Olympic weightlifting in 2023 is fast approaching. On Nov. 1, 2022, USA Weightlifting (USAW) released the dates and locations for the 2023 North American Open Series (NAOSs) and National University Championships (NUC), and the Friendship Cup.
For the first time since becoming a contest series in 2017, this competition circuit will go coast to coast in North America, with competitions in California and North Carolina.
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2023 North American Open Series Schedule
Below is a breakdown of each scheduled event.
2023 NAOS1, NUCs, and the Friendship Cup — March 2-5, 2023
The 2023 NAOS begins in Columbus, OH, on March 2-5, 2023, with a trio of competitions: NAOS1, National University Championships, and the Friendship Cup. Per the press release, “This marks the third year NAOS1 and university nationals will be held conjunctively, and the fifth time in the series’s seven years that NAOS1 will be paired with the Arnold Sports Festival.”
The contests will be held in the Union Station Ballroom in the Greater Columbus Convention Center and capped at 1,050 athletes. Registration will open on Nov. 4, 2022, and remain open until that athlete cap is reached.
The USAW Friendship Cup consists of international athletes competing in mixed pairs — one male and one female weightlifter per team. Each athlete competes in their respective bodyweight category but ranks as a team per their combined Sinclair totals. For reference, the Sinclair formula is a scoring system is a way to rank athletes in different weight classes against each other.
Sara Ahmed of Egypt and Andranik Karapetyan of Armenia were crowned the Friendship Cup champions in 2021.
- Qualification Dates: Feb. 2, 2022-Feb. 2, 2023
- Registration Opens: Nov. 4, 2022
- Athlete Registration Cap: 1,050 athletes
- Early Registration Deadline: Jan. 19, 2023 (4 p.m. ET)
- Regular Registration Deadline: Feb. 2, 2023 (4 p.m. ET)
- Late Registration Deadline: Feb. 16, 2023 (4 p.m. ET)
2023 USAW National Championships — June 24 – July 2, 2023
The 2023 USAW National Championships span nine days, from June 24 through July 2, 2023, in Colorado Springs, CO. The competition features the National Youth Championships, National Junior Championships, National U25 Championships, and open-level National Championships.
- Qualification Dates: May 25, 2022-May 25, 2023
- Registration Opens: Jan. 1, 2023
- Early Registration Deadline: May 11, 2023 (4 p.m. ET)
- Regular Registration Deadline: May 25, 2023 (4 p.m. ET)
- Late Registration Deadline: June 8, 2023 (4 p.m. ET)
2023 NAOS2 — Sept. 14-17, 2023
The NAOS2 contest will occur in Pleasanton, CA, on Sept. 14-17, 2023, at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. This location also hosted the 2020 NUCs and the National U25 Championships.
- Qualification Dates: Aug. 17, 2022-Aug. 17, 2023
- Registration Opens: Jan. 1, 2023
- Early Registration Deadline: Aug. 3, 2023 (4 p.m. ET)
- Regular Registration Deadline: Aug. 17, 2023 (4 p.m. ET)
- Late Registration Deadline: Aug. 31, 2023 (4 p.m. ET)
2023 NAOS Finals — Dec. 7-10, 2023
The 2023 NAOS Finals are scheduled for Dec. 7-10, 2023, at the Wilmington Convention Center in Wilmington, North Carolina. Per USAW’s press release, “this is USA Weightlifting’s first national event ever to be held in the Tar Heel State.”
- Qualification Dates: Nov. 23, 2022-Nov. 23, 2023
- Registration Opens: Jan. 1, 2023
- Early Registration Deadline: Oct. 26, 2023 (4 p.m. ET)
- Regular Registration Deadline: Nov. 9, 2023 (4 p.m. ET)
- Late Registration Deadline: Nov. 23, 2023 (4 p.m. ET)
Editor’s Note: BarBend is the Official Media Partner of USA Weightlifting. The two organizations maintain editorial independence unless otherwise noted on specific content projects.
Featured image: @usa_weightlifting on Instagram
