Russian health club chain World Class Russia has opened its first club in central Asia.

The 3,000sq m facility is situated in Almaty, the capital of Kazakhstan. Facilities at the club include a 25m swimming pool, a spa pool and a variety of saunas. The club also features five group exercise studios, a fully-equipped gym with cardio and strength training equipment, a day spa and a children's fitness club.

'It gives me immeasurable optimism and energy to keep working on expanding my chain of clubs,' says World Class Russia's founder, Olga Sloutsker. 'I am proud that my team has managed to establish a fitness centre that meets international standards and I intend to keep working on expanding my chain of clubs.'

The opening of a health club in Almaty coincides with a state programme designed to promote sport, health and fitness.

The president of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev, has declared 2002 'A Year of Health' in the region. At the opening ceremony of the World Class Russia club he declared his support for the project.

World Class Russia currently has four World Class Fitness clubs in Moscow, with plans to open a further two in the capital by the end of this year as well as two in St Petersburg by the end of 2003 Details: www.wclass.ru