AusLeisure

Having vowed “I’ll be back” last year, Arnold Schwarzenegger is returning to Melbourne in the coming days for the Arnold Classic Australia expo - a three-day multi-sport festival – while also featuring as a celebrity guest at the opening race of the Formula One Grand Prix season.

Building on the success of the first Arnold Classic Australia in 2015, the former FitX Sport & Fitness Expo is expected to attract in excess of 50,000 visitors between Friday 18th and Sunday 20th March.

Based around a multi-sport exhibition with a focus on bodybuilding, strongman and strength products and events, Arnold Classic Australia also features a range of events, and, in some sports, lucrative prizes, in gymnastics, martial arts, strongman, wrestling, powerlifting and other sports.

This year’s event also includes a series of business events featuring the legendary Hollywood star and award-winning bodybuilder.

These include a Business Lunch on Friday 18th March, also featuring life strategy coach Dr James Rouse, and a series of Plenary Seminars on Sunday 20th March.

Last year, Schwarzenegger also made an unscheduled appearance on the winners rostrum at the end of the Melbourne F1 Grand Prix – interviewing race winner Lewis Hamilton.

For Arnold Classic Australia Promoter Tony Doherty, the success of the 2015 event led him partnering with Hong Kong-based interests to launch the Arnold Classic into Asia.

Commenting on the events, Doherty states “the Arnold Classic Australia was a tremendous success last year (and) will be even bigger (this year).

“Now with the addition of Asia it really is a tremendous export opportunity for the Australian sports, fitness and health industries to make connections and do business with China.

“Arnold Schwarzenegger has a vision to help make the world a fitter and healthier place (and) we can join him on his journey.”

The world's biggest multi-sport festival, the first Arnold Classic was held in Columbus, Ohio in 1989 and featured professional men’s and women’s bodybuilding. That event, now known as the Arnold Sports Festival, now features more than 18,000 athletes competing in more than 50 sports and events and draws 200,000 attendees from more than 80 nations. 

The IFBB Professional Bodybuilding event at the Arnold Classic Australia will be streamed via Digital Muscle.

The Arnold Classic Australia is being held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

For more information on the Arnold Classic Australia click here to view event details in Australasian Leisure Management industry Calendar.

Images (from top): Arnold Schwarzenegger promotes the Arnold Classic Australia; the exhibition floor at the Arnold Classic Australia; interviewing Lewis Hamilton at the Melbourne F1 race in 2015 and meeting children while biking through Melbourne last year. 

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