The week-long Rope Pull event officially concluded on Friday afternoon after many strenuous hours of training and competition behind the participants’ belts.

The 2006 Rope Pull winners are the sisters of Chi Omega and the brothers of Alpha Gamma Rho.

Following in second place were the sisters of Zeta Tau Alpha and the brothers of Kappa Alpha Order.

Rope Pull takes place every year during UTM Homecoming week. It is a very popular event that many students attend.

Emily Hunt, an Education major from Bartlett, attended the event and said, “Rope Pull is fun, but sometimes painful to watch. I know most competitors are sore from their hard work at practice but they still go out there and give it all they have. It’s hard, and I know I couldn’t do it. ”

Fraternities and sororities begin long, excruciating practices weeks before the competition begins. They put in long hours and practice in bad weather, but that does not seem to defer their determination.

Tommy Seratt, a member of AGR’s rope pull team, said, “Practice was hard, Rope Pull was sometimes painful, but it is important to our team and the other teams, so the practice and pain doesn’t matter. It’s worth it.”

That hard work and determination paid off this year for the winners.

After a ten-minute pull in the sorority division, Chi Omega won with more tape on their side.

During the fraternity championship pull, it began to rain, but both teams stuck through it, and after a 25-minute pull, Alpha Gamma Rho also won.

This is the 6th year AGR has come in first place in Rope Pull, and this is Chi Omega’s first win in a long time.

Whitney Sullivan, a member of Chi Omega’s Rope pull team, was proud of their accomplishment. “We have come in second place the past two years and to win is so exciting for me, our team and Chi Omega.”

Other competitors included Gamma Kappa Pi, Alpha Omicron Pi and Alpha Delta Pi in the sorority division. In the fraternity division, Pi Kappa Alpha, Alpha Tau Omega and Phi Sigma Kappa participated.