Illinois wins tug-of-war against Iowa

LeCLAIRE, Iowa--With a macho swagger and some serious grunting,Illinois pulled the title of top tugger back over to the easternshore of the Mississippi River.

Tuggers from Illinois topped their cross-river counterpartsSaturday 6-5 to claim the Great River Tug Fest.

The annual tug-of-rope competition features 10 teams of 20 men,and one 25-member women's team. Teams from Iowa line up in LeClaireand teams from Illinois line up across the river in Port Byron, Ill.

The pullers work to get themselves in their best fighting moodduring the pull, which exhausts even the brawniest of men.

The tug is the "worst three minutes of your life but it's allworth it," said Dave Carson, who pulled for the Genesis Systems Groupteam for the Iowa side.

AP