Olympia Blog

Between Isaac Hinds, Ron Avidan, Lonnie Teper and Ruth Silverman, and BB.com staff, we had 180+ video clips submitted from the recent 2007 Olympia!

If you haven’t seen the latest clips, click here to be entertained!

 

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2007olympia_vids.htm

Post by: bbcom_developer

I had the honor and priviledge to shoot the Mr. Olympia contest once again. It’s a ton of work but one that is very rewarding, knowing that you’re capturing a part of bodybuilding history. Recently, I started working with Tony Blinn and the new IFBB website. Tony is the chairman of IFBB Technical Committee and General Secretary of the IFBB Professional League. He is a great guy, who works directly with Mr. Ben Weider on the website.

Today, much to my surprise and delight, Tony posted some of my photos as a feature section on the website. Check out the feature and the new website. They have individual judges’ scores and more on the site.

Post by: liftstudios

It was fantastic!!! I was all excited like a kid at Christmas. I met so many great people and witnessed one of the most amazing shows on the planet from a floor seat. Victor martinez was my winner hands down! I worked in the Ironman booth and had the pleasure of dining with the fine people of Ironman magazine who graciously provided my tickets to the shows. I met one of my best friends Rob Carbo from RealGainz magazine and had my 1st photoshoots. 3 in a row actually. I got to visit Red Rock out there and the scenery is beautiful. I worked with Dave Goodin in the booth and he is a wonderful and kind man.

Everyone was terribly nice and made my weekend the best I have ever had. okay, I had to sleep in an airport chair in Philly overnight and arrived a day late, but I am going to overlook that part. I met with the brainiacs of gaspari nutrition and the invited me to join their team to help women understand supplemental needs. Keep your eye out for the new addition to their forums (addressing women and their need to take supplements as much as men do.) I appreciate their realization that women are pretty much sold fat burners exclusively and left in the dark about everything else available! THAT needs to change! Hope everyone had a super week. i was jet lagged and dragging ass,but managed a few workouts this week. Drop by my profile and say hi.

Fern

Post by: MsFitness

Check out the latest installment of "The Experts" videos, with our post-show coverage at this year’s Olympia Weekend!

2007 Olympia Weekend: The Experts Wrap Up video, courtesy of Iron Man Magazine.

Post by:

One word…AMAZING!

I am so impressed with how much the sport has grown in the last year. This was my third year and it was bigger and better than ever. Last year The Orleans was only about half full..this year, I wasn’t able to get tickets to the finals!! Thank goodness for BB.com’s live webcast ;o) The expo was a blast as usual. Free samples were pretty much gone by late morning on Saturday. I honestly came home with $200 worth of free stuff..all for $10! Can’t beat that!

So about the shows..First off congrats to all the overall winners..Jay..Iris..Adela..Jenny. EVERYONE on that stage was a winner. The competition was so close in every event.

Here is a little opinion on each:

Fitness Olympia..I love all the competitors and really enjoyed the routines..Jen Hendershott was a classic as usual. She is one of my faves ) Kim Klein is going to take the title soon enough..her physique was great and her gymnastics abilities are amazing. I was a little disappointed in the placing for Heidi Fletcher..I think she really deserved a better placing and more callouts during prejudging. I don’t think she is getting the credit she deserves. Adela’s physique was so incredible this year…I enjoy her routines but I feel like it was missing a little something this year. She deserved her the title none the less..Next year should be interesting!!

Ms. Olympia..Very underrated..I feel these women don’t get the attention they deserve. I thought they all looked great and was especially impressed with Lisa Aukland..did she look great or what! I also give all the credit in the world to Betty Pariso..if I can look half as great when I am her age! Wow. It was a close call between all the competitors, especially between Davana and Iris. I really wasn’t sure what the result was going to be…again next year will be interesting!

Figure…Oh boy…this is where my upset was…I am a huge Monica Brant fan and was sooooo disappointed in her placing. I don’t know what the judges want from her. I think she brings her A game every year and this year she got shafted big time. I definitely think Jenny deserved her first place title. Oh and let’s not forget Jennifer Gates…watch out for her next year!!!

Mr. O..Well I can’t complain about this one. Jay is from my home state. I have been rooting for him for years! So glad he won..but Victor…wow..How close was that! I think Jay was carrying a little too much water during prejudging and he did what he needed to do by Finals. If not, I think VM would have taken it. Dennis Wolf, another one to look out for. I thought he should have placed third in this one. These boys better bring their A game next year because this year was way too close!

Overall, the weekend was a blast…it is such an amazing feeling to be surrounded by so many people who work so hard year round..not only the competitors but the people who come just to enjoy the show. Makes you realize that when you feel like you are the only one doing extra cardio, pushing hard in the gym, and saying no to something yummy..you are NOT the only one..there are hundreds of people who are working just as hard if not harder! I can’t wait for next year..hopefully I will be bringing my A game ;o)

xoxo..FP

Post by: FitnessPeanut

I received this email and photos from Barbie Barbell and Mark Harris regarding this past weekend’s Olympia, and am posting them here with their permission.  Enjoy!

“OK I just got back from the Olympia out in Las Vegas. I was sent out by EFX Nutrition as a sponsored athlete and they treated me and my Dad like royalty.

I signed over 400 autographs and took hundreds of pictures with fans and other athletes from around the world. I had Flex Magazine and Iron Man Magazine come by and take pictures too. Bodybuilding.com came by and interviewed me they are super and always show great interest in me. Thanks Guys!!!!

The men’s finals on Saturday night was just awesome. I have never in my life seen so much muscle in one room. These guys are giants and some do not even look human, more like robots. Jay Cutler won the show and the legend Ronnie Coleman took 4th place and that was his final Olympia.

I want to Thank EFX Nutrition for their awesome support of me and I will be with them for a long time. Take a look at the interview and I am going to add some pictures too.”

Peace,
Barbie Barbell

These photos and the video interview were taken on Saturday at the EFX Nutrition Booth at the 2007 Olympia Expo.  Thank you Richard from Bodybuilding.com for all of your support!!!!!

The video interview is here:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/2007olympia_vids.htm

Post by: bbcom_developer

Watch them here, FREE, for a limited time! We have full replays but try to watch them now because they are only available temporarily.

Find them right here: Webcast Replays.

Thanks to everyone for your continued support!

Scott

Bodybuilding.com Content Editor

Post by:

These excellent photos were taken by photographer Bryan Mylius at the 2006 Olympia, but for some reason never made their way into a photo gallery on our Olympia photos page.  So, here are some of the best of the bunch, for your viewing pleasure!  =)

These excellent photos were taken by photographer Bryan Mylius at the 2006 Olympia, but for some reason never made their way into a photo gallery on our Olympia photos page.  So, here are some of the best of the bunch, for your viewing pleasure!  =)

These excellent photos were taken by photographer Bryan Mylius at the 2006 Olympia, but for some reason never made their way into a photo gallery on our Olympia photos page.  So, here are some of the best of the bunch, for your viewing pleasure!  =)

Four “I Do’s” and two marriages happened in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA on Sunday, October 1st at Caesar’s Palace, right after the 2006 Olympia…

Our very own Masters World Champion, Bob Cicherillo married his wonderful fiancé, Tocha, and just a few short hours later, Figure Pro Jessica Paxson married bodybuilding rising star, Peter Putnam!

Caesar’s Palace is one amazing place to get married. All at once it is elegant, comfortable and huge, well fitted to marriages in the bodybuilding world. And you can always find a few extra special guests to add the right theme to the day.

Now, I truly don’t know how Bob was able to get on with the day. He had just spent a late night with post-Olympia business and my makeup artist and second photographer arrived at his suite at 7 AM to start getting the things going. So while the women were getting makeup and hair done, Bob and the guys, friends and family and myself, met downstairs for breakfast.

I was surprised to see most of Bob’s family already in tuxedos, but they were a pretty excited bunch and having a lot of fun. And not to be missed was Bob’s best buddy, Tom Prince.

It wasn’t too long in the restaurant, when we saw Jessica Paxson come in joining her family for breakfast. Jess was amazingly beautiful and, considering the weekend, really well composed! She had just been on stage competing and now she was going to be a bride in a few hours. Someone is going to have to check the record books and see if two competitor weddings have ever happened before on an Olympia weekend.

Time was getting close now - Bob & Tocha were due to get married at 12:30, so off to finish getting ready we went. Outside the entrance to the Terrazza Garden, it was my luck that I walked into the big three. No, not Jay, Ronnie and Victor…

The really big three - of BodyBuilding.com! Ryan, Jeremy and Russ DeLuca. Yes, these are the guys behind it and their wives. And a nicer bunch of people you will not meet.

BodyBuilding.com might be pretty big company, but it is a bunch of regular people behind it and that is one reason I like doing business with them and I hope all of you do, too.

As we all gathered in the garden, time moved forward (as it always does), the music played and a big smile crossed Tocha’s face as she walked down the aisle. I could also see a glint in the big guy’s eyes - Bob tends to be a very confident person, and I could see that he knew that this was the right woman and the right time. And before you knew it, Pastor Mike announced the new Mr. & Mrs. Bob & Tocha Cicherillo!

Everybody probably has some kind of idea as to who would be at a bodybuilder’s wedding as guests. But just like the rest of us, it is obviously a lot of family and friends. Bob has been a big name in bodybuilding for a long time, so we did find some other big names in the business at the ceremony and reception, which also was at Caesars.

I hope I don’t miss too many people, but we saw Peter McGough, editorial director for the Flex - Muscle & Fitness - AMI etc, Shawn Perine, senior writer for Flex and bodybuilding historian, Joe Antouri, founder of The Private Trainers Association and a man with always a kind word and smile, Mac McCabe, President of Egg Whites and Bob’s better in the game of golf, the always energetic Travis Chapman from The Fit Show.

Then there was this guy on his cell phone… Also having spent the night as co-emcee with Bob for the Olympia, Shawn Ray was present and accounted for, looking very fit. You might be wondering why Shawn is grinning and has his eyes closed. Well, finding Shawn on his cell phone is not that hard to do but I always seem to be there to take a photo when he is.

While Bob’s day was winding down, Jessica Paxson and Peter Putnam started their new life together. With family and friends from around the country, they were married only three hours after Bob & Tocha. This is a good looking couple with a great deal in common. And I must tell you that their families just seemed like one big family already.

We were all taken away by limousines to their reception where you could not have found a bunch of people having more fun. This is the type of thing that makes being the wedding photographer just great, you get to share with people one of the most important times of their lives. And I can’t tell you how much I enjoy Jessica and Peter and their familes.

Looking back on it, this was one very special Olympia - a lot happened. I was there in Las Vegas for six very big days and nights covering everything, a lot more than most people got to see. And I can tell you that everyone who came away from this Olympia felt it’s impact.

The Olympia changed for the better, regardless of how you feel about who won or lost.  The show went great, records were broken, new winners were crowned, and the sport got a big boost. And two wonderful couples got married. Now, how are we going to top this for next year? Thanks!

Hear what Fitness Olympia Winner, Adela Garcia-Friedmansky has to say now that she’s had some time to breathe after the Olympia!

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson224.htm