Previous Story
Cutting to take a breather
Dee Clayton Classic reigning champion Derek Cutting plans to take some time off from serious training and competition as he wants to focus more on his family and the business that he will open next year.
Derek Cutting flexes his muscles during the final pose down in last Saturday’s Dee Clayton Classic at the Charley’s Cabaret of the Pacific Islands Club. (Jon Perez)
Cutting, fresh from winning the overall crown in the fifth edition of the Dee Clayton Classic, said he plans to prepare himself for fatherhood and the opening of his gym in January.
“No plans yet to compete, especially with a baby on the way. My fiancée, Tannie Chong, who was born and raised on Saipan, is expecting,” said Cutting in an interview with Saipan Tribune.
Cutting competed as a middleweight in last Saturday’s tournament and besides winning the bodybuilding division, he also received the Best Abs special award. He added he plans to compete again in the latter part of next year or in 2017.
Aside from being an expectant father, Cutting said he is also busy with the opening of his Latte Built gym next year.
“I’m busy preparing my gym and we plan to open it in January next year. The actual gym is not yet done and I just finished painting it. There are still a lot of things that needed to be done,” added Cutting. “I have to also prepare the business papers and get other permits. The equipment is also coming in and we have to set everything up.”
His Latte Built gym is located at the Commonwealth Development Authority building across the Oleai Beach Bar & Grill and The Shack Saipan.
He has been conducting boot camps with a number of his clients before at Micro Beach, but moved to the Carolinian Utt in Garapan as the former venue was littered with fallen trees and other debris in the aftermath of Typhoon Soudelor.
Cutting, who arrived on Saipan last April, said that he never stopped training after placing second in a Guam tournament in September in preparation for the Dee Clayton Classic.
“I had an 18-week preparation. It’s always nice to win and show the people what keeping fit and living a healthy lifestyle can do to you,” said Cutting. “I just got to get my name out there and introduce myself to the community.”
“It’s also nice to see a younger group who wants to keep fit. I already have a few young boys training with me. These are some of the upcoming bodybuilders.”
