at 93 kg. He looks at the chart to find the qualifying total for Men’s Open 93 kg Classic. This is the total he must achieve in competition before the next BCPA Provincial Championships in order to qualify.
Example 2
Jane is a Women’s Junior 84 kg Classic athlete who wants to compete at BCPA Provincial Championships next year. She will turn 24 next year, which means she will have to compete in the Open age class. She looks at the BC qualifying totals chart to find the qualifying totals for Open athletes. She decides she can safely compete as a Junior 76 kg lifter before BCPA Provincial Championships and obtain the Open qualifying total. Once she does, she can compete at BCPA Provincial Championships in any weight class.