BRITAIN’S FITTEST
Here’s what happened when UK’s best amateur athletes faced off to be crowned the 2017 FitBrit champion
Over the second half of 2017, people at
DW Fitness First gyms across the UK took part in the FitBrit challenge – the country’s ultimate test of speed, strength and stamina, comprising nine different exercises done back-to-back against the clock (see box).
And on Saturday 25th November at DW Fitness First’s gym in Milton Keynes, the 50 competitors who had set the quickest qualifying times over the previous months came together to battle it out for the title of 2017 FitBrit champion – and to be named UK’s fittest amateur athlete.
In front of hundreds of cheering supporters, the competitors gave everything they had to shave crucial seconds off their personal bests and gain precious places on the overall leaderboard.
This year the final included three separate events. The male and female Open category was open to everyone, while the male and female Masters was for people aged 40 or over on the final date. There was also a Team category, where one male and one female team member alternated between exercises.
EYE ON THE PRIZE
There were many familiar faces from previous finals as well as lots of first-time finalists eager to push themselves against the nation’s best amateur athletes. Up for grabs for the winner of each category was a £100 DW Sports voucher, a TRX home workout kit, a Ridge Roller and a 12-month magazine subscription.
The runners-up got a £50 DW Sports voucher, an Amazon Echo and a six-month magazine subscription, with third place getting a £25 voucher, a My Zone MZ-3 heart rate monitor and a threemonth mag subscription. The fastest overall male and female athletes also won a Fitbit activity tracker.
FASTEST FINISHERS
After hours of lung-busting and muscleburning effort, Cormac Lisle-Fenwick took the men’s Open title in a blistering time of 11min 34sec, just 11 seconds ahead of runner-up Janwary Knight in second, with third-placed Doug Harrison just six seconds further back.
In the men’s Masters category Patrick Brown took top spot in 11min 34sec, more than a minute ahead of runner-up Danny Olive in 12min 55sec. Mike Usher came third in 13min 7sec. The women’s winners were Danni Leppier (Open, 12min 27sec) and Nikki French (Masters, 13min 32sec).
In the Team category Cormac Lisle-Fenwick won his second title of the day – and presumably slept very well that night – alongside Amy Brownridge in a time of 8min 37sec. Keep an eye on future issues for details of how you can take part in Fit Brit 2018!