These will special tournaments! Armwrestlers invited by the organizer (up to 95kg, right arm) – eight f them fighting in a challenge ladder. Quarter-finals, semi-finals, finals. Nothing special, however each fight will take place in a Armfight system, so will consist of six duels!

A potential winner (who ever they will be) will fight three times six so eighteen [!] rounds.

Who will come to Bulgaria? I do not even know how to present the list. Perhaps it would be the smartest to do this alphabetically. Here they are:

Brzenk John (USA);
Dautashvili Vasili (GEORGIA);
Hutchings Todd (USA);
Kostadinov Krasmir (BULGARIA);
Liliev Arsen (RUSSIA);
Miroshnik Igor (UKRAINE);
Opperman Terence (REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA);
Trubin Dimitriy (KAZAKHSTAN).

Who do you bet on? Who will be the best? John is not as he used to be any more... But it’s John! Who knows? We know nothing! When “The Legend” was healing his injury the rest were training. Todd? Last time we Saw him in Las Vegas and he did great. Arsen? You know, high class! Just like Dimitriy. We do not know much about the Bulgarian and Georgian, but it does not mean anything. I’m not so sure about Terence, but I can be wrong...

Have you noticed that I’ve missed one name? It’s this year’s Polish Champion form Grudziadz, the winner of the “hundred” on both arms - Igor Miroshnik, a representative of Zloty Tur Gdansk. Igor will go to the World Armfight Cup as an Ukrainian player. He is the least experienced of the eight. But does it condemn Igor to failure?

It’s time for Igor Mazurenko, who watches over Miroshnik’s trainings in Zloty Tur, to have a say. Igor, what do you think of the tournament and Miroshnik’s participation?

Igor Mazurenko: First of all I can see that the amount of the Armwrestling events in increasing, we will not even manage to cool off after the EuroArm and we already have Bulgaria, then just a moment and an amazing A1 in Moscow is coming. There’s a lot happening and that’s good. We’ve already know that all of the World Armfight Cup participations are confirmed. We also know that the organizers took into consideration what was written on trade websites and forums directly after the “general rehearsal” which took place in Moscow during the Russian Championships. It was all about “selection” of competitors for challenge ladder or drawing them. Moscow tournaments showed that (we’ve all should have known that), how much depends on a challenge ladder, especially when one duel consists of six rounds. Drawing, when each player pulls out a piece of paper with a number would be the best. Maybe it sounds paradoxically but drawing is the most square! Even when John meets Arsen in the first round.

Do you have your bets for the tournaments?

Igor Mazurenko: In fact no one knows in what shape they would be on that particular day! As Krasmir beat Dimitriy and Dimitriy beat Vasili Dautashvili in Kazakhstan. In turn Vasili beat Genadi Kvikvinie Turing tournaments in Georgia, in open class. Anything may happen. That will be a marathon, there are no surefire favorites!

Or maybe your namesake from Zloty Tur – Igor Miroshnik is the favorite or the “dark horse”?

Igor Mazurenko: Miroshnik has already showed at the NEMIROFF WORLD CUP 2012 his potential that enables him to compete with the world’s lead. At such a tournaments as in Bulgaria I do not put him in lost position. This is a special event, a marathon or even super marathon. It all depends on drawing. And not only one drawing but the whole challenge ladder. He can meet as well tired opponents, as John Brzenk getting into good shape and end his adventure with the tournament in the first round.

So why should he go there?

Igor Mazurenko: To get more experience and learn as it used to be said in Polish sport.

So I can see that: John meets Krasmir, Arsen - Dimitriy, the Grorgian – the American, and Opperman is left for Igor. What do you think of this?

Igor Mazurenko: I’ll tell you once more, whatever is the drawing, it is always the most fair solution. For Miroshnik it will be jumping in at the deep end. Essential!

I see that no matter what would be the score in Bulgaria you have some plans for this year?

Igor Mazurenko: Of course. In June we plane to take part in A1 in Moscow. Igor does not have to take part in the most prestigious open class, it would be enough if he does good in his class. What I’d like to stress is that at A1 in Moscow, being in the first ten is already a reason to be proud of yourself.

So we keep our fingers crossed for the Polish Champion 2012, the representative of Zloty Tur Gdańsk and Ukraine, and your namesake!

Igor Mazurenko: We count on him and keep our fingers crossed.

The one we were interested in is calm and (as usually) reticent.

Igor, what do you count on going to Bulgaria?

Igor Miroshnik: You know, I’ve already have a photo with John Brzek, standing next to each other. Now I’d like to have a photo fighting with him…

Yes, that’s right! Igor, you’ve entered the “Great Eight”. Have you ever fought with any of these competitors?

Igor Miroshnik: Yes, I have. I’ve already fought with Todd and Arsen.

How and who with do you train?

Igor Miroshnik: I work with Igor Mazurenko in Zloty Tur.

Are you preparing anything special?

Igor Miroshnik: We are training on the nose! If I have enough strength we train every day. If not, we take some short breaks.

What’s your forte, technique?

Igor Miroshnik: Until now I fought best at side. But now it’s no good for everyone. Such a guy as Arsen can’t be held this way. You know, I have nothing to lose, and everything to achieve. Most of all experience.

What does you supplementation look like?

Igor Miroshnik: I take FITMAX, creatine, amino acids and proteins.

Igor, armpower.net wishes you all the best in Bulgaria!

Igor Miroshnik: I’ll do what I can. And I’ll tell you everything when I’m back.

PeSzy