We are very happy to find you here on CrossMag Giorgio Beltrami: coach of Gangsta Cantù of Cucciago (Como), athlete, founder of one of the most popular races in Italy, the Fall Series Throwdown. It is here on the occasion of the opening of registrations for the new edition of the competition, which is triggered at 12 noon on 1 June 2019. In our long talk, he tells the story of this beautiful event (which we will follow with you step by step, so stay with us) and make us some little ones anticipation on what we should expect from the next edition of the event.
You are ready? Let's start.
Giorgio, I know you don't love labels too much, but I have to ask you which categories will be accepted this year (also talking about the novelty you suggested on social networks).
From the XNUMXst of June the registrations will open for the Experience category only, they will have a space reserved for them. The other categories can then be registered at a later time. We want there to be different moments because it is the "amateurs" are the first brick on which we build the foundation of the event. To clarify: Experiences are all those who have never participated in the final phase of a national and international competition in the Scaled or RX category. In the end, in my opinion, Fall Series is the moment in which amateurs can realize their dream: maybe be at their first important race and experience the emotions that only great athletes usually feel: the stadium, the lights, the music, the public, the smell of fear and tears of joy as well as those of disappointment. It will be a beautiful thrill for them.
What news will we see then?
The main novelty is that the Experience will be able to compete throughout the event and will also be able to try the experience of competing in a Team.
The Fall Series Throwdown is born from the street, it is not a metaphor and despite all your organizational spirit seems to be the same as the beginning.
In 2012, in the parking lot of my gym, this event was born. 90 athletes from all over Italy: there were big names who competed or made judges. At the base there was my desire as a professional athlete in other areas to feel the emotions that are felt on the competition fields, even to the CrossFit practitioners who were beginning to grow in number.
How is the "heat" that makes the field a human place and not a cold battery to be preserved over time?
We have kept the heat keeping this spirit, the machine has become enormous, both in management and in work, but the goal of the staff must remain the same that I set for the times: the satisfaction and enjoyment of the participants in the first place and now, that we have grown so much also of those who worthy of the presence as a spectator. A show to live, an extreme fitness party in Italy, the CrossFit Christmas.
Sponsor situation? What are the news and confirmations? Let us understand how the event will be built and with what type of support. If there are maybe some evolutions regarding everything that is collateral to the competition.
Finding a sponsor for an extreme fitness event is not so simple. But I'd say we're lucky enough, why come to Fall Series is a source of pride for most insiders. We were lucky enough to have partners like Vitamin Store and Nike in the last few years that helped us a lot. This year comes Blor as a partner for the equipment. Enthusiastic, proud to be there, proactive and creative ... if I were you I would run to the sports hall just to see what it has in store for Fall Series 2019! Together with them we built a truly enviable vendor village, successful both in the arrangement on the competition field and in the quality of the stands that attracted a very high number of visitors throughout the event. A mention this year goes to Skullfit which will be the main sponsor of the qualifications for the Experience Category and will accompany them throughout the trip to the live. We have some surprises and offers in store for the sponsor and vendors but we will reveal them in the future.
I see from your Instagram page that your child is now very much in the footsteps of the family. There is still a bit of fear in bringing CrossFit to a Teen or even kids environment. I wanted to know your opinion on this.
Nicolas is the son of athletes, but they have established that he should have chosen to do without forcing. I'll be just as sincere, it's still a little hard to get passionate, sometimes it does it more for me, to give me a gift but I see that it starts to please him, by the way it's not bad! Basically there is a lack of culture and perhaps some communication errors, which occurred especially at the beginning, by everyone. I believe this applies to CrossFit as well as to other disciplines that unfortunately give way to rampant ignorance of physical activity which is characteristically a feature of the vast majority of our country. I think Fall Series in this can help. If every box in Italy enrolled a couple of young people, the message that all the sport does well could find a good stage for a positive disclosure.
What should we expect in general for the next Fall Series Throwdowns? What are the projects you have in mind for the next edition, even compared to the improvements you want to implement compared to last year.
The 2018 edition has reached a truly close to perfection standard. Improving will be difficult. I do not like the saying "team that wins does not change", is a loser saying because it assumes that you are waiting for a defeat before making a change. Here I prefer to take risks, change something, but give the sense that we are evolving. Without waiting for something to work. So the basis of the competition will remain the same, but some situations will always be implemented in favor of athletes and the public, the stadium, the spaces, the services and why not, maybe even the way to face the Wods in competition ... I have some ideas for about.
Before saying goodbye: if we come to visit you at your garage, what WOD do you let us do? What is the specialty of the house? Thank you so much for the chat!
I thank you for the time you have dedicated to Fall Series and of course I invite you all to the event. Obviously in my garage, the specialty without a doubt is all that concerns the work with the barbell. We always liked to hold that piece of iron in our hands, from the 2011 to today I would say that in our box you would surely find a nice loaded barbell to move in space and time!
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