Race insight and Report. By Sean Blyth

Leaving behind the autumn fallen leaves and windy rain swept streets of the UK is not such a hard decision when it comes to taking part in  the ultimate X Training event of the year. The dbmax Best of the Best X Training Challenge in Dubai, sponsored by Fitness First and held at the very exclusive China Court,  IBN Battuta Shopping Mall.

 

The stage was set in the water feature of the shopping centre . Jets of water spurted up in unison, which surrounded the platform to which the stage was set upon. Curious onlookers and shoppers wandered around, glancing inquisitively at the stage  to see what was to happen later.

The Initial stages

As the morning drew on, we had our first experience of the luxurious Fitness First Centre at IBN Battuta Centre.  We were welcomed warmly by the management and staff who greeted us as if we had entered a five star hotel. A brief look around the gym, with its bright colour fitness murals and decor and furniture, complimented the gym perfectly.  Technogym machinery was churning away as members worked out. Studios were seen heaving with early morning  dance and fitness classes. But what is quite unique is how Fitness First   have targeted and created the balance of shopping and working out into a  unique experience. You leave the gym after a work out and walk onto a marble floor way filled with shops and boutiques - it is an absolutely awesome experience for anybody.

 

Team UK (sponsored by UKGear)

Team UK consisted of a mixture of  Elite athletes, and Intermediates.  Sue Regan Watts and the legendary Michelle Parsons making a welcome one off return to the X Training scene represented the female element and Will Whitmore, Steve Reagan Watts, Steve Chissell, Steve Oxlade and Martin Carter represented the Elite (Open Event). Sean Blyth, Lloyd Millichap and Andy Brown represented the Intermediates.

 

What was a full event had all the delight elements of close racing and was a joy to be part of. Michelle Parsons, the greatest ever female X Trainer was to race against Kristjana Gunnarsd the Icelandic champion and Will Whitmore was to race against the legend that is Darren Robson a former Royal Marine PTI

 

The Personal Trainer and Client

 

Encouraging your clients to get fitter is something Lloyd Millichap a Personal Trainer for Fitness First in Camberly Surrey, excels at. His  client base of X Trainers have regular gatherings and time trials to ensure that there fitness is improving. So it was no surprise to see Lloyd come to this event with one of his clients Andy Brown. Andy who joined a gym to get fit –  realised that having somebody like Lloyd and a sport such as X Training could well give him the motivation he needed. I think it’s fair to say in both cases they compliment each other – the result being that after only a few short months, Andy is now a very competent X Trainer, his fitness levels have soared and he is absolutely motivated every time he and Lloyd train together. The fact that I raced Andy and he beat me quite convincingly is something that I do not hold as a grudge – ask Mel Brooks who tagged me almost three years ago at Hampshire, forcing me to leave the race if I ever mention it to him! ...   Seriously Andy and I are good friends and that’s good  for the sport, you meet and make friends of equal fitness which means  ultimately  the more time trials, races events that take place , either on line or at venues - the easier it is to set races that will ensure a  entertaining sport of people of equal fitness. The sport will grow on this information – so please enter timings on line to help the race organisers and increase the sports exposure to the media.

 

The Racing

 

 

The day started well with Female Intermediate consisting of local Fitness First competitors. They competed on a stage, surrounded by angry looking dragons and oriental bright red and yellow flags of the shopping mall  and performed brilliantly, with Emily Kiwi being the winner this year – what was said after from Emily is that she wants to progress and improve on her times , and that ladies and gentleman is exactly what Emily will do. She has now the motivation to push herself onwards.

 

The good news for Emily is that Marc Carson, who many will remember from Hampshire Fire and Rescue X Training Challenges of past is now positioned at Fitness First in IBN Bantustan Mall and former Mr Pakistan, Ali Sayed an experienced X Trainer is the club General Manager. Next year will be an even better year for Emily and all those that took part and who were introduced to the sport  - Lanka Bluff, Le anne Marr and Sara Quayed– know exactly what to expect .Believe me it’s very addictive.

 

 

The Male Intermediate

 

Eleven very able, motivated athletes  took part in this event and all performed excellently, Marc and Lloyd dominated the final placing with just three second separating first and second place (that would have been some race if they had raced together!) But not only that a difference of 1 min and 30 seconds separated the next  seven placing's– that is in race terms very close, just under ten seconds per discipline difference. Again, very exiting to watch and as soon as the technology is there for the crowd to witness Time, Distance  and Rep Counting (TDR), the sport will explode with fury into the fitness Industry.

 

 

The Male Open

 

So, the big guns came to play – believe me this is not an easy event to take part in. Worryingly one of the competitors seemed to lose his marbles (Ali’s younger brother!) and enter both events – I think a special mention of this should be made – very well done Qasim!

 

Vikar Sigurjonssen from Iceland, along with, local entrants and the UK contingent were now performing in front of swelling crowds as the excitement was stepping up a gear.

 

 The physique of X Trainer is that of …. well anything really. Big guys have the advantage on weights, the smaller guys on cardio – but uniquely size in this sport is very misleading, there is no escape from the simple fact that unless the oxygen is getting to those working muscles, you will go anaerobic and have to stop or very seriously reduce your speed – this how we train– science is on our side too and the guys that perform today are outstanding athletes each in their own right.

 

Excitement reached a peak as the formidable physique of Darren Robson and the tall calm exterior of Will Whitmore prepared to race.  These two guys have been taking part in X Training for years – Darren is the only guy to have beat Hywel Davies and Will is the current fastest man on the WGC.com challenge. These two had met before the year previous with Will claiming victory then – could this be revenge time for Darren? Maybe ?

 

The race process was seen with interchanging lead positioning and tension throughout, each discipline more or less saw a dead heat or a change from leader to follower until the bench press - sportingly Will acknowledges that as he went on to claim another victory and win - the fact that Darren had an earlier car accident took its toll on the outcome. Hopefully these two outstanding athletes’ will race again before too soon, for what always proves to be non stop thrill and excitement racing.

 

Was that enough for Will? To win? No. Will is unique, his passion for the sport realises that the opportunity to bring together Sport and Charity meant that a incredible sporting gesture saw his £1000 victory cheque go straight to a local charity of Fitness First choosing - simply quite an incredible and a very generous gesture.

 

The female Open

 

Regarded by many as the finest female ever to have competed in the X Training scene when the sport was at its peak, Michelle Parsons an elite duathlist traveled to Dubai , for personal reasons – as a friend of Will. It’s important to realise just how incredibly fit Michelle is – her body is very lean and slim line, muscle and tan are very prominent, when Michelle moves  the definition tone of her body is awesome, yet elegant at the same time. She was racing the undefeated Icelandic Champion Kristjana Gunnarsd, equally as charming and equally toned with slimline, blonde and toned physique to match Michelle.

 

The race was more or less a dead heat until the second half, where Michelle’s past performance and experience to the sport showed, she edged ahead of Kristjanna at each station and ended up with  a 1 min 30 second victory.

 

Conclusion

 

Incredible performances by all who took part. Amazing venue. Outstanding hospitality by Fitness First.

 

The future

 

Growth of the sport will be by:

 

 

Of what can be said of this sport is that there is an entire infrastructure to see it succeed already in place.

 

It is now up to gyms to take pride in their members and give them the opportunity to perform in a sport that is totally gym based and waiting for the right time and the right opportunity to create a Industry from the very roots of the gym member.

 

Be part of something special ……

 

More photo's and Interviews will follow ....