2010 began. On many forums already talking about the upcoming Arnold Classic festival. It will be in March. There will first be tested a new type of kettltbell lifting challenge - The Kettlebell Strongman / Woman.
January 24 Italian Championship was held in Borgomanero. The results of the Italian kettlebell lifter grow each passing year.
In Russia adopted a new weight classes and new rank table. Championship of Russia among juniors will held with the new weight classes (63, 68, 73, 78…). Then for competition among guys under 18 years returned to the weight of kettlebells 24 kg (was 32 kg).

So finished 2009… and begins 2010
I wish you all happiness and success in the new year!
In honor of the holiday I do discount on my services and goods.
January 1 - 14 discount for online coaching is 20%, discount for weightlifting shoes and belts is 10%.
Happy new year!!

Girevoy sport in Italy is developing very fast. Any years Italian team participate in the World Championships, held an International Federation of Girevoy Sport (IFGS).
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Already there were two Italian Championship on kettlebell lifting sport - one in the classic biathlon and one in the long cycle.
The strongest Italian athlete and organizer of most events, president of Italy kettlebell lifting federation - Oleh Ilika.
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Each year the results of the Italian national team grow. For example, Mattia Amodio won second place in the junior weight category over 90 kg. on World Championship of IFGS. His result was 93 for jerk and 144 for snatch.
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Italian KB federation have own website: www.ghirisport.it

On Saturday, November 7, 2009, the 1st American Female Master of Sport in the Long Cycle was crowned. Jessica DiBiase (USA) went 10 minutes against Svetlana Krechik (Ukraine) at the American Kettlebell Club Classic in Las Vegas.
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At the end of the set Jessica scored 57/57 (60kg class) while Svetlana scored 61/61(65kg class), both earning the title Master of Sport. Jessica became the first American woman while Svetlana became the first Ukrainian woman to earn the distinguished title within the World Kettlebell Club Rankings in Long Cycle (20kg kettlebell).
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Jessica DiBiase is a core member of the Ice Chamber Kettlebell Girls (http://www.athleta.net/chi/featured-athletes/ickb-girls/), coached by Mayachela Garcia and Steven Khuong. The Ice Chamber team has produced the most Candidates for Master of Sport in the United States to date.

Photo: Coach Mayachela Garica, CMS / Jessica DiBiase, MS / Coach Steven Khuong (Ice Chamber Kettlebell Team)

This weekend in Tallin (Estonia) was World Kettlebell lifting Championship of IUKL. There was 10 commands of different countries. The competition was among professionals (men with 32 kg, women with 24 kg) and amateurs (men with 24 kg, women with 16 kg). Athletes competed in biathlon and in long cycle. Women in snatch only.

One of great results were results of Jonny Benidze. He jerked 114 times and snatched 176 tumes!! His weight category is 63 kg.
Another outstanding result was the result of Anastasia Zolotaryova. She snatched 24 kg 155 times!

Then was the kettlebell relay. Five athletes have jerked three minutes. The best result was a team of Russia – 300 reps.

That’s me with my friends - two great kettlebell lifters - Ivan Denisov and Jonny Benidze. This photo was made on Russian Cup - 2009.

IronWorks Fe held New York City’s First Annual National Long Cycle Championship of kettlebell lifting. The event was open for new lifters and pro’s and was an opportunity for everyone to come together under one roof to grab the experience and knowledge from each other and share in what they know. The camaraderie amongst the crowd and lifters was like bringing together long lost friends and having a celebration. There was Andrew Durniat from Ohio and John Wild Buckley that made an appearance to do “feats of strength” and some very special friends that traveled all the way from Sweden to participate, Patric Westerlund and Tobias Holm. The crowd went wild when John rolled Christine Silverstein up into a ball and snatched her like a kettlebell up in the air and then did the windmill. Andrew impressed the crowd with his 2-arm 32kg bell long cycle set.

The event started with an opening of school dancers who got up on stage and did an African style dance, intermission consisted of a very luxurious catered lunch with gourmet sandwiches, 5 different salads, side dishes and dessert.


There was some of the finest judges to be part of our event. Master Coach, Bao Tran from New York City and Master Coach and Master of Sport, Ashley Hughes from Long Island, New York and Certified Kettlebell Trainer, Robert Klein from Long Island New York.


The event was a 10 minute Long Cycle Set for women and 1 arm and/or 2 arm long cycle set for men. At the end of the flights, was held a Team Relay that consisted of 3 members to a team, the event was straight up jerk, unlimited hand switch, for 3 min. each member. Total number of reps per team was the winner.


There was an amazing awards ceremony. Every lifter made comments that IronWorks Fe event was the best event they have attended thus far, stating it was professionally set up, professionally run and well organized. Maybe at IronWorks will be able to do many more events in the future.

Thanks to Christine Silverstein for information.

“Soviet sport” published first manual of kettlebell lifting lifting named “Fundamental of Kettlebell lifting“. Main editor is Vladimir Tikhonov Ph.D.
This book involves the history of Russian girevoy sport, the outstanding problems in this sport. There are a lot of information about biomechanics of motor action and respiration. On the cover of this book shows the strongest athlete of our planet Denisov Ivan.
Reviewers are:
- Dean of the Faculty of Physical Culture of the Chuvash State Pedagogical University, Ph.D, professor Pyanzin Andrey;
- President of Federation of Russia kettlebell lifting (VFGS), Chairman of the executive of International Union of kettlebell lifting (IUKL) Solodov Igor.

Jonny Benidze - World-class athlete. He was born in 1990. He is one of the strongest kettlebell lifter Russia. He is recordsman in jerk, snatch and and biathlon in a weight category up to 60 kilograms.
Johnny started kettlebell lifting in his hometown Vytegra (in Vologda region). His first coach was Ogarev Vyacheslav.
Jonny Benidze showed great potential for kettlebell lifting sessions. He is quickly became a team of the Vologda region. In 16 years, Jonny performed the Master of Sport, 17 - master of sports of world class. Since 2008, he became the absolute leader in the weight category up to 60 kilograms.
In 2008, Jonny Benidze moved to St. Petersburg. His new coach Sergey Kirillov.
At the Russian Cup 2009 Johnny Benidze set three new records in Russia. In the weight category up to 60 kilograms his result was: jerk 110, snatch – 164 (left + right hand), biathlon – 192 (jerk + snatch/2).

Last weekend in Rostov-na-Donu was the Russian Cup of kettlebell lifting. There was more then 150 participants from 37 regions. At the opening event attended a Soviet athlete, the legend of the world of weightlifting - Vasily Alexeyev.
The first day was any great results among women in w.c. 60 kg. Ksenia Dedyukhina shows best result – 120 reps (with 24 kg). It’s new Russian record. Next results was 116, 115 and 110 reps (Lidia Sidorova, Lyudmila Nuzhnykh and Elena Yurysheva).
On the same day, the men competed in the long cycle.
The second and third day, the men competed in the classic biathlon. Johnny Benidze shows SUPER result in w.c. 60 kg. He did jerk 110 reps and snatch 164 reps!!! In biathlon hi had 192 points (jerk + snatch/2)! Old Russian record was 182 points.
Best team was Krasnodar team.
Next competition for Russian team - World Championship, which will be held in November in Tallinn (Estonia).
I’ll write about any great athletes later.