Rimini Fiera SpA, Progetti International and World Class have signed an agreement to export the Rimini-based Fitness Festival formula to Russia.

Close to 500,000 people attended the 16th Rimini Fitness Festival this summer and the organisers of the event are keen to repeat the success in Russia, with the Moscow Fitness Festival.

The show, to be held at the Olimpijski Stadium, will launch in September 2005.

For the past six years the show has been held in Miami and this year also took place in Munich, Germany as the Bavaria Fitness Festival. The successful formula will be rolled out to Madrid, Spain and Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2005.

The organisers also plan to take it to Beijing in 2008 for Olympics.

Russia represents a promising growth market for the health, fitness and wellness industries and Russian chain, World Fitness, has been chosen to help develop the festival in its native country.

With 10 clubs in Russia and a number of franchises in neighbouring Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Armenia, the company said it was proud to have been chosen as organisational partners in Russia.

“Prospects for this market are excellent in the entire country, and in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) as a whole, and the organisation of the Moscow Fitness Festival will be able to count on the help of the best sports managers,” said Olga Sloutsker, founder of World Class.