Arnold Classic 212 To Debut At 2014 Arnold Sports Festival



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                       June 6, 2013

COLUMBUS, OHIO – The Arnold Sports Festival will add the 212-pound professional men’s bodybuilding division to its IFBB Pro League contests in 2014, event promoter Jim Lorimer announced today.

The men’s bodybuilding lightweight division has become one of the IFBB Pro League’s most popular since being introduced in 2008 as the 202-pound division. The allowed weight was increased to 212 pounds effective November 2011.

The first-annual Arnold Classic 212 will be held Feb. 28, 2014. Prejudging will be held from noon-2 p.m. at the Arnold Fitness EXPO Stage, with finals sets for 7 p.m. that night at Veterans Memorial.

The Arnold Classic 212 will replace the Ms. International women’s bodybuilding competition at the Arnold Sports Festival. The Ms. International was part of the Arnold Sports Festival for 25 years, with Iris Kyle winning her record seventh title in 2013.

“The Arnold Sports Festival was proud to support women’s bodybuilding through the Ms. International for the past quarter century,” Lorimer said. “But in keeping with demands of our fans, the time has come to introduce the Arnold Classic 212 beginning in 2014. We are excited to create a professional competitive platform for some of the IFBB Pro League’s most popular competitors.”

The 2014 Arnold Sports Festival will again feature five IFBB Pro League events: men’s bodybuilding, 212 men’s bodybuilding, women’s fitness, figure and bikini.

The 2014 Arnold Sports Festival – which will once again feature 18,000 athletes from more than 80 nations competing in 45 sports and events – will be held Feb. 27-March 2, 2014. Arnold Classic 212, Fitness International and Figure International competitions will be held on Friday, Feb. 28 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center and Veterans Memorial. The 26th Annual Arnold Classic and Bikini International will be held on Saturday, March 1 at Veterans Memorial. The Arnold Amateur Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure, Bikini & Physique Championships will be held March Feb. 27-28 at Veterans Memorial and March 1 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.

Visit www.arnoldsportsfestival.com for more information. Tickets to all events will go on sale beginning at a later date at www.ticketmaster.com/arnold.