Health & FItness Business '08: See yourself and friends in show photos!

Photos are worth, as they say, a thousand words. A selection of SNEWS photos, below, from the Health & Fitness Business show July 17-18 are worth a lot of fun too.

With more reports coming in the next weeks – including on additional products, trends and events — we wanted to let both attendees and others have a look at the events and show floor to see the industry in action.

Rock-Paper-Scissors decides who between retailers John Ward (Beuerlein’s Pro Fitness) and Stan Terry Jr. (Fitness Unlimited) is going to putt for glory first at the SNEWS Golf Scramble Putting Challenge to raise money for Augie’s Quest. The challenge event contributed more than $1,000 to the overall $10,000+ raised. See you next year!!!

While some folks were playing Rock-Paper-Scissors, others, like BodyCraft co-founder Alan Gore, were sweating bullets moving and assembling large pieces of steel to be ready for the show opening in the morning. Love those Keen sandals, Alan. Is that regulation safety footwear?

At 10:00 am on July 17, the show opened to a rush of attendees, heading briskly and in a decidedly directed fashion to a myriad of appointments. With only two days on the docket, it seems that Day 1 was all about scheduled appointments, one after another, and not much wandering around to kick the tires.

SNEWS editor in chief Therese Iknoian addresses a SRO house of more than 175 (more than the free 150 lunches provided) who came to hear the first State of the Industry report based on SNEWS surveys as well as other market research and current economic indicators. There IS a such thing as a free lunch!

Tim Porth, Octane co-founder multi-tasks during early morning workout — work out, talk business with a fellow supplier, keep the Bluetooth earpiece at the ready…. Wouldn’t want to waste a minute or miss a call!

The 4th annual SNEWS Fitness Forum packed in an enthusiastic audience pre-show the second day to hear panelists — (sitting, from right to left) Tim Blumenthal, executive director, Bikes Belong; John O’Neill, owner, Colorado Running Company; Kim Coupounas, past chair Outdoor Industry Association and co-founder of GoLite; and Paul Crimmins, operations director of BGI Fitness — talk about building collaborative industry groups that help grow the business and grow profits for everyone.

Louis Stack, owner of Fitter First (standing, right), explains that the stretchy yellow thing is really for getting fit and not for slinging beer cans across the room during moments of boredom or desperation. Just kiddin’….

Pete Asistin, vice president of TuffStuff, demonstrates his eight pack on the company’s new “6-pack” functional trainer and home gym combo.

While one budding SNEWS reporter (in the stroller!) gets a much-needed nap (we couldn’t understand a word she said or wrote anyway), another on-the-job SNEWSer gets the inside skinny on one of the hot new accessories at the show — Yoga Stick-e Socks, Gloves, Towel and Mat.

Fred Hoag of Inspire Fitness shows Jason Laurin of AKFit Superstores how to position the feet and hold the handles to obtain an ideal workout from the cables on Inspire’s new gym. Either that, or Hoag is getting ready to show Laurin his version of the Happy Feet dance — we’re just not sure.