International news


Latin American growth for Madonna’s chain


Madonna’s Hard Candy Fitness brand is reportedly eyeing up expansion throughout Latin America, amid media reports of new sites being lined up in Argentina, Peru, Colombia and Brazil. Reports suggest that the Argentinian site will open in Buenos Aires in early 2015. Hard Candy already operates gyms in Santiago (Chile), Rome (Italy), Berlin (Germany), Sydney (Australia), Toronto (Canada), Mexico City (Mexico), Moscow and St. Petersburg (Russia). Details: http://lei.sr?a=A9k9z


Snap Fitness expands Australian footprint


Global 24/7 fitness franchise Snap Fitness has announced a raft of new sites for Australia. A total of 10 sites will open during August and September, spread across the country from Surfers Paradise to Midland to Adelaide. A further 29 sites have already been reserved and will open by the beginning of next year, from the northern beaches of Sydney to North Perth. Details: http://lei.sr?a=n9q4c


Second 9.8 GRAVITY studio takes off in Madrid


Fitness Hut plans to open an average of one new club per month in Portugal during 2015


The second 9.8 GRAVITY Training Studio has opened in Madrid, Spain. Targeting men and women with medium to high purchasing power, the 160sq m site is equipped by Total Gym, whose GTS (GRAVITY Training System) lies at the heart of the functional circuit-based offering. Customers can choose from small group classes, semi-personal training, personal training, post-rehab or physio. The 9.8 GRAVITY concept is offered as a licensing package. The first 9.8 GRAVITY opened in La Coruña at the end of 2013. Details: http://lei.sr?a=p2B6r


Gold’s Gym makes its second 2014 acquisition


Gold’s Gym in Dallas, US, has agreed to acquire all 23 clubs operated by The Rush Fitness Complex, Knoxville, US. The deal – Gold’s second acquisition of 2014 – was signed in July and was due to close last month. Details: http://lei.sr?a=d2g2X


20 Iron Curtain to become cycle route


Once the defining symbol of Soviet might, the former Iron Curtain could soon become a hotspot for lycra tights if EU politicians get their way. Plans have been put forward to transform the historic dividing line between


east and west – which stretches more than 6,000 miles (9,656km) through 20 countries – into a cycle route. EU funding of €1.8m (US$2.4m, £1.4m)


Cycling the full Iron Curtain Trail will take about a month Read Health Club Management online at healthclubmanagement.co.uk/digital


has already been set aside to bring the Iron Curtain Trail to fruition. The plans incorporate existing cycle paths, some of which require maintenance, with the route having been registered under the EU’s Eurovelo network – a continent-wide selection of high-quality biking routes – since 2012. It’s thought the new trail could become a cult challenge among cyclists, although they’ll need to save up their holiday time – cycling the entire route is expected to take a month. Details: http://lei.sr?a=a8b8L


September 2014 © Cybertrek 2014 €12m funding for Fitness Hut


Portuguese low-cost operator Fitness Hut has announced it has completed a transaction with Oxy Capital, a Portuguese investment


fund, providing the chain with access to €12m of growth funding. The funding has been made available via mezzanine financing, meaning that Fitness Hut’s owners have avoided dilution. The chain currently has seven operational clubs and one in pre-sale that will open in the first half of September in the Lisbon Expo area. The new funding has allowed Fitness Hut


to already sign leases for a further four clubs, as these had already been negotiated on a


‘subject to financing’ basis. Fit-out works on these four sites will be commenced by the end of September, with a view to opening the new clubs during December 2014 and January 2015. All four of the new clubs are located in the Greater Lisbon area. Fitness Hut co-founder Nick Coutts says: “During 2015, we will be opening an average of one club per month, with a view to finishing 2015 with 20 open clubs in Portugal.” Fitness Hut was launched in 2011 by Coutts,


Andre Groen and JP Carvalho, with the first site opening in Lisbon in October of that year. Details: http://lei.sr?a=S8w9P


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132