Two national steinholding records were broken Saturday during the eighth annual Big Bear Lake Maifest, vaulting the mountain town into the spotlight of this growing competitive sport.
Bob Shalak of Wrightstown, New Jersey, set a new men’s U.S. record by holding a full beer stein with his arm outstretched for 25 minutes and 29 seconds. That time beat the previous national record of 23:40 and demolished Big Bear’s local record of 18:33, which had stood since 1995, organizers said.
In the women’s division, Crestline resident Celeste Seiler-Zlatich also made history with a time of 6 minutes and 54 seconds. The previous national record was 6:10, set in 2022 at the Hofbräu Masskrugstemmen National Championships in New York City.
Both winners earned all-expense-paid trips to compete at the U.S. finals in New York this fall.
“We’re super excited to have two national records broken at our Maifest qualifiers,” said Big Bear Lake Maifest Director Monica Marini. “These record-breakers have put Big Bear Lake on the national steinholding map!”
Steinholding, or Masskrugstemmen, challenges competitors to hold a full liter of beer, arm extended, without spilling or lowering it. The weight of a full stein comes to about five pounds, which may not seem like much, but becomes progressively more unbearable as time ticks on.
The growing national competition culminates each year with the Hofbräu Masskrugstemmen National Finals. The top male and female finishers receive trips to Germany.
Shalak and his wife Chantelle, both passionate steinholding fans, flew in from New Jersey specifically to compete in Big Bear. He praised the event’s welcoming atmosphere, saying it far exceeded other qualifiers they had attended on the East Coast.
“We’ve been to Boston, New York, and Philly, and none of those events were as welcoming and fun as Big Bear Lake,” Shalak said.
Seiler-Zlatich, who competed in last year’s national finals and placed fourth, said she is excited to return to New York with more experience and determination.
“I’m over-the-moon excited and so honored to represent Big Bear Lake Maifest and Oktoberfest and our beautiful mountain communities once again,” she said.
The national finals take place Sept. 20.
Maifest celebrates the arrival of spring, with traditions similar to that of the better known Oktoberfest. This is the second year that Big Bear Lake Maifest has operated as an official U.S. steinholding championship qualifier site.
This year’s Maifest celebration was held through Memorial Day weekend, and the following weekend, May 30 through June 1.