POWERLIFTERS from Basingstoke are planning a double assault on British titles in 2005.

Two members, Jean Maton and Andy Bonner, recently booked places in the next British Amateur Weightlifting Association (BAWLA) championships, while two more local lifters, Pete Bedford and George Stoneman, are also hoping to qualify for the event at the end of June.

For male members of the successful Basingstoke Powerlifting Club it will be a new departure as in their 20-year history the British Drugs Free Powerlifting Association (BDFPA) championships have been the main target.

In the recent BAWLA South Midlands division championships, Maton and Bonner added to their extensive list of titles.

Maton became the under-82.5kg champion after a squat of 110kg, a benchpress of 82.5kg and a deadlift of 140kg for a 332.5kg total.

Club founder member Bonner, returning to action after a hernia operation, became the men's under-90kg champion, getting back to near his best form.

He achieved a squat of 200kg, a benchpress of 150kg and a dead-lift of 260kg for a total of 610kg.

His 2005 calendar now has the BAWLA British championships written down in addition to a BDFPA British title assault at the end of April.

Bedford and Stoneman are also trying to capture a British title double next year.

The local club have just completed their most successful year with Bedford crowned as a British senior, world senior and British senior benchpress champion while Maton became a British masters, world masters and British masters champion.

Bonner is the reigning British senior and British masters champion, Stoneman is the British masters champion and Rob Mackereth is a British senior benchpress champion.

The club are now established in a new home at the QMC gym after moving from Basingstoke Sports Centre.