``I've never been one to do what's normal.
``I have a background in martial arts and skating and the idea of the gym scares me.
``Pole dancing is what I love.''
The teaching fellow at the University of Otago Centre for Science Communication took his position on the pole in late 2013 after hearing about it through friends, although that was not what ultimately sold him.
``It was slightly different, slightly weird; that's what drew me to it.
``As soon as someone said guys shouldn't be pole dancing, I thought `all right, might as well give it a try'.''
What started as a hobby quickly turned into much more for Mr Ting, who made the final of last year's amateur pole-dancing championships and won the ``trickster'' category at last week's annual Polestars competition in Nelson.
``Polestars was a slightly alternative competition to most pole comps.
``The category I won was focused on going outside the limits of modern pole-dancing, doing flashy, exciting tricks.''
Given his track record, Mr Ting said it came as no surprise that a less conventional form of pole dancing came most naturally to him.
``My tricks involve a lot of flipping upside down, which not many people do in New Zealand.
``I like to think that might have wooed the judges.''
Mr Ting said he was looking forward to national championships in Auckland next month.
He hoped his unique approach to the pole would again bring him success.
``I always joke that my training regime is Big Macs.
``I try not to think too much about it; it's more having fun than anything else.
``It's about me having fun while still pushing myself.''
- by Luke Tumaru
