| Half way through the year – how do you think the Grand Prix is going? And what are your views on the events to date? |
Yes half through the year and I feel the Grand Prix has gone to plan. At the start of the year it was all a bit messy with the fall out with the UKXTA, but the wounds have healed and life moves on.
The first comp was Stu Lengs IRONMAM I thought it was a great event. It was very challenging and well judged. For the first time Hywel Davies turned into a transformer on
that last leg of the weight carry, pretty amazing to watch. With the new introductory to the Intermediates working well, it proved to be a real success with some great races which in- turn bumped the Intermediate Grand
Prix off to a good start.
Most competitors who competed in the Iron man were also in the Grand Prix which also was a nice touch.
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| Calso |
The next event was my and Becky's event CALSO LUCKY 7s with lots of controversy I still feel my decision to stick to my guns and run the event was a must. It was not every body's cup of tea, but it was unique,different and very challenging and above all it was a great work out and a
major success.
X-Training is all about taking the body to the X-Treme and
we all have a choice. All the people who were not quite sure about the event do have a right to express there concern and feeling I understand that.
When ever I invent a competition I always try and test it first,conditioning your body and mind is a must when ever you train for anything in life. I try to invent comps where they are a little different a bit spicy and challenging surely that is a good thing!
Although I said the Calso 7swill be the same comp next year but in reverse, I have decided to do totally new course, course details will follow soon. Once again it freshen's things up.
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| Fitness Extreme |
 Event 3 was Mark Drury's FITNESS X-TREME it was another very tough course especially the first section, vicious! It witnessed one of the best races so far in the Grand Prix, which was between Sylburn Miller and Sam Orgee.
Sylburn just pipped Sam in a real nail biter.
They were still not good enough to beat the ever consistent Kirk Gibbons who is dominating the men's masters at the moment.
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| Dragons Gauntlet. |
Event 4 Was Steve & Sue's DRAGONS GAUNTLET. It was another great comp, with some very close hard fought races. I thought Sam Orgee's performance was
the best of the GP so far he was just so dominant on all the disciplines with great technique at the same time. Hat's go off to Kirsty Read who scored a deserved victory, she is definitely flying again after her disappointment in Fitness X-treme. Sarah Deed is also on a charge after gaining a determined and excellent 2nd place. The only disappointment for me was, at the Gauntlet there were lot's of no shows and cancellations, I Felt for Steve & Sue, not even to ring to say your not going to show up is
pretty bollox to me.
So after the first four events I feel it's looking GOOD and very interesting.
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| How much of your time do you spend on organising the results and tables after each event? |
 I do spend a lot of time trying to chase all the results in. The real pain is sifting through who is in and who is not in the GP. On the whole it is not too bad. My website man the Geofster is a good egg I am always messing him about he must hate me, I am always messing it up.
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| Do you see a pattern with any of the upcoming X Trainers and who are you putting your money for a star of the future – both male and female? |
I feel if Sam Orgee stay's around in X-Training he will be pretty unbeatable, but he is beatable at the moment as Sylburn proved. I wished Hywel was around more to race Sam it would be real exciting. I think another man who is going to be a big name is Jason King, not quite there yet but will be bang on it, in the near future. I would love to see Cassius in the GP to see how he would fair, would he win, who knows? There are so many great names out there knocking on the door.
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| (Women's event) |
 In the ladies Kirsty and Becky are still favourites to fight it out for the top spot. I like the look of Sarah Deed, Marie Mitchell, Hayley Powell.Tru die is also a very good competitor and you can never rule her out. Thereis no dominant force at the moment in the women's GP, which I think is a good thing. Sam Saunt will be a major force if not next year, then definitely the year after.
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| Will you be doing the Grand Prix next year ? |
Will I be doing the Grand Prix next year, the answer to your question I would like to, providing all the other event organisers want to. It would be a shame if it did not go ahead, only time will tell!
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| Do you see a change in X Training since the 90’s? |
Like all walks of life there has been a change in X-Training since the 90's,some of the change has been very good and some not good. I feel the variation of the comps, are really good and with the GP you get the overall X-Trainer at the end of the year. In the 90's you had much larger comps and very good comps with decent prizes, but there was still a lot of shite out there.
I feel the camaraderie amongst the X-Trainers these days is really nice at the GP events it never used to be like that in the 90's. I feel with all the different X- Training websites, X-Training has moved on and in10 years time from now it would be lovely to say there could be a possibility of some sort of world championship.
I feel there has been a lot of negativity been said about X-Training, I feel it is a great sport and in the right hands and guidance the sky's the limit. But money talks!!!!!!!!!! |
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| In your opinion who has been the biggest ambassador for the sport ? |
 Without a shadow of a doubt Stuart Leng has been the biggest ambassador in X-Training, some people find him highly charged, he shoots from the hip but never the less he is the most passionate person in X-Training. He has given more time and energy than any one else i know, his knowledge of all the X-trainers is amazing. Whenever there is an X-Training event on without Stuart doing the commentating it is not the same.
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| Will Whitmore's site dbmax has kept the sport alive - give your views on that. |
Will Whitmore has my massive respect in the X-training world. The DB:MAX website has been the main X-Trainers bible magnet of information for a number of years. The X-trainers forum is a must read, sometimes I wish there was not a forum it's like watching big brother. I must be a sad git!
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Would you like to see more sporting personalities taking part in X Training?
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I would love to see some bigger sporting profiles compete in X-Training it can only be a good thing, it would help to promote it. BIG MONEY BIG PROFILES
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| Who would you like to see race in the Ironman in the sporting world. |
If I could pick a sporting line up of 5 top men and women athletes to compete in the X-T IRONMAN, they would be:
MENS
DALEY THOMPSON
JURGEN WHAT'S HIS NAME
ERKIE NOOL
DAN O'BRIEN
HYWEL 'THE TRANSFOMER' DAVIES
The winner would be 'The Transformer'
WOMENS
DENISE LEWIS
KATERINA KLUFT
KELLY SOTHERTON
JACKIE JOINER KERSEY
SARAH COOPE
The winner would be Sarah Coope
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| As partners – do you think , you would be in the top five for a partners Championship in the UK. (it’s something WGC is thinking of running ) |
Do you think me and Becky would be in the top 5 for a partners championship in the UK. Good question but I can not give you the answer, I would have to see the course, it is all on the type of event, does it suit you sir?
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| Any more charity days in the pipeline? |
Not at present but we will be looking to do some big challenges around April next year. |
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| Can you see a day where X Training is in every gym – as much a s say something body combat? |
Will X-Training ever be like Body Combat where it is in most fitness centres? That is a real tough call. So many health clubs are so much health & safety crazy orientated. X Training at the advnced level is an X-Treme sport. Getting to that level takes years of dedication and hard work.
In the years to come I think there will be a massive market in X Training gyms where big fitness and big results are required. Calso is pushing more towards that direction, it could be real good news for all concerned. |
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| What's next? |
My next comp is the Gorton Grueller,it is a nice comp for me I should go close if I train extremely hard.
Why do we do X-training? We all love it, PERFECT!
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The introduction of the Grand Prix is not so much an event - but more of a celebration of all the amazing athletes that gym's have under their roofs and yet refuse to acknowledge their own potential to promote their own athletes.