WFF-WBBF, ISU and Universities Around the World – Decades of International Academic Cooperation
Alongside its extensive and active international sports activities, we are launching a series of publications dedicated to the cooperation between the World WFF-WBBF Federation and the International Sport University (ISU) with universities in various countries around the world.
The origins of this cooperation date back to 1986, when qualification courses for athletes and methodological seminars for coaches and sports specialists were first organized in Klaipėda, Lithuania. Over time, these initiatives developed into an international network of educational and academic partnerships, extending beyond sports practice to include higher education and scientific collaboration.
For nearly four decades, the World WFF-WBBF Federation has consistently expanded its cooperation with universities, aiming to improve the professional qualifications of athletes, coaches, judges, and sports administrators, while promoting scientific research and international academic exchange. Since 2015, these activities have also been carried forward by the International Sport University (ISU), which has become an important platform for international educational projects and academic cooperation.
Among the Federation's most significant academic partners are one of the largest universities in the Indian State of Punjab, with approximately 200,000 students, the Jozef Raciborski University in Poland, the University of Physical Education in Bydgoszcz, the Polish State Higher School Wyższa Szkoła Gospodarki, the Ivan Franko University of Physical Education in Lviv (Ukraine), Stavropigion University, and a number of other institutions of higher education throughout Europe and Asia.
These partnerships have gone far beyond formal agreements and official visits. Over the years, numerous international conferences, seminars, lectures, qualification development programs, and joint academic projects have been organized, enabling the exchange of scientific knowledge, educational methodologies, and professional experience. Such activities have significantly contributed to the development of sports science, the improvement of coach education, and the strengthening of international professional cooperation.
The greatest value of this collaboration lies in its long-term commitment to connecting the practical world of sport with the academic community. This partnership has enabled the World WFF-WBBF Federation and the International Sport University not only to organize international sporting events but also to become active promoters of sports science, education, and professional development worldwide.
In this series of publications, we will present the major stages of this international cooperation, partnerships with universities across different countries, joint projects, significant meetings, and their outcomes. This is an important chapter in the history of the World WFF-WBBF Federation and the International Sport University, reflecting their enduring commitment to uniting sport, science, education, and international cooperation.
More information is on international site www.wff.lt
16 YEARS OF WORLD CHAMPIONS.
WFF-WBBF WORLD CUP — 2010–2025.
Since 1968 — more than five decades of international bodybuilding and fitness history. Since 2010 — a World Cup stage where new champions have been crowned year after year.
WFF-WBBF International — World Fitness Federation and World Body Building Federation — has been active on the international sports scene since 1968. Over the decades, the Federation has developed into an international sports organization uniting national federations and athletes from countries and continents around the world.
This is the history of a sport where there are no shortcuts.
It is a story of training, discipline, determination and years of preparation. A story of athletes who step onto the stage not only to demonstrate their physical condition, but also to represent their countries and write their names into international sports history.
2010 — THE BEGINNING OF A NEW WFF-WBBF ERA
In 2010, WFF-WBBF International began organizing World Cup competitions.
From that moment, the absolute winner of each year became part of a special chapter in WFF-WBBF history — the World Cup Overall Champion.
The first men's overall World Cup champion in 2010 was Aleksandr Sevcov of Estonia.
It was the first name in a new generation of champions.
In 2011, the title was won by Igor Belodedov of Russia, followed in 2012 by Abolfazi Aghakhani of Iran.
In 2013 and 2014, the overall World Cup title went to Reinaldo Jose Roberto Da Cruz, representing the UK–Portugal. Two consecutive titles became a remarkable achievement in WFF-WBBF World Cup history.
In 2015, the champion was James Sylvester Ono, representing the UK–Nigeria.
In 2016, the top position was claimed by Normunds Jurans of Latvia, while in 2017 the title went to Rasoul Vahid Faraziaghchehkand of Iran.
The 2018 champion was Aleksandr Kuznecov of Russia, followed in 2019 by Maros Kanasz of Slovakia.
In 2020, the overall title was won by Roman Polshin of Estonia.
However, from 2021 onward, a new and particularly notable chapter began in the history of WFF-WBBF World Cup champions.
POLAND AND LITHUANIA — A NEW ERA OF CHAMPIONS
In 2021, the men's overall World Cup title was won by Artur Kamieniak of Poland.
In 2022, the top position went to Vilius Pranckevicius of Lithuania.
In 2023, the title was claimed by Lukasz Kulinski of Poland.
In 2024, the overall World Cup champion was Andrius Pauliukevicius of Lithuania.
And in 2025, the newest WFF-WBBF World Cup men's overall champion was Kamil Kowalczyk of Poland.
Thus, in the most recent five-year period, athletes from Lithuania and Poland have been particularly prominent among the men's overall World Cup champions.
A new chapter in WFF-WBBF World Cup history has been written.
WOMEN — THE HISTORY OF WORLD CHAMPIONS
The women's World Cup history is equally rich, reflecting the international character of WFF-WBBF competition.
In 2010, the first women's overall WFF-WBBF World Cup champion was Liudmila Kolesnikova of Russia.
In 2011, the title went to Natalia Bykova, followed in 2012 by Jelena Kursanova.
Both athletes represented Russia.
In 2013, the overall title was won by Aleksandra Dolzenkova of Belarus, while in 2014 the champion was Svetlana Pugacheva of Russia.
In 2015, the title went to Liudmila Senciugova, and in 2016 to Liudmila Kakaulina.
In 2017, Leonor Hilario Greffel, representing Denmark–Mozambique, entered the history of the World Cup as overall champion.
In 2018, the title was won by Hollie Jade Feeney of the United Kingdom.
The years 2019 and 2020 belonged to Hanna Skytta of Finland, who became overall World Cup champion two years in a row.
In 2021, the title was won by Laura Siugale of Latvia.
In 2022 and 2023, the top position belonged to Anna Sobolewska Kucharska of Poland, who became overall World Cup champion for two consecutive years.
In 2024, the title was won by Vaida Budriene of Lithuania.
And the 2025 WFF-WBBF World Cup women's overall champion was Milena Mlynarczyk of Poland.
FROM ESTONIA TO LITHUANIA AND POLAND
Looking at the entire period from 2010 to 2025, we see much more than simply a list of champions.
It is 16 years of international sporting history.
During this period, WFF-WBBF World Cup overall champions have represented numerous countries, including Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Russia, Finland, Slovakia, Iran, Belarus, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Denmark, Nigeria and Mozambique.
Each country has contributed its athletes, sporting traditions and champions to this history.
The Baltic region and Poland have held a particularly visible position during the most recent years.
2022 — Lithuania.
2023 — Poland.
2024 — Lithuania.
2025 — Poland.
Four years, four champion names and two countries whose athletes have claimed the men's overall World Cup title.
THE TITLE OF A CHAMPION — A PART OF HISTORY
The WFF-WBBF World Cup overall champion title is more than a victory on a single competition day.
Behind every title stands a long journey.
Training.
Discipline.
Nutrition.
Preparation.
Stage experience.
The ability to compete against athletes from different countries around the world.
And above all — the determination to become better every day.
That is why every name that enters the history of the WFF-WBBF World Cup Overall Champions becomes part of the international legacy of the Federation.
From Aleksandr Sevcov in 2010 to Kamil Kowalczyk in 2025 — the men's history.
From Liudmila Kolesnikova in 2010 to Milena Mlynarczyk in 2025 — the women's history.
16 years. 32 champion names. Many countries. One World Cup history.
WFF-WBBF — A HISTORY THAT CONTINUES
Since 1968, WFF-WBBF International has worked to develop bodybuilding and fitness on an international level, unite national federations and provide athletes with opportunities to compete on the world stage.
Since 1990, the Federation has organized the annual World AM-Pro Championships, which have become an important part of its international sporting activities.
Since 2010, the WFF-WBBF World Cup has added another important tradition to this history — the annual recognition of overall World Cup champions.
Today, the names of the 2010–2025 champions already form a distinct chapter in WFF-WBBF history.
But the story does not end here.
Because every new season brings new athletes.
New challenges.
New champions.
And new names that will one day become part of this history.
WFF-WBBF WORLD CUP.
Since 2010 — the road of champions.
Since 1968 — international sporting history.
And the history continues.
“AMBER PRIX INTERNATIONAL”: 60 YEARS OF HISTORY THAT CANNOT BE ERASED FROM LITHUANIA’S SPORTING MAP.
In 2027, the “Amber Prix International” competition in Klaipėda will reach a remarkable milestone. It will mark the 60th anniversary of this historic event. Six decades is a period in which states, borders, political systems, sporting cultures and even the very understanding of competition have changed. Yet “Amber Prix” has survived. And the history of its champions allows us to see not only the development of bodybuilding, but also Lithuania’s place in the history of international sport.
It Is More Than Just a List of Winners
The name of the first “Amber Prix International” champion entered the competition’s history in 1967. The inaugural winner was Lithuanian athlete Klemensas Alšauskas.
Almost six decades later, in 2026, the title was once again won by a Lithuanian athlete — Grazvydas Naruševičius.
These two names, separated by nearly sixty years, symbolically close one great historical circle.
Between them lies an entire era of Lithuanian bodybuilding.
It is the story of athletes who trained under conditions completely different from those of today; the story of a period when Lithuania was not yet an independent state; the story of preserving sporting traditions after 1990; and, ultimately, the story of a competition that grew from a regional Baltic event into an international arena.
That is why “Amber Prix International” cannot be viewed simply as another bodybuilding competition.
It is a living sports archive.
Lithuania Was There From Day One
One of the most striking features of the competition’s entire history is the dominance of Lithuanian athletes.
The first years of “Amber Prix” were, in many ways, a chronicle of Lithuanian sport. In 1967, Klemensas Alšauskas won the title; in 1968, Leonas Pivoriūnas; and in 1969 and 1970, Antanas Mineikis.
The list of Lithuanian champions continued to grow.
During the 1970s, titles were won by athletes such as Risardas Krinickis, Stasys Cukanovas and Vytautas Zenkevičius.
In the 1980s, a new generation emerged — Vladas Kapcevičius, Saulius Misevičius, Jevgenij Gorelik, Vincas Dubickas, Algirdas Ivanauskas and Rolandas Bučinskas.
And then came the era of Viktoras Jucys.
In 1987, 1988 and 1989, he became the “Amber Prix International” champion three consecutive times.
Three consecutive victories are more than a statistical fact. They demonstrate that the competition stage was a place where an athlete could establish a reputation and become part of history.
The Soviet Era: A Competition That Survived
The history of “Amber Prix” cannot be separated from the era in which it was born.
In 1967, Lithuania was part of the Soviet Union. This means that the competition’s first decades developed within a completely different political and sporting system.
But sport has a special quality — it can preserve things that official documents sometimes fail to preserve.
Names remain.
Results remain.
Victories remain.
And today, by looking at the history of “Amber Prix International,” we can trace the development of entire generations of Lithuanian bodybuilding from a time when an independent Lithuanian state sporting system did not exist.
That gives the competition additional historical significance.
The 1990s: Lithuania Rediscovers Itself
After Lithuania restored its independence, it was not only the country’s political status that changed.
The sporting world changed as well.
Lithuanian athletes gained greater freedom to participate in international competitions, new opportunities emerged, new connections were established, and a new competitive environment developed.
But the “Amber Prix International” tradition did not disappear.
In 1990 and 1991, the winner was Olegas Žuras.
In 1994 and 1996, the title went to Algirdas Kilčiauskas.
In 1997, Rolandas Pocius became champion; in 1998, Ricardas Gurskas; and in 1999, Darius Buksnaitis.
This was a critically important period.
Lithuania was now independent, yet a competition that had begun during the Soviet era continued to exist.
This means that “Amber Prix” managed to cross the boundaries of political eras.
Klaipėda Becomes an International Stage
In the 21st century, the competition entered another fundamental phase.
“Amber Prix International” gradually ceased to be primarily a regional event.
Athletes from an increasing number of countries began travelling to Klaipėda.
In 2003, the winner was Latvia’s Aivars Visockis. In 2005, the title went to Russian athlete Ivan Sergeyev. In 2006, Latvia’s Aleksandr Liubomirov won, followed by Estonia’s Aleksandr Sevcov in 2007.
These names matter not only because they belong to champions.
They demonstrate that the competition had become a meeting point for the sporting schools of the Baltic region.
Klaipėda, geographically situated on the Baltic Sea, proved to be a particularly appropriate setting for an international sporting tradition.
The Real Turning Point — The Second Decade of the 21st Century
If, during the previous decades, the geography of “Amber Prix” had been primarily connected with Lithuania and other European countries, the 2010s changed the situation.
In 2010, Dharmender Singh of India won the title.
In 2011, another Indian athlete, Naftej Singh, became champion.
In 2012, victory went to Pir Sarandib Mehdi of Iran.
In 2013, Andrzej Brzezinski of Poland won.
In 2015, the champion was Ahmadi Arash of Iran.
In 2016, the title went to Jörg Fuchs of Germany.
In 2018, Aleksandr Sacharov of Uzbekistan won.
In 2019, the champion was Golap Rabha of India.
This was no longer simply a Baltic geographical footprint.
It was an international stage.
India, Iran, Uzbekistan, Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — different sporting schools, different cultures, different training traditions.
And at different points in history, all of them met on the stage in Klaipėda.
“Amber Prix” Is Also a Story of Champions Returning
Another interesting feature of the competition is the return of former champions.
Radik Manafov won in 2000 and 2002.
Aleksandr Maslovskij won in 2001 and 2004.
Darius Buksnaitis won in 1999 and 2008.
Maroš Kanaš won in 2017 and 2020.
This means that “Amber Prix” was not simply a one-time stop in an athlete’s career.
For some champions, the stage became a place worth returning to.
From a sporting perspective, this is one of the strongest indicators of a competition’s prestige.
The Modern Era: The International Character Is Here to Stay
In 2021, the champion was Poland’s Artur Kamieniak.
In 2022, the title went to Ukrainian athlete Vasilij Bespalenko.
In 2023, Estonia’s Aleksej Lapshin won.
In 2024, the champion was India’s Rahul Joshi.
In 2025, Poland’s Szymon Lubecki took the title.
And then came 2026.
Grazvydas Naruševičius. Lithuania.
This victory came at a particularly significant moment.
Exactly 60 years earlier, Klemensas Alšauskas had become the first “Amber Prix International” champion.
Now, on the eve of the competition’s 60th anniversary, a Lithuanian athlete has once again brought the title back to Lithuania.
It is a powerful symbol.
2027 — More Than an Anniversary
Sixty years is a point at which a competition can no longer be judged only by what is happening today.
Its history begins to matter.
How many athletes have appeared on its stage?
How many times have champions changed?
How many countries have been represented?
How many athletes went on from “Amber Prix” to become recognised on the international stage?
And, most importantly — why has this competition survived while many other events from the same era have disappeared?
The answer lies in tradition.
“Amber Prix International” has survived political changes, transformations of the sporting system, the restoration of Lithuania’s independence, the emergence of new international federations and the appearance of new competitions.
It survived because it was never merely a one-year event.
It became an institution in the history of Lithuanian bodybuilding.
From Lithuanian Champions to the World
During the competition’s first decades, Lithuanian athletes were the undisputed leaders.
Then athletes from Latvia and Estonia arrived in Klaipėda.
Later came competitors from Russia, Poland, Slovakia, Ukraine and Germany.
Eventually, the competition opened its doors to Asia — India, Iran and Uzbekistan.
This evolution is extremely significant.
It does not represent the loss of Lithuania’s position. It represents the growth of “Amber Prix” itself.
When a competition becomes attractive enough for athletes from different continents to compete for its title, its significance automatically changes.
It is no longer simply a Lithuanian or Baltic championship.
It is an international stage whose roots are firmly planted in Klaipėda.
A History That Must Be Preserved
Today, when sporting events are often judged by the results of a single day, “Amber Prix International” reminds us of another value of sport — continuity.
One champion arrives.
Another leaves.
Records are broken.
Generations of athletes change.
But the competition itself can survive.
And that is the greatest value of “Amber Prix International.”
From Klemensas Alšauskas to Grazvydas Naruševičius — almost six decades of history.
From Lithuanian dominance to champions from India, Iran, Uzbekistan, Poland, Ukraine, Slovakia, Germany, Latvia and Estonia.
From the Soviet era to independent Lithuania.
From a regional stage to an international competition.
“Amber Prix International” does not simply count the years — it counts generations of sporting history.
60 Years — And the Story Continues
The 2027 anniversary edition of “Amber Prix International” in Klaipėda will be more than another competition.
It will be a moment when today’s athletes meet six decades of history.
In 1967, the first stone was laid.
In 2026, a Lithuanian athlete once again brought the title back to Lithuania.
And in 2027, the 60th anniversary will arrive.
That is why the history of this competition should be regarded as more than a collection of bodybuilding results.
It is part of Lithuania’s sporting memory.
And as long as new champions continue to step onto the stage in Klaipėda, this story is not finished.
It continues.
60 YEARS OF THE HISTORIC AMBER PRIX!
In 2025, the Lithuanian bodybuilding community celebrated the 60th anniversary of the sport in Lithuania in Gargždai.
In 2026, it marked 60 years since the first international bodybuilding tournament in Eastern Europe was held in Vilnius.
In 2027, it will be 60 years since the first Amber Prix International tournament was held in Klaipėda in 1967. This international tournament has continued to this day, becoming an integral part of Lithuanian bodybuilding history and a unique sporting tradition in Eastern Europe.
Other long-established competitions also hold a special place in the history of world bodybuilding. One of the oldest is the NABBA Mr. Universe competition, first held in London in 1950. The Mr. Olympia competition, launched in the United States in 1965, also became an important milestone in the history of international bodybuilding.
In May 2027, Klaipėda will host three days of celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the Amber Prix International. Distinguished figures from Lithuanian and international sport, public life, and politics are being invited to this special commemorative event.
To mark the anniversary, the organizers also plan to publish a historical book in several languages. It will document the history of the Amber Prix International, its development, and its significance for Lithuanian and international bodybuilding.
Six decades represent not only a remarkable anniversary but also a testament to enduring sporting traditions, dedication to bodybuilding, and a legacy that unites generations of athletes, organisers, and enthusiasts of the sport.
For more information, visit the international website: WFF.lt
