Newsletter -- IFBB.com

by Andrew Michalak

The autumn Euro Elite Tour series will start just one week after the World Men Championships in Jeju, Korea. The first event will take place in Kaliningrad, Russian enclave at the Baltic Sea coast. This will be the Governor’s Elite Tour, staged under the patronage of the Ministry of Public Health of the Kaliningrad Regional Government. The direct organizers: School of the High Sport Skills and Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation of the Kaliningrad Region, under the leadership of Mr. Yuri Smolyakov, Vice-President of the Russian Federation and National Coach of the Russian Team. All teams should arrive on Thursday, Nov. 1st, or Friday morning.
Participants will be accommodated in the “Moscow” Hotel (http://www.hotelclub.net/hotel.reservations/Moscow_Hotel_Kaliningrad.htm)
The contest will take place in the “Rossiya” Concert Hall on Friday, November 2nd, 2007, at 17:00 (5:00 pm).
The total prize money: US $12 000. Who will participate? The list of competitors has not been disclosed yet but the top 2006 Elite Tour athletes already announced their participation: Pawel Kirilenko; Rolandas Pocius; Alexandr Kodzoev, Oleg Emelyanov, Robert Piotrkowicz; Dymitar Dimitrov and Bogdan Szczotka. They all are great champions but only one can win. An incredible battle can be expected!
The contest should be extremely exciting and the city is also very interesting. It is an old Prussian city (known as Koenigsberg at those times), where famous philosopher Immanuel Kant lived. Russian people, settled at that place after the World War II, brought another culture, permanently developing different traditions. Kaliningrad is often called "a small Russian America" in the centre of Europe.

Robert Piotrtkowicz (2006 World Champion and 2007 European and European Games winner). He took all top places in the 2006 series but no first. Hungry for victory!

Bogdan Szczotka (2004 world champion). Then had a long break but came back in great style, winning the 2007 Nutrend Grand Prix in the Czech Republic. His potential is great!

Rolandas Pocius (2006 World runner-up and 2006 Prague Elite Tour winner). He won most of the prize money during the 2006 Elite Tour series. And wants to earn more!

Alexandr Kodzoev (2007 European champion and 2007 European Games runner-up). Real genetic perfection! Very demanding rival for the favourites.

Oleg Emelyanov (left - silver medal winner at the 2007 European Championships in Baku and 3rd place winner at the 2007 Elite Tour in Odessa) and Pavel Kirilenko (2007 European overall champion, 2006 Moscow Elite Tour winner and 2007 Odessa Elite Tour winner). Unbeatable this year! Who will stop him?

Dymitar Dimitrov, top European super heavyweight competitor. This picture was sent to our office just few days ago. Even Flex Wheeler was impressed, when visited Bulgaria recently. Dymitar might be a “black horse” of this series!