The second edition of El Gouna International Spinning Marathon (EGISM) took place last Saturday, April 18th, and it certainly lived up to the hype. Featuring more spinning time than ever (eight hours from 1pm until 9pm) and more bikes (80 compared to last year’s 40) – the event was more than just any marathon.
Thanks to some pretty impressive planning by LAX Gymnasium and The Fitness Playground, an ambiance and music selection carefully constructed to energize, and a variety of entertainment acts, there wasn’t a single moment that failed to entertain.
To start, what better place to hold a spinning marathon than the luxurious El Gouna resort city, and moreover, at the open-air Club 88? Surrounded by the Red Sea on all sides, the venue itself could not have been more perfect.
Just imagine: It’s a beautiful, sunny day outside. You enter the venue and immediately you have a 360-degree view of the Red Sea. The centerpiece of the venue is an electric blue, circular pool that sparkles in the sun like diamonds, and its perimeter is lined with 80 state-of-the-art spinning bikes. Music reverberates throughout the venue. The bikes face an elevated stage, where marathoners are led by world-class spinning masters.
Every bike was taken. Most people did not ride the entire 8 hours, but rather tag-teamed with their pre-selected teammates. During breaks, marathoners enjoyed premium access to the Club 88’s in-house outdoor bar and restaurant, which featured an Italian menu (plenty of carbs for energy) as well as a wide selection of cold beverages. Cushiony beds were available in the periphery for marathoners who needed a good rest.
The spinning marathon itself reached global prominence as it included some of the world’s most highly recognized Master Instructors, such as Stefan Amiri from Germany, Maurizio Buttoni from Italy, Gina Grant from the UK and Rose O’Donovan from the UAE. Locally recognized spinning instructors Mila Bonvini, Yasmine Adly, Astrid Cross-Van Der Ploeg, Liliana D’Aniello, as well as EGISM’s illustrious founder Nirvana Zaher.
Entertainment acts included professional drummers, a guitarist, a saxophone player, and several dancers.
As soon as evening arrived, the atmosphere changed but retained its energy with flashing lights synchronized to the beat of electronic dance music. A fire dancer made an appearance toward the finale, and the event closed with fireworks.
Featured on national news and garnering international attention on social media, the EGISM was one of a collection of international spinning marathons held around the world this year and the first of its kind in Egypt. It’s sure to place El Gouna on the map as a global spinning destination.
As a proud social media sponsor for EGISM this year, we were thrilled to be a part of the event. Other sponsors included Opel, Fairline, KFit, Agatex, Nike, Fight & Fitness Factory, Spinning, and Reform Pilates Studio.
At the pace this event is growing, we can’t wait to see what other exciting surprises LAX Gymnasium and The Fitness Playground have in store for EGISM III.
WE SAID THIS: Time to start training for next year! You won’t want to miss out.
