"GEORG TENNO MEMORIALS".

«GEORG TENNO MEMORIALS».

WORLD BODYBUILDING ENCYCLOPEDIA.

BOOK TWO (covering time 1973-1991).

Today the W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. (World Fitness Federation, World Body Building Federation) International unites 140 Country – Members and organizes nearly 60 annual Amateur and Professional International Events World Wide. Looking from the juridical point of view the W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. International is no doubt the Real World Bodybuilding Leader.

Crowning it‘s 56 years of International Bodybuilding activities, the W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. works on the Unique Global International Bodybuilding Project - the „World Bodybuilding Encyclopedia“ («Энциклопедия всемирного культуризма», “Pasaulio kultūrizmo enciklopedija”).

Part One of the Encyclopedia covering period since ancient times to 1973 is finished. Now we are working on the Second Book covering period of time since 1973 until 1991.

“GEORG TENNO MEMORIALS”.

Working on the second book of the “World Bodybuilding Encyclopedia” it came to our mind to underline the “Georg Tenno Memorial” («Мемориал Георга Тенно», 1971 – 1989, Tallinn, Estonian SSR) contest. There are many reasons and among them these:

- When bodybuilding sport in 1973 was prohibited in the U.S.S.R. and Socialist Countries – the “Georg Tenno Memorial” and the “Amber Prix International” (“Gintarinis prizas”, «Янтарный приз», 1968 – 2002, Klaipeda, Republic Lithuania, Organizer DSc. Edmundas Daubaras) were the only ones regular International competitions in the Socialist World. That was and still is a part of the World bodybuilding history.

- The “Georg Tenno Memorial” was organized by the “Heart of Estonia Bodybuilding” INNAR MARDO (Иннар Мардо, 1946 – 2002). Since 1998 until his death he was the president of the National W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. federation.

- In 1987 DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS for several months was working in Tallinn. INNAR MARDO was ill. Then DSc. EDMUNDAS DAUBARAS (Др. Эдмундас Даубарас) and Estonian INDREK OTSUS (Индрек Отсус) organized the 1987 “Georg Tenno Memorial”.

- Since the first “Georg Tenno Memorial” and „Amber Prix International“ best bodybuilders of the U.S.S.R. participated at these competitions. For them that was the only one chance to “go to another country regularly” at that time.

Step by step we will write the stories about each of the “Georg Tenno Memorial”. Also we will touch International happenings that were connected with the “Georg Tenno Memorial”.

BEGINNING. F.I.H.C. AND SOCIALIST BODYBUILDING.

The topic has been already covered in the first part of the “World Bodybuilding Encyclopedia” (“Pasaulio kultūrizmo enciklopedija”, «Энциклопедия мирового культуризма»). Nevertheless we will touch several important points again.

The A.A.U. (Amateur Athletic Union) started it’s work in the nineteenth century and for long time it was as a “Sport Ministry” of the USA. American BOB HOFFMAN always was very much connected with the A.A.U. and it’s Chairmen. A department of A.A.U. weightlifting was a member of F.I.H.C. (F.I.H., Federation Internationale Halterophile; after 1972 I.W.F., International Weightlifting Federation”). At the same time the F.I.H.C. was a member of the I.O.C. (International Olympic Committee). Since 1947 until 1969 F.I.H.C. ruled official World bodybuilding sport. No one other International bodybuilding organization could even try to lead the World bodybuilding. We mean structures like N.A.B.B.A. (National Amateur Body Building Association) association and at that time private I.F.B.B. (International Federation of Body Builders) company. Though the owners of the I.F.B.B. WEIDER brothers JOE and BEN everywhere copied BOB HOFFMAN’s work they had no chances to win. Behind BOB HOFFMAN was the A.A.U. and the F.I.H.C.. Today I.F.B.B. sport historians diminish the work of BOB HOFFMAN in the World’s bodybuilding development because of envy.

In 1959 the F.I.H.C. World weightlifting championship was held in Warszawa (capital of the People’s Republic of Poland). Traditionally since 1947 during every World weightlifting championship F.I.H.C. organized the World Bodybuilding Championship (“Universe”). It was BOB HOFFMAN who first brought bodybuilding to the Socialist World. First time in the sport history in Warszawa socialist people saw bodybuilders and got really acquainted to bodybuilding. In 1959 the Over All F.I.H.C. “Mr. Universe” was French bodybuilder GUY MIERCZUK.

As F.I.H.C. was the I.O.C. member bodybuilding was understood of two parts – body presentation and physical exercises. We know from sport history that power exercises were used at the competitions in Socialist countries until ninetees of the last century. Czechoslovakia bodybuilders did it even longer.

Nobody had idea why bodybuilding competitions had power exercises. Most thought that during the prohibition of bodybuilding Socialist bodybuilders did power exercises to make negativeness of political Governments not so strong. Nobody thought that all National Weightlifting Federations were members of F.I.H.C. and I.O.C.. All respected the official status of the F.I.H.C. organization and along the weightlifting recognized bodybuilding too. This was how power exercises came and remained in bodybuilding contests so long.

Since that time bodybuilding was growing fastly in the Socialist World. But in 1973 due to political reasions Communist Governments prohibited bodybuilding. Always at the bodybuilding contests power exercises had equal value with the demonstration of the body. It was the reason that after the 1959 F.I.H.C. „Mr. Universe“ weightlifters often participated at the bodybuilding competitions.

FIRST SOCIALIST BODYBUILDING CONTESTS.

First International contest among all Socialist countries was organized in 1966 in Vilnius (Lithuanian SSR). Then the winners were Lithuanians RYTIS MACIJAUSKAS (Ритис Мацияускас), KLEMENSAS ALSAUSKAS (Клеменсас Альшаускас) and Russian IGOR PETRUCHIN (Игорь Петрухин, (Р.С.Ф.С.Р.).

In 1968 during the International contest in Kaunas (Lithuanian SSR) was established first Socialist International Bodybuilding Federation (Visuomeninis T.S.R.S. atletinės gimnastikos (kultūrizmo) komitetas“, «Общественный комитет по атлетической гимнастике С.С.С.Р.»). The Chairmen of the organization were five persons: Lithuanians VALERIJ KORESKOV (Валерий Корешков), VYTAUTAS ZUMERIS (Витаутас Зумерис); Russians ROMAN MOROZ (Роман Мороз), GENADIJ BALDIN (Геннадий Балдин) and VLADIMIR PETROV (Владимир Петров).

In 1968 two International contests were organized in the Lithuanian SSR – one in Kaunas and another one was the historic „Amber Prix International“ („Gintarinis prizas“, «Янтарный приз», 1968 – 2023, Klaipeda, Republic Lithuania). Category winners were Lithuanians KLEMENSAS ALSAUSKAS, LIONGINAS DANILEVICIUS (Лёнгинас Данилявичус) and LEONAS PIVORIUNAS (Ляонас Пиворюнас). The Over All Champion was LEONAS PIVORIUNAS.

In 1971 and in 1972 two U.S.S.R. Bodybuilding Championships («Чемпионат С.С.С.Р.) were organized in the Russian Federation (Р.С.Ф.С.Р.). In 1971 category winners were Russians: ALEKSANDR LEMECHOV (Александр Лемехов) – the first place; VLADIMIR DUBININ (Владимир Дубинин) the second place; VLADIMIR CHOMULIOV (Владимир Хомулёв) – the third place.

In 1972 the U.S.S.R. champions were:

- Low Hight Category

VLADIMIR LIPJAINEN (Владимир Липьянен)
BORIS ZITKOV (Борис Житков)
DMITRIJ CIANEV (Дмитрий Чанев), all from Russian Federation (Р.С.Ф.С.Р.).

- Middle Hight Category

VALDAS ALIUBAVICIUS (Валдас Алюбавичус, Lithuanian SSR)
SERGEJ KIZIN (Сергей Кизин, Russian Federation)
ALEKSANDR NIKIFOROV (Александр Никифоров, Russian Federation).

- Highest Category

VLADIMIR DUBININ (Владимир Дубинин)
ALEKSANDR LEMECHOV (Александр Лемехов)
VLADIMIR CHOMULIOV (Владимир Хомулёв), all from Russian Federation (Р.С.Ф.С.Р.).

Before the first „Georg Tenno Memorial“ («Мемориал Георга Тенно», 1971 – 1989, Tallinn, Estonian SSR) in 1970 the first International contest was organized in Tallinn. Also before the 1973 prohibition of bodybuilding some International competitions were held in the Czechoslovakian SR and in the Peoples Republic of Poland.

1970. INTERNATIONAL CONTEST IN ESTONIA.

At the end of sixties of the last century among all Socialist countries International contests were held in Lithuanian SSR only. First Socialist International contest was held in 1966 in Vilnius. In 1968 International contests were organized Peoples Republic of Poland (first time) and in the Lithuanian Kaunas and Klaipeda. In Klaipeda it was the historic „Amber Prix International“ („Gintarinis prizas“, „Янтарный приз», 1968 – 2023). Both in Kaunas and in Klaipeda the Over All Champion was LEONAS PIVORIUNAS (Ляонас Пиворюнас). LEONAS PIVORIUNAS was representing the famous „Vilnius Bodybuilding School“ («Вильнюсская школа культуризма») that was led by talanted CELSLAV TAMULEVIC (Чеслав Тамулевич).

Bodybuilders of the Estonian SSR followed Lithuanians. In 1970 they organized International contest in Tallinn just before the first „Georg Tenno Memorial“ (Мемориал Георга Тенно», 1971 – 1989). Twenty six athletes from Russian Federation (R.S.F.S.R., Р.С.Ф.С.Р.), Lithuanian SSR and Estonian SSR took part at the event.

In Junior categories winners were Lithuanians HENRIKAS BIKINAS (Генрикас Бикинас) and ALBINAS MAGELINSKAS (Альбинас Магелинскас). Main categories were won by Russians VLADIMIR LIPJAINEN (Владимир Липьяйнен), IVAN FREGATOV (Иван Фрегатов) and Estonian ARVO MERE (Арво Мере). At that time a famous heavyweight Russian bodybuilder VLADIMIR DUBININ (Владимир Дубинин) lost to ARVO MERE, who was the over All Champion of the contest too.

INFORMATION.
More detailed information on the Global International Site www.wff.lt, see forum topics. Also information available on the Facebook pages: W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. International, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. North America, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. South America, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Asia, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Europe, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Africa, W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Asia Continental Federation, International Sport University (I.S.U., www.isuniversity.lt), W.F.F. – W.B.B.F. Pro Division, W.P.S.F. World Power Sports Federation.