Rugby League players have been classed the fittest sportsmen in Yorkshire in a challenge also involving professional footballers and county cricketers.
Players from Yorkshire, Castleford and Sheffield United took part in a series of tests at the Blades' Academy.
The challenges, which assessed agility, endurance, power, speed and strength, were set by leading conditioning coach Dean Riddle, who works for the Blades.
Castleford won on 162 points, with Yorkshire second and the Blades third.
Castleford were represented by winger Kirk Dixon, forwards Adam Milner and Joe Arundel, striker Daniel Bogdanovic and promising young players James Kingsley and Matthew Lowton represented Sheffield United, while Jonny Bairstow, James Lee and Richard Pyrah batted for Yorkshire.
Milner won both the power and strength tests, while Tigers teammates Arundel claimed top spot in the wide-grip pull-up exercise and Dixon dominating the agility challenge.
Dixon said: "The lads and I are really pleased to come out on top and prove that rugby league players are the fittest sportsmen.
"Although the day was a lot of good fun, I think we all really wanted to beat each other, so it was nice to win overall and I think we surprised people with how we performed in the speed and agility tests."
Cricketer Bairstow won both the vertical jump and sprint challenges, while all three Sheffield United players jointly claimed victory in the endurance test.
Despite Castleford winning the overall team competition, sponsored by sports nutrition suppliers Multipower, they were squeezed out in the individual competition.
Bogdanovic and Bairstow took joint honours, with Dixon finishing just one point behind.
"There are so many different facets of physical fitness," said conditioning coach Riddle. "Rugby players not only require power and strength, but speed is also crucial, so I expected Castleford Tigers to come out on top overall.
"I wouldn't be at all surprised if rugby players were the best conditioned athletes across all sports."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/castleford/9022898.stm
Players from Yorkshire, Castleford and Sheffield United took part in a series of tests at the Blades' Academy.
The challenges, which assessed agility, endurance, power, speed and strength, were set by leading conditioning coach Dean Riddle, who works for the Blades.
Castleford won on 162 points, with Yorkshire second and the Blades third.
Castleford were represented by winger Kirk Dixon, forwards Adam Milner and Joe Arundel, striker Daniel Bogdanovic and promising young players James Kingsley and Matthew Lowton represented Sheffield United, while Jonny Bairstow, James Lee and Richard Pyrah batted for Yorkshire.
Milner won both the power and strength tests, while Tigers teammates Arundel claimed top spot in the wide-grip pull-up exercise and Dixon dominating the agility challenge.
Dixon said: "The lads and I are really pleased to come out on top and prove that rugby league players are the fittest sportsmen.
"Although the day was a lot of good fun, I think we all really wanted to beat each other, so it was nice to win overall and I think we surprised people with how we performed in the speed and agility tests."
Cricketer Bairstow won both the vertical jump and sprint challenges, while all three Sheffield United players jointly claimed victory in the endurance test.
Despite Castleford winning the overall team competition, sponsored by sports nutrition suppliers Multipower, they were squeezed out in the individual competition.
Bogdanovic and Bairstow took joint honours, with Dixon finishing just one point behind.
"There are so many different facets of physical fitness," said conditioning coach Riddle. "Rugby players not only require power and strength, but speed is also crucial, so I expected Castleford Tigers to come out on top overall.
"I wouldn't be at all surprised if rugby players were the best conditioned athletes across all sports."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_league/super_league/castleford/9022898.stm
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